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Many people have a new bag or leather product concept that they love and want to produce for the masses. Your concept can be designed and manufactured pretty easy. However, we have found that some customers are not really knowledgeable in the whole process from start to finish.
So today we are going to go over some basic industry knowledge that will make your big new concept a hit from start to finish! Off course the first step is to contact our sales office, so you can get the basic information you need to start the process. Afterwards, you can either send us your new design via email or mail, or choose a product off of our website that you want to modify.
FYI: We also sign non-disclosure agreements and if you have a new design that you want to protect it’s a good ideal to have this in place before you divulge your new concept.
Once the NDA is in place and we have received your new design our production department will study it in order to give you an estimate which will include a price per unit and the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ).
The next step is to make a sample which usually takes about two weeks depending on the complexity of the design. Another thing to consider is that sometimes when the sample is made your material may not be a 100% match. In order to make your design the specific color you want, we have to get the fabric directly from the fabric manufacturer. Unfortunately, the sample fabric may not always match your color needs because the fabric manufacturer will not produce sample fabric only, and only when we place the order will they dye the fabric to exact specifications. Not to worry though because once the final production starts there will be an exact match that will meet your approval before production begins.
Production takes about 6 – 8 weeks depending on the complexity and the number of units you want to make. GFG is different then most manufacturing companies in that we check every piece before we pack the products. If we find any product that has a problem, we either repair it or make another one.
After we check the quality everything is packed and transferred to the shipping company to be delivered to the port FOB China.
Shipping your products via cargo ships are usually a pretty reasonable scenario compared to the cost of shipping by air. The only negative is that it takes about thirty days to cross the sea. So this is an area you will want to plan accordingly and allow enough time for the products to be produced and shipped. Shipping by air is ok for lighter products of a lessor quantity, but once you start getting into heavier and more numerous products the cost will be unreasonable.
The products are then delivered to your port of choice, and you will be responsible for the shipping cost from China to the United States. When your products arrive at the port they will go through customs in which you will have to pay a tax. The tax that is charged depends on the type of product that you are importing. There will also be some local fees charged to you by the forwarding company. Additionally, you will also have to pay for the transportation cost from the port to your final destination. These fees can vary depending on the amount of product and the timeframes that you need it delivered.
These are the basic concepts that can give you a better understanding of the process. If you have more detailed questions please feel free to contact our offices at [email protected] or call us during normal business hours at (240) 482 7973. We can walk you though the steps and help you get the bag or leather product with your trademark or company logo produced.
Our next article will go over some of the legal areas of the U.C.C Article 2 – Sales, so check back with our site every month.