Private label manufacturers in China, by product category

Search for a private-label manufacturer and you will find plenty of company lists. They date quickly. A factory may change its product line, raise its minimums or stop taking small buyers while its name remains on a blog for years.

A category map is more useful. It tells you where to search, what normally sets the minimum order and which cost arrives before the first sale. We have left factory names out on purpose. A company we have not checked is not one we should recommend.

First: private label, white label or OEM?#

First, be clear about what you are buying. White label, private label and OEM are often used as if they mean the same thing. They don't. The choice affects your minimum order, the tooling bill and whether another brand can order the same item.

Our guides to OEM vs ODM and white label vs private label explain the details. A sensible route for many new brands is to test demand with white label. Once one SKU is selling, you can judge whether exclusivity is worth the extra setup cost.

The category map#

China's factories are not spread evenly across the country. Industries gather in clusters. Around an assembly plant you may find the component supplier, printer and finishing workshop within a short drive. That proximity saves time and transport. A supplier far from the cluster may simply subcontract the work back into it and add a margin.

This table is a starting point, not a border. Products are made outside these clusters too. Begin in the established region, then judge each factory on its own evidence.

What each category costs you before the first unit#

Before comparing unit prices, count the money due before production. That number often decides whether private label makes sense at your present volume. The source of the setup cost depends on the category.

• Tooling-heavy — moulded plastic, footwear, kitchenware and toys. A new mould or shoe last is paid for once. Factories then spread that cost across the run. Discuss the tooling price separately, and put ownership in writing.
• Material-minimum-heavy — clothing, textiles and bags. Tooling may be minor, but mills sell fabric by the roll and dye it in batches. The mill can set your minimum even when the sewing factory is willing to make less. Extra colours increase the problem quickly.
• Formulation-heavy — cosmetics, skincare and supplements. Here you are paying for a production batch and for regulatory work in the destination market. Neither is easy to recover. Ask who owns the formula and whether another brand can use it.
• Certification-heavy — electronics, toys, children's goods and electrical products. Tests may be required for each market and each variation. Price them before approving a sample; otherwise a profitable-looking product can lose its margin late in the project.
• Print-heavy — boxes, labels and other printed goods. Every design can need its own plate or setup. Four launch designs may mean four separate charges. Fewer artwork versions usually produce the simplest saving.

How to approach a factory in any category#

The same basic questions work across categories, but one answer will carry more weight. For electronics, it is usually certification. For clothing, ask about fabric. With cosmetics, establish ownership of the formula. Toy buyers need test history, while moulded products depend on the tooling terms.

• Do you already make this product category? Your order should not pay for a factory's first attempt at learning it.
• What sets your minimum order? The reason matters. A fabric roll, mould or filling batch may leave room for a different solution; an unexplained number tells you very little.
• What are the setup charges, and who owns the tool afterwards? Agree both points in writing before sending a deposit.
• Which certificates does my market require? Have you made a compliant version before? Certificates apply to the product and manufacturer. An agent cannot lend you one.
• How long will the sample take? How many revisions are included? Sampling often takes longer than buyers expect.
• What will you do if the batch fails inspection? Ask for the actual process, including who pays for rework.

This factory check is one part of the larger sourcing process and its costs. If you would rather have someone run it locally, use the questions in our guide to finding a sourcing agent in China.

Before you commit to a run#

Keep the approved sample. Physically. It gives the inspector something concrete to compare with the production run. Tie the final payment to a passed inspection rather than to a calendar date, and book the pre-shipment inspection before the balance is due. Once the factory has been paid in full, your leverage is mostly gone.

You also need a plan for the finished stock. Goods held near the customer can ship domestically, but they tie up cash in a large transfer. Keeping stock in China allows smaller commitments and means international delivery on each order. Our guide to fulfilment from China explains that choice. The private label and OEM/ODM service covers how we handle production.

We quote sourcing work by project. A repeat order of an existing item is not the same job as a new cosmetic formula or a custom mould, so one published percentage would be misleading.