Sampling before a bulk order: what to approve and why

A sample answers a simple question: does the thing in your hand match the thing in your head? Screens and drawings hide finish, weight, edge quality and how the pack opens. Only a real piece shows them.

It also gives you and the factory one shared reference. At ArtzFolio the approved sample is the reference for production, and the order is made against it. If you start from an idea rather than finished artwork, the first piece is a prototype, and changes are simplest at that point.

A sample also tests the brief itself. Writing a specification feels complete until a physical piece shows what was left out: which side the label sits on, how deep the frame is, whether the hanger is centred. Treat the first sample as a way of finding those gaps while they are cheap to fix.

At ArtzFolio samples are paid. By agreement, the sample cost can be reimbursed or adjusted in your final order. The quote states the sample plan and the sample price, so you know both before you commit. The full run is not made until you approve the sample.

Many manufacturers charge for samples, because each one means setting up artwork, materials and labour for a single piece. A charge is not in itself a warning sign. What matters is that the terms are clear. Ask how the sample cost is treated if you go ahead, and get the answer in writing.

Check the sample on the real material, in daylight, next to your artwork or a reference piece. Then open the pack the way your customer will. The table gives a simple routine.

Do not rely on one person's eye. If two or three people will sell, pack or install the product, ask each to check it against the table. Photograph the sample from the front, the back and the corners, and keep the photographs with the approval note. If something is borderline, write it down and ask the factory to confirm in writing how the full run will handle it, rather than assuming it will be fine.

The full run is planned against your approved sample, so approval is the natural point to count the lead time from. ArtzFolio confirms the lead time in the quote. When you compare factories, ask for the lead time counted from sample approval, and ask what would delay it. Late artwork and a change of material are the usual causes, and both are in your hands to avoid.

Approve in writing. A written note keeps the approved sample as the single reference, and it prevents later disputes about what was agreed.

Changes after approval are possible but they are not free of consequence. A change of material or size can mean a new sample, which can move the start of production. This is why the checks above matter: the more you settle at sample stage, the less likely a surprise appears during the full run. If a change is needed, ask the factory in writing what it affects before you agree to it.

A first order and sampling take longer than a repeat. Plan for that before a launch date, a season or a project handover, and ask for the sampling time when you receive the sample plan. A paid sample typically takes 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the product, and the quote confirms it.

Keep the approved sample, the written specification and the artwork file together, and give the same set for every repeat order. Then a reorder starts from a known result instead of from memory. To get the closest first sample, send the following with your request.

Once the sample is approved, ask what the factory will check against it before packing. At ArtzFolio the order is made against the approved sample and inspected before packing, so your note should name the points that matter most to you, such as colour match or label position.

• Final artwork at the largest size you have.
• The final size, material and finish.
• Whether your label goes on the product, the pack or both.
• How the product will be packed and sold.