4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Bag Manufacturer

As you’re designing your bag, you’ll also need to select a manufacturer who will produce and deliver your special products. While it’s one of the last steps of the process, choosing the right bag manufacturer early on is an important component of a successful order. Going with an experienced, high-quality manufacturer will help ensure that your product meets your expectations for craftsmanship, cost and delivery. Selecting an inferior manufacturer could introduce errors, reduce the quality of your thoughtful design or it could even cost you time and money. In this post, we suggest four questions to ask to help you choose the right bag manufacturer.

Four Questions to Ask your Bag Manufacturer

Is there a minimum order quantity?

You likely are designing your bag around a particular campaign or purpose. This could be gifts for your staff, as part of a promotional giveaway or to create an inventory of products that you sell online or at retail locations. In all cases, you’ll want to estimate the number of bags you’ll need for your initial or subsequent campaigns and seek a manufacturer that can produce that quantity. It’s an important early question to ask to make sure that your prospective bag manufacturer is a good fit for your needs and budget. 

At Rocket Bags, for example, our minimum order quantities are based on a number of variables such as style, material and production costs. Depending on your unique bag, this will typically be a minimum order quantity, or MOQ, of 500 bags or more. We don’t want you to get stuck ordering and paying for more bags than you need! So, if you only require a few bags, you’ll want to seek out a manufacturer that can meet this need. 

Do you offer design assistance?

Chances are, this is one of your first experiences in designing a custom bag. We know that it can feel a little overwhelming given how many choices you have for bag style, material, colour and so much more. You may need a bit of design assistance to put your one-of-a-kind bag together. This could be support from the beginning with all aspects of the design, or, this could be just a bit of help to add the finishing touches to your bespoke creation. In either case, you’ll want to inquire if your bag manufacturer offers design assistance, should you need it. Surprisingly, this type of assistance is not always offered. Some manufacturers have no such service, while others will charge an additional fee for support.

At Rocket Bags, we offer always-free design service to ensure you get the perfect bag every time. This begins from the moment you reach out. We offer a free consultation at the onset to understand your goals and your budget. Then, we work with you every step of the way to share ideas, shape your design, answer questions and make the entire process easy. We’ve also been doing this for more than 25 years and are one of the UK’s most experienced bag designers; we bring this expertise to every bag we make. Whether or not you predict needing design assistance, we suggest seeking a prospective manufacturer who can help you at no cost, if you need it!

What are my options for custom materials and design features?

You might have a vision of the exact bag you’d like to produce. Perhaps something on Pinterest or Etsy caught your eye or you were inspired by high fashion trends from the spring or summer runway. In this case, look for a manufacturer that offers replication services. At Rocket Bags, for example, you can simply send us an image of the bag you’d like to replicate and we’ll redraw the artwork for you, then have you review and approve it. Or, maybe you want to design a straightforward and functional bag for a specific use, like a corporate business case with your brand or logo. Make sure that your bag manufacturer can deliver on your vision. 

Here’s how to go about it. First, ask if the prospective manufacturer can accommodate the material, shape and size of your bag. Second, inquire about the company’s ability to include other features that you have in mind, like pockets or zippers.  If they can’t, you may want to find a different bag manufacturer. Some companies may charge additional fees if they need to outsource any of these elements or acquire the custom materials required for your bag. At Rocket Bags, creating a bespoke bag that matches your exact design vision is our mission, and, after 25 years, it’s also our specialty!

What happens if I’m unhappy with the final product?

Bags are our passion. As such, we hope that your experience exceeds your expectations, no matter who manufacturers it. However, we also know that sometimes things can go wrong. Before you commit to a manufacturer, check what procedures or policies are in place should there be an issue with your order. Get sound information now about the manufacturer’s refunds and returns policy. This could save you significant time and money in the long run, as you can better avoid a costly scenario in which you end up paying for a product you’re not happy with.

We suggest looking for a manufacturer that provides actual samples of your bags. At Rocket Bags, for example, we create a real production sample of your custom bag, so you can see it, touch it and provide feedback before we start production. You should also seek a manufacturer that offers quality guarantees. We have a quality guarantee that if your custom bags aren’t up to the same standard as your approved sample, we’ll either re-manufacture them or you can return them for a full credit. 

Timing is just as important as quality. If your bags don’t arrive in plenty of time for your promotion or event, they could be virtually useless! Look for a manufacturer that has a proven track record of on-time delivery. Ask them what sort of delivery guarantees they have in place to ensure that you get your bags when you need them. At Rocket Bags, if your bags aren’t delivered on time, you won’t pay a penny!

You’ve put thought and resources into designing the perfect bag, so make sure you partner with a manufacturer who can exceed your expectations and truly deliver! We wish you happy hunting in selecting your next bag manufacturer. Start with these four questions to help you narrow down some of the many producers out there.

While we hope you go with us, our greatest goal is that you get the bags you want. Please reach out to us today to see if we check all of your boxes!