The questions worth asking a drinkware supplier are the ones whose answers you will need later: where the body is formed, how the vacuum is tested, what the colour tolerance is, and what happens if the container fails. A catalogue answers none of them.
The twelve
| Question | Good answer |
|---|---|
| Which stages are in-house? | A named list, including what is bought in |
| Is the vacuum test per piece or per batch? | Per piece, on the line |
| What is the colour tolerance, in writing? | A number or a defined reference |
| Which moulds exist, and which would be new? | A specific answer per item |
| What is the minimum, and is it per colour? | Per colour, and stated plainly |
| How long is sampling, and production? | Two separate windows |
| Which documents do you hold for my market? | Named, current, per market |
| What is the pack-out and the carton size? | Figures, with the caveat about model |
| What happens if a container fails inspection? | A procedure, not a reassurance |
| Who applies the coating and the printing? | In-house or a named partner |
| What is the accepted deviation on capacity? | A stated figure |
| What changes if I accept a stock colour? | A real reduction, not a refusal |
Why the failure question matters most
Every supplier will say quality is good. The question that separates them is what happens when it is not — whether there is a documented procedure, whether an inspection can happen during production rather than after packing, and who pays for what. Ask it before the first order, when the answer is free.
How to read the answers
- Specific numbers are the signal. A supplier who knows their process gives figures. A vague answer is usually an answer that has not been asked before.
- “Whatever you need” is not an answer. It sounds accommodating and it means the question was not understood.
- A shorter document is often a better one. A declaration named to the item and the market beats a folder of certificates for markets you are not selling into.
Questions buyers ask
How many suppliers should I ask?
Enough to establish a market, which is usually three or four. Beyond that you are collecting the same answers.
Should I ask for a factory visit?
If the programme justifies it, ask to see the vacuum line and the print line rather than the showroom — and if you cannot go, ask for video of the specific stages.
What if the answers are good but the price is high?
Then you have something worth negotiating on, which is a better position than a low price and no answers. The cost guide is a place to start on which lines have room.
Ask us any of these directly — a technical enquiry reaches the people who run the line rather than a sales inbox.
