Ask a supplier what can be customised and you will get a
list. Ask what the list costs you in time and the answer changes shape — because private label customisation
is really three layers, and they lock in a fixed order.
The short answer
The three layers are size, colour and
packaging, and they lock in that order. Size changes the product, so it is confirmed before
sampling. Colour needs a physical approval against a Pantone reference, written into the spec sheet. Packaging
comes last, once dimensions and SKU data are frozen, because artwork printed against a wrong dimension is
waste. Samples run US$25–40 per model in 5 days, and the fee is credited
back in full against your first production order — which is why the layer you lock first is the one that
changes the product, not the one that changes the shelf.
The three layers, and what each one decides
Each layer answers a different question, and each one carries a different cost if you change your mind late.
Read the table as a sequence rather than a menu.
| Layer | What you decide | What it changes | When to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Dimensions, thickness, the size range you will stock. | Who the product fits and whether it performs — this is the product, not a variant. | Before the sample is made. |
| Colour | Pantone references, number of colourways, logo treatment. | Shelf identity and how many SKUs your range actually contains. | At sample approval, against a physical piece. |
| Packaging | Polybag, retail box, hangtag, barcode, multipack configuration. | Retail readiness — what the buyer picks up and what a retailer’s onboarding form asks about. | After the sample is approved, before the bulk run starts. |
Layer one: size — the layer that decides if the product works
Size is where most ranges are won or lost, and it is the layer buyers rush. A pad a few centimetres short
moves under the dog. A ramp at the wrong length is unusable for a car boot. Dimension, thickness and construction
are specified per model and confirmed in writing on the spec sheet, before anything is cut. The size range you
stock is a merchandising decision; the dimensions you specify are a performance decision.
Layer two: colour — what Pantone approval actually means
Colour is the layer brands feel most strongly about and the one most often approved from a screen. A monitor
cannot show you the difference between two blues on a brushed polyester mat, and the mill’s dye lot will not
match your brand book by chance. The workable version is a Pantone reference written into the spec sheet and an
approval against the physical sample, so the bulk run is inspected against something that exists.
Two questions belong on your quotation at this layer: how multiple colourways are counted against your order
quantity, and how the fabric’s colourfastness behaves under the wash cycle your care label claims. Both affect
whether a colourway is a variant or a separate model, and neither should be assumed. Your logo sits inside this
layer — embroidered, printed or applied as a label — and the trade-offs are compared in
logo and label options.
Layer three: packaging — the layer the buyer holds
Packaging is the last layer to lock, and the one that makes the product sellable rather than shippable. It is
also where the most SKU data lives: barcode, size designation, care information, your company identity. Packaging
artwork should therefore be built against a frozen spec sheet and a frozen SKU list, not in parallel with them.
Structure choices and cost drivers are covered in
retail-ready packaging; the rule here is that packaging is
designed once, after the product is settled.
Where buyers get stuck
- Approving colour from a screen. Ask for the approved piece to be kept as the inspection
reference — the same sample rule that applies to construction applies to colour. - Designing packaging before dimensions are frozen. Print, boxes and carton specs all inherit
the dimension, so a change at the product layer invalidates everything above it. - Treating the three layers as one decision. You can customise packaging without touching
size or colour at all — the fastest route to market is your branding on a model that is already tested and
selling. - Leaving the barcode to the last minute. The number is yours to supply, and artwork cannot
be final without it.
Questions we get asked
Can I customise only one layer?
Yes. Plenty of orders start with packaging and a colourway on a stocked model, then move to a full
specification later. Nothing about the sequence forces you to take all three layers at once.
How much does customisation add to the sample timeline?
The sample itself is 5 days at US$25–40 per model. Colour and packaging
approval add their own rounds, and they run on your side as much as ours — so the fastest approval is the one
where you check the sample against your spec sheet the day it arrives rather than the week it is due.
Do extra colourways increase my order quantity?
Order quantity is confirmed per model and stated on your quotation, and colourways are part of that
calculation — ask how your specific combination is counted before you commit. The answer belongs in writing
on the quote, not in a conversation.
Can I reuse packaging across products?
Usually yes, and it is worth doing. A common pack structure across a range keeps artwork approvals down and
makes the shelf read as one brand. What changes between models is the SKU data on the pack, so keep the
structure shared and the variable data separate.
If you are deciding how far to customise, tell us your market, your quantity and
which layer matters most to your shelf. We will say plainly what can be applied to a stocked model and what
needs a built-to-spec route — see the OEM, ODM and private label service for both, or
send the question through the contact page and we will answer within one business day.