From enquiry to delivered order
Five stages, each with a defined input, a defined output and a written approval point. This is the sequence every custom bag order follows with Global Bag Supply.
Nothing moves to the next stage until the previous one is signed off in writing. That is deliberate: the majority of disputes in custom bag sourcing come from an assumption that was never written down — a fabric weight, a handle length, a Pantone reference, a carton mark. Each stage below tells you exactly what you send, what happens on our side and what you receive.
The goal of this stage is a specification precise enough to be priced without guesswork. Most buyers arrive with three or four of the variables and we fill in the rest by asking.
What you send
- Use case — retail handout, grocery carrier, courier despatch, gift packaging, event giveaway
- Quantity range you are working to
- Destination market and port or door address
- The date you need stock on hand
- Artwork, a reference photo or a competitor sample if you have one
What we do
- Translate the brief into a build sheet: material, fabric weight, construction method, handle type, gusset, print method, lamination
- Flag anything that conflicts — for example a load requirement that the requested fabric weight will not carry
- Propose the two or three viable specifications rather than a single take-it-or-leave-it option
If you are unsure which fabric weight to specify, the GSM guide explains what 60, 80, 100 and 120 gsm actually carry and how weight affects print quality and unit cost.
A quotation is only useful if you can see what is inside it. Ours is issued against the build sheet from stage one, with the cost drivers itemised so you can trade them against each other.
What the quote contains
- Unit price at the quantity breaks that make sense for your order
- The exact specification the price is based on — changing any line changes the price
- Tooling or plate charges where the print method requires them
- Sampling cost and sampling turnaround
- Production lead time and the Incoterm the price is quoted on
Sampling options
- Stock sample — an existing bag in the material and fabric weight you are considering, so you can judge hand-feel and stiffness
- Blank custom sample — your size and construction, no print
- Printed pre-production sample — the full specification including artwork, made on the production line
Quantity thresholds vary by construction and print method — an ultrasonic-welded unprinted bag and a full-colour offset-laminated bag have very different economics. Your minimum is confirmed in writing with the quote rather than published as a single site-wide number.
This is the stage where errors are cheap to fix. Once the line starts, they are not. We hold the order here until you have signed off in writing.
Artwork preparation
- We issue a dieline showing the flat layout, fold lines, gusset panels and handle positions
- You place artwork on the dieline, or send layered files and we place it for you
- Vector files are preferred; raster artwork is checked for effective resolution at final print size
- Spot colours are matched to a Pantone reference — on non-woven fabric the substrate affects the result, so we tell you where a shade will shift
What you approve
- A digital proof showing artwork on the dieline
- Where the project warrants it, a physical pre-production sample photographed from every face
- The final specification sheet — material, weight, dimensions, handle, print, lamination, packing and carton marks
The signed specification sheet is not paperwork for its own sake. Every check in stage four is performed against it, and any pre-shipment dispute is settled against it. See how quality is controlled for the checkpoint detail.
Production runs in an SGS-verified facility in Wenzhou. Checks happen while the line is running, not only at the end, so a drifting parameter is caught in hundreds of pieces rather than tens of thousands.
Sequence on the floor
- Incoming material verification — fabric weight, tensile strength, colour and ink batch checked against the approved specification
- Printing, with registration and colour density verified against the approved proof
- Lamination where specified, with peel adhesion checked on the coated run
- Cutting, with dimensional checks at defined intervals
- Stitching or ultrasonic welding, with seam and handle pull tests per machine setup
What you receive during production
- Confirmation that material has passed incoming inspection and the line has started
- Production photographs at the key stages
- Immediate notification if a deviation triggers a line stoppage, with the corrective action and any schedule impact
Final inspection follows AQL sampling before the shipment is released. Only then are documents issued and the booking confirmed.
Pre-shipment inspection
- Random sampling per ISO 2859-1, General Inspection Level II, with the AQL setting agreed in advance
- Dimensional, print, seam, handle and packing checks against the signed spec
- Carton count, gross and net weight, carton marks and barcode verification
- Buyer-nominated third-party inspectors are welcome — tell us the timing and we arrange access
Shipping and handover
- Sea, air, rail and express are all available; the right choice depends on volume and your date
- We quote on the Incoterm you prefer — EXW, FOB, CIF or delivered to your door
- Document set issued with the shipment, and tracking passed to you at dispatch
What actually determines your lead time
We do not publish a single lead-time number, because the honest answer depends on five variables. Here is how each one moves the date, so you can see where your own schedule has slack.
The clock on our side does not start until artwork and the specification sheet are signed. On most delayed orders, the largest single block of time sat in the approval loop, not on the production floor.
