Before a first custom bag order a brand pays a sample fee, a one-time tooling fee for any custom hardware or moulds, and, only for new constructions, a development fee for pattern work. The sample fee includes one revision round and is refunded only when the first order of that same style reaches 300 pcs per style per color. It cannot be credited to another style, and separate orders cannot be added together to reach 300. A case-by-case first order of 200 pieces or fewer receives no sample-fee refund. For a case-by-case first order of 201–299 pieces, sample-fee handling is discussed case by case, with no refund promise. Samples are never free. Tooling is charged once as a separate line and is not built into the unit price. Samples take 3-7 days for an existing style and 7-10 working days for a new structure. Bulk production is 15-30 days for light customization or 20-45 working days for heavy customization.
Before the first production order of a custom backpack, tote or gym bag, a brand pays for three different things, and inquiries routinely mix them up: the sample fee, the tooling fee for custom hardware or moulds, and, for new constructions, a development fee for pattern work. This guide sets out what each one covers at Elandmake, which are one-time charges, and when the sample fee comes back. Our sampling process guide explains the sequence of steps; this article is about the money.
The Three Charges and What They Are For
| Charge | What it pays for | Charged when | Refunded later? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample fee | Making one physical sample of your specification on our own line, including one revision round | Before sampling starts | Only when the first order of that same style reaches 300 pcs per style per color. Not credited to another style. Separate orders are not added together |
| Tooling fee | Custom metal badges, logo-engraved sliders and pull tabs, custom buckles, EVA or moulded base tooling, embossing plates | Before the tooling is made | No. Charged once as a separate line; not built into the unit price |
| Development fee | Pattern making and construction work for a new structure that no existing pattern covers | Quoted per project after the tech pack review | Handled per project and stated in the quotation |
The distinction matters when you compare suppliers. A quotation that shows a low unit price with tooling folded into it looks cheaper on the reorder than it is; a quotation that lists tooling once and keeps the unit price clean is easier to compare and easier to reorder against.
Sample Fee: What Is Included and What Is Not
At Elandmake the sample fee covers the sample itself and one revision round. That means the first sample, your consolidated revision list, and the corrected sample. Further revision rounds requested by the buyer are quoted separately. If a sample fails to follow the confirmed specification because of our error, we correct and resample it without an additional sample fee.
The sample fee is refunded only when the first order of that same style reaches 300 pcs per style per color. It cannot be credited to another style, and separate orders cannot be added together to reach 300. The refund applies to that order only and is not an unconditional cash refund. A case-by-case first order of 200 pieces or fewer receives no sample-fee refund. For a case-by-case first order of 201–299 pieces, sample-fee handling is discussed case by case, with no refund promise. Tooling, plate-making and third-party testing fees are not deducted. Samples are never free. The applicable amount and freight are confirmed in the quotation.
Not included in the sample fee:
- Sample freight. International courier is normally paid by the buyer, either on your own DHL, FedEx or UPS account or added to the sample invoice.
- Tooling for any custom hardware the sample needs. A sample with a custom metal badge requires the badge tooling first.
- Third-party testing on the sample, if your market requires it before you approve.
Samples take 3–7 days for an existing style and 7–10 days for a new structure, counted from confirmation of the specification, materials, logo files and sample fee. Tooling-dependent projects are scheduled separately.
Tooling Fee: One-Time, Separate, Yours to Reuse
Tooling covers physical tools made for your design: the die for a metal logo badge, the mould for a custom slider or pull tab, an embossing plate for a logo on PU, an EVA mould for a shaped base. Each is charged once, listed as its own line in the quotation, and is not built into the unit price. On reorders the tooling line does not appear again unless the design changes.
| Tooling item | Typical trigger in a bag brief |
|---|---|
| Metal logo badge die | Handbags and totes that need a branded metal plate |
| Custom slider or pull tab mould | Brands that want the logo on the zipper pull rather than a stock YKK pull |
| Embossing or debossing plate | Logo pressed into PU or leather panels |
| EVA or moulded base | Semi-rigid organizer bases, structured carrier floors |
| Custom buckle or D-ring | Colour-matched or shaped hardware not in the standard catalogue |
If your first run is small, tooling is the line to look at hardest. A custom badge on a 300-piece launch is a real cost per piece; a stock hardware set with a woven label is not. Many brands launch with stock hardware and add tooled parts on the second order once the colourway is proven.
Development Fee: Only for New Constructions
A development fee applies when the product needs a pattern that does not exist yet: a modular pouch system, a docking interface, a fold-out mat, a semi-rigid body. It pays for pattern making and construction engineering before the first sample can be cut. It does not apply when you are adjusting an existing pattern with your colours, logo and pocket changes, which is the route most first orders take. OEM vs ODM bag manufacturing covers how to tell which route you are on.
Sequence of Payments Before the First Order
- Quotation, listing the unit price for the quoted quantity, the sample fee, any tooling lines, any development fee, packing data and validity. There is no pilot or trial tier and no unit-price premium.
- Sample fee and any tooling or development fee paid; sampling starts.
- Sample, one revision round, approval in writing.
- Order confirmation: 30% deposit on order confirmation, 70% balance before shipment for standard custom orders; highly customized or complex projects normally use 50% / 50%. The sample fee is refunded only when that order is the first order of the same style and itself reaches 300 pcs per style per color.
- Bulk production: generally 15–30 days for light customization or 20–45 working days for heavy customization, counted from written sample approval and deposit.
The standard MOQ is 300 pieces per style and colorway. Colors are not combined to reach it, and separate orders are not added together. Our MOQ guide explains how colourways count separately. New structures are possible. An order under 300 pieces is considered only case by case, for example on a high-value, complex custom item, and only when the quotation says so.
Want a quotation that separates sample, tooling and unit price? Contact Elandmake with your reference or tech pack, the hardware you have in mind and your first-run quantity. Reference products: business backpack, gym duffel, canvas tote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the sample fee refundable?
Only in one case. The sample fee is refunded when the first order of that same style reaches 300 pcs per style per color. It is not credited to a different style, and separate orders are not added together to reach 300. Without that order there is no refund. Tooling, plate-making and third-party testing fees are not deducted. The refund applies to that order only and is not an unconditional cash refund. A case-by-case first order of 200 pieces or fewer receives no sample-fee refund. For a case-by-case first order of 201–299 pieces, sample-fee handling is discussed case by case, with no refund promise. Samples are never free.
How many revisions does the sample fee include?
One revision round: the first sample, your consolidated revision list, and the corrected sample. Additional buyer-requested rounds are quoted separately. Corrections of our own errors against the confirmed specification are resampled without an extra sample fee.
Is the tooling fee included in the unit price?
No. Custom hardware, mould and pattern tooling is charged once as a separate line and is not built into the unit price. It does not recur on reorders unless the design changes.
Do I pay a development fee for a colour and logo change on an existing bag?
No. A development fee applies only to a new construction that needs its own pattern. Colour, logo, label and pocket changes on an existing pattern are covered by the sample fee.
