A drinkware sample has to settle five things before production: the colour against the reference, the decoration position and size, the lid fit, the leak and vacuum result, and the packing. A sample that only shows the shape has not done its job, and the cost of sampling is driven by how many of those five have to be made rather than by the bottle itself.
What decides the cost of a sample
- Whether the body exists. A stock body in a stock colour is pulled from the line. A custom colour is a coating run.
- Whether the decoration exists. An existing screen or engraving file is applied. A new logo needs a screen made before anything can be printed.
- Whether the lid exists. A standard fitment is available; a new lid geometry is a mould, and a mould is not a sample.
- How many rounds you plan. The second round is usually cheaper than the first, because the setups are already made.
The approval sequence
- Specification written down. Item, capacity, grade, colour reference, decoration method and positions, lid, packaging. Without this the sample is a guess and the second round is a repeat.
- Artwork checked before anything is made. The usual delay in sampling is not production, it is artwork that arrives as a low-resolution image or with the logo positioned without a reference point.
- Sample produced and measured. Capacity, height, diameter and thread are checked against the specification rather than against the drawing.
- Functions tested. On a vacuum item, the leak and vacuum test is the one that matters — a sample that looks right and seeps is a failed sample.
- Signed off in writing. The approved sample becomes the reference for production, so it should be photographed and kept, not just accepted in an e-mail.
Where sampling goes wrong
| Failure | Symptom | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| No colour reference | Sample approved, container rejected | Supply a Pantone or a physical sample, and agree the tolerance |
| Artwork supplied late | Sample arrives, launch slips | Send vector artwork with the brief |
| Lid never tested as delivered | Leaks in the field | Test the assembled item, not the body |
| Sample not archived | Production disputed later | Photograph the approved sample from four angles |
Questions buyers ask
How long does sampling take?
On stock or lightly decorated items, three to seven days from the point the artwork and method are settled. The clock does not start when the enquiry arrives.
Can I skip sampling and go straight to production?
You can, and on a repeat of an item you already sell it is a reasonable choice. On a new colour, a new decoration or a new lid it converts a small risk into a container-sized one.
Does a sample order count towards the minimum?
Treat that as a commercial term to agree in writing rather than an assumption. It is one of the things a quotation should state.
We make samples in 3–7 days from catalogue moulds and the same eight control points apply to a sample as to a container. The sample and mockup page sets out the routes, and the QC checklist is the list the sample is measured against.