One round of pre-production sampling is normal. Each additional round adds its own make-and-ship cycle. Getting the dieline right at stage three usually removes a round.
Silk-screen, heat transfer, offset lamination and digital print have different setup and drying requirements. The method also sets whether plate or tooling charges apply.
Machine time scales with volume, but so does efficiency. A larger run does not extend the schedule proportionally, and the per-unit cost falls at the quantity breaks shown in your quote.
Capacity across Chinese manufacturing tightens before Chinese New Year and ahead of the Q4 retail peak. If your delivery lands in either window, book earlier and we will say so at quotation.
Sea freight to Europe and North America is measured in weeks, air in days, at very different cost. Your quotation states which mode the delivery date assumes.
Your specific production lead time is stated in the quotation and confirmed again on the order confirmation. If anything on the floor threatens that date, you hear it from us before it becomes a problem.
Documentation you receive
Standard for every order. Additional test reports and certificates are arranged per project.
Commercial terms
Payment
Bank transfer (T/T) is standard, typically split between a deposit at order confirmation and the balance against shipping documents.
The exact split is agreed per order and stated on the proforma invoice. Other instruments can be discussed for larger or repeat programmes.
Incoterms
We quote on EXW, FOB, CIF or delivered-to-door, whichever fits how your business imports.
If you are not sure which to ask for, tell us your destination and whether you have a freight forwarder, and we will explain what each one leaves you responsible for.
Intellectual property
Your artwork, dielines and product designs remain yours. We do not reuse buyer artwork on other customers’ products or in our own promotional material without written permission.
A mutual NDA can be signed before artwork is exchanged if your project requires it.
If something goes wrong
Lots that fail inspection are quarantined. We run root cause analysis, implement corrective action, remake the affected quantity and re-inspect before release.
You are notified with the timeline impact rather than discovering it at the port.
Common questions
How quickly will I get a quote?
If your enquiry includes use case, quantity range and destination, we usually come back within one business day. Where a specification needs a material trial or an unusual construction, we tell you that up front rather than sitting on the enquiry.
What is your minimum order quantity?
It depends on the construction and print method rather than on a single site-wide figure. An unprinted ultrasonic-welded bag and a full-colour offset-laminated bag behave very differently. Your minimum, and the quantity breaks where the unit price steps down, are stated in your quotation.
Do I have to pay for samples?
Sampling cost is quoted per project. A stock sample in the material and weight you are considering is inexpensive; a printed pre-production sample carries real setup cost. We tell you the cost before we make anything, and on many projects the sampling charge is credited against the production order.
Can I visit the factory or send an inspector?
Yes to both. Production runs in an SGS-verified facility in Wenzhou and we arrange access for buyer visits and for buyer-nominated third-party inspectors at any stage. Tell us your preferred timing.
What file format should I send artwork in?
Vector files — AI, EPS or a vector PDF — with fonts outlined and Pantone references specified. If you only have a JPG or PNG we will check the effective resolution at final print size and tell you honestly whether it will hold up, or redraw it for you.
Can you ship to my door and handle customs?
Yes. We quote delivered-to-door where you want a single landed cost, or FOB and CIF where you prefer to use your own forwarder. Duty treatment varies by destination and product classification, so we confirm what is and is not included in writing before you commit.
What happens if the goods do not match the sample?
The signed specification sheet and the approved pre-production sample are the reference. If a shipment deviates from them, the lot is treated as a quality failure — quarantine, root cause analysis, corrective action and remake. That is why we insist on written sign-off at stage three.
Where to go next
Start at stage one
Tell us the use case, the quantity range and where it ships. We will come back with a build sheet and a specification-based quotation.
Request a Quote Talk to Our TeamCustom Bag Project Workflow
Confirm the sourcing brief
Define intended use, products, quantity, destination, deadline and any compliance or documentation requirement.
Build the bag specification
Agree finished dimensions, material and weight, handles, seams, reinforcement, printing, labels and packing.
Review artwork and dielines
Place artwork around gussets, folds, seams and safe areas, then approve colours, barcodes and required markings.
Approve a production-equivalent sample
Check product fit, dimensions, materials, appearance, closure, handles, seams and representative loaded performance.
Confirm the bulk order standard
Freeze the signed specification, approved sample, artwork files, tolerances, inspection method and carton marks.
Manufacture and monitor production
Control incoming materials, cutting, printing, welding or sewing, finishing and in-process quality checkpoints.
Inspect and pack the order
Verify quantity, dimensions, workmanship, artwork, functional performance, individual packing and export cartons.
Arrange delivery and retain reorder records
Ship to the agreed destination and retain specifications, colour references, artwork and inspection records for repeat orders.
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