The questions that come up in almost every first enquiry, answered with the numbers we actually work to rather than with a sales line. If yours is not here, the sourcing desk answers within one business day.
From 100 pieces for a stock shape in a stock glaze. A new mould starts at 500 to 1,000 pieces depending on complexity, and a new glaze colour adds 1,000 pieces per colour because the kiln has to be committed to that run. Mixed containers are welcome — the MOQ applies per SKU, not per shipment.
Send the product, quantity, destination and any branding requirement. We reply with a quotation and a lead time, then issue a proforma invoice. Production starts when the deposit clears and the artwork or sample is approved in writing.
Yes. Stock shapes ship in 7 to 10 days; a new mould takes 18 to 25 days. Sample cost and freight are normally credited against the first order above a stated value. Keep one approved sample sealed at the factory — it becomes the reference for the pre-shipment inspection.
15 to 25 days for production in a stock glaze, 25 to 35 days for a custom glaze, measured from deposit and approval. Sea freight adds 18 to 24 days to the US west coast or 30 to 38 days to Northern Europe.
Firing temperature and density. Earthenware is fired around 1000–1120 °C and stays porous, so it needs a full glaze to survive outdoors. Stoneware is fired above 1200 °C, absorbs under 1% water and is frost resistant without a glaze. Stoneware costs more per unit and is the correct choice for outdoor ranges in cold climates.
Stoneware can, and so can fully glazed pieces where the glaze covers the foot. Unglazed earthenware and terracotta will absorb water, freeze and spall. Tell us the climate at enquiry stage — the body specification changes with it.
Lead and cadmium free formulations are available, and can be tested to FDA 21 CFR or EU 84/500. Say at enquiry stage that the planter will hold herbs or vegetables, because the glaze selection and the test requirement both change.
Electronic units carry a 12-month warranty on the pump, sensor and board, excluding water damage from incorrect use. Spare pumps and sensors ship with bulk orders on request, which is usually cheaper than handling a warranty claim across an ocean.
Yes — embossed or debossed in the mould, screen printed, decal fired, or laser marked on the base. In-mould branding has no per-unit cost after tooling and is the most durable; printing is cheaper to set up but wears at the rim.
Send a Pantone reference or a physical chip. A new colour takes two to three rounds of test tiles, about 10 to 14 days, and then a 1,000 piece minimum per colour. Colour is approved against a physical sample, never against a screen.
Yes. Send a drawing or a sample and we confirm the forming method, the tooling cost and the MOQ. Simple forms start around USD 300 in tooling; sculpted multi-part moulds start around USD 800 and need 18 to 25 days for the first sample.
Yes — printed mailer boxes, moulded pulp inserts cut to the pot profile, care cards, barcodes and FNSKU labels. Packaging is drop tested with the product inside; a carton that has not been tested with the actual pot is a guess.
30% deposit with the order and 70% against the bill of lading copy. Letters of credit are accepted above roughly USD 50,000. Payment goes to a company account whose name matches the contract — never to a personal account.
FOB Shanghai or Ningbo as standard, with EXW, CIF and DDP available on request. Ask for both FOB and DDP on the same specification if you want to compare a self-managed shipment against a door-to-door number.
Yes, and most buyers do. Up to four or five SKUs in one 40HQ is routine. Heavy cartons are loaded low and along the centreline, light cartons high and outboard, and the SKU needed first is loaded last.
Photograph the carton before opening, then the product, and send the images with the carton count within seven days of arrival. Breakage above the agreed allowance is credited on the next order or replaced, depending on what the photographs show.
For buyers committing to an annual volume we will discuss category exclusivity in a defined territory, usually tied to a minimum purchase commitment and a review every twelve months. It is not offered on a first order.
Yes. The workshop is in Shanghai and visits are welcome with about a week of notice so the relevant production run is on the floor rather than between cycles. We can also arrange a video walkthrough of a specific line.
Yes, and DDP is usually the right starting point because it removes customs and freight from the equation. We also provide the document checklist and can recommend a freight forwarder, though the booking stays in your name so you keep control of the relationship.
Send the product or a reference image, the quantity, the destination country and how the product will be sold. That is enough for a first indicative quote. The sourcing desk replies within one business day.
Send it with your product interest and destination market. The sourcing desk answers within one business day, in English or Chinese.