How to put your brand on a product made in China, from logo and packaging to OEM changes and ODM development, with the costs and risks of each option.
Selling a generic product puts you in a price war. Customization is how you build a brand: your logo, your packaging and, step by step, a product that is truly yours. Chinese manufacturers offer every level of customization, but each level brings its own costs, minimums and risks.
Levels of customization
1. Private label
An existing product with your brand: logo on the product, branded packaging and your own labels and inserts.
- Minimums: usually low, often driven by the minimum print run for packaging.
- Lead time: a few weeks more than the standard product.
- Risk: low, but other sellers can sell the same product under another name.
2. OEM modifications
Changes to an existing product: colors, materials, small functional changes or accessories.
- Minimums: higher, especially for custom colors or materials.
- Lead time: new samples are needed for each change.
- Risk: medium. Every change must be specified and tested.
3. ODM and new development
The product is developed to your design, sometimes with new molds.
- Costs: tooling and development can be a significant investment.
- Lead time: months rather than weeks.
- Risk: higher, but so is the differentiation. Protect your design with written agreements.
What you need to prepare
- Artwork files in vector format, with Pantone colors where color matters.
- Packaging specifications: box type, material, dimensions, print and inserts.
- Label content: barcodes, warnings, origin marking and the information your market requires.
- A clear brief of the product changes, with drawings or reference photos.
The approval process
- Digital proofs: check every text, logo and barcode before printing.
- Physical samples: check colors and materials in reality, not only on screen. See ordering samples from China.
- Pre-production sample: approve and sign it as the reference.
- Inspection: verify that production matches the approved sample, including packaging and labels. See AQL quality inspection.
Protecting your brand and design
- Register your trademark in your markets, and consider registering it in China too, since China follows a first-to-file system.
- Sign a non-disclosure, non-use and non-circumvention (NNN) agreement before sharing new designs.
- Clarify who owns the molds and make it part of the contract.
Common mistakes
- Approving artwork from a screenshot instead of a print-ready proof.
- Forgetting the labels and warnings required in the market where you sell.
- Underestimating packaging lead times and minimums.
Zyntral coordinates design, packaging, labeling and branding through its product customization service, so the product matches your market and your brand.
