Short Answer (Citable)

Why Sampling Comes First

Requesting a sample is the recommended first step before committing to bulk jacket production. A sample lets you evaluate material quality, construction standards, and fit accuracy with your own hands, rather than trusting photos and descriptions. For a B2B buyer, the sample is also the reference against which every production piece will be judged, so the investment in a good sample pays for itself across the entire order.

Sampling serves several distinct purposes at once. It validates that the factory understood your tech pack. It confirms the fabric and trims match your expectations in color, hand feel, and quality. It checks the fit of the pattern against your size chart. And it gives you a physical piece for retail presentation, fit testing with your own team, or marketing photography. Each of these uses justifies the sample fee on its own; together they make sampling the highest-value step in the sourcing process.

The process is designed to be low-risk for new buyers. The sample fee covers the development cost, and the fee is deducted from the first bulk order, so the validation you do at this stage effectively costs nothing once you proceed to production. This structure is why most serious brands test with a sample before any bulk commitment, regardless of the factory's reputation or documentation.

Sampling also surfaces problems early. A factory that struggles to produce a clean sample will not magically improve at bulk scale, so the sample round is your earliest and cheapest quality signal. Conversely, a factory that delivers an accurate, well-finished sample on schedule has demonstrated the pattern-making, material sourcing, and production discipline that bulk orders depend on.

Step 1: Send Your Inquiry

The quality of the sample depends heavily on the quality of the information you provide. A complete inquiry lets the team start sourcing materials and making the pattern immediately, while a vague inquiry triggers a clarification loop that adds days to the timeline. The checklist below is the information the team needs to begin work.

• Jacket type: down jacket, puffer jacket, varsity jacket, bomber jacket, or a technical style
• Target quantity: the expected bulk order size, which affects material planning and the sample approach
• Design references: tech pack, sketches, photos, or a reference garment you want to match
• Size requirements: the size range and your target measurements or size chart
• Material preferences: fabric type, fill power for down, lining, and hardware preferences
• Branding requirements: logo placement, labels, and packaging preferences
• Delivery destination: country and address, so shipping time and cost can be quoted

You can send the inquiry through the contact page on the website, and the sales team responds with a quotation. If you already have a tech pack, include it; if you are starting from an idea, describe the style and share reference photos. The team's development service can also design the garment for you from a concept, which is part of the ODM offering.

Do not worry about making the first inquiry perfect. The sales team asks follow-up questions when details are missing, and the clarification happens before any fee is charged. What matters is that the core information, jacket type, quantity, and design direction, is present so the conversation can start moving.

Step 2: Receive the Quotation

Within about 48 business hours of your inquiry, the team sends a quotation that covers the sample fee, the development timeline, and the shipping cost. The quotation is specific to your style, because the fee depends on the materials and construction complexity of the garment. The table below shows typical ranges by jacket type to help you plan.

The quotation clearly separates the sample fee from the shipping cost. The sample fee covers pattern making, material sourcing, and sample sewing; shipping is quoted separately because it depends on your destination and the courier option. If a second development round is needed because the design changes after the first sample, the revised fee is quoted transparently before work begins.

Review the quotation for the scope it describes. Confirm which materials are included, whether trims and hardware are part of the fee, and what the development timeline assumes. If anything is unclear, ask before paying; the quotation is meant to define the work precisely so there are no surprises on either side.

Step 3: Pay the Sample Fee and Start Development

Once you accept the quotation, you pay the sample fee and development begins. The fee is payable by wire transfer, PayPal, or the payment method agreed in the quotation, and it reserves the sample-room capacity for your project. The fee covers the first development round: pattern making, material sourcing, sample sewing, and the initial quality check.

Development follows a defined sequence inside the factory. The pattern maker creates the production pattern from your tech pack or reference, grading it if you requested multiple sizes. Materials are sourced to match your specification, including down fill for insulated styles. The sample maker then sews the complete garment, and the QC team checks measurements, construction, and appearance before the sample is shipped.

1. Pattern making from your tech pack, sketch, or reference sample
2. Material sourcing, including fabric, down or synthetic fill, lining, zippers, and trims
3. Sample sewing by the sample room team
4. Sample inspection: measurement check, construction check, and appearance review
5. Packing and shipping via DHL, FedEx, or UPS

The development timeline of 7 to 14 days covers this sequence for the first round. Material availability is the main variable: stock materials move faster, while custom-dyed fabrics or specialty trims add days. If you have a hard deadline, mention it in the inquiry so the team can plan material sourcing accordingly.

Step 4: Receive and Review the Sample

The finished sample ships by courier and typically arrives in 3 to 5 business days for most destinations. When it arrives, spend time evaluating it against your specification rather than judging it by first impression alone. The checklist below covers the points that matter most for jacket production.

• Measurements: compare the sample against your size chart, including chest, length, and sleeve length
• Fabric and color: confirm the material, hand feel, and color match your specification
• Construction: inspect seams, stitching density, baffle alignment for down styles, and edge finishes
• Hardware: test zippers, snaps, buttons, and cord locks for smooth function
• Fill quality for insulated styles: check fill distribution, weight feel, and absence of cold spots
• Branding: verify logo placement, label position, and label content
• Overall fit: try the sample on or have your fit model test it against the intended use

Document your feedback in writing, ideally with photos of any issues. Specific feedback, such as a measurement deviation of one centimeter at the chest or a zipper that catches at the curve, is more actionable than a general comment about fit. The team uses your written feedback to make precise corrections in the next round.

If the sample is approved as-is, that decision is also documented. The approved sample becomes the production benchmark: the pattern, materials, and construction details are frozen, and bulk production is planned against it. Keep the sample through production so your own team can compare production pieces against the same reference.

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Step 5: Approve the Sample and Plan Bulk

Approving the sample is the decision point that converts a development project into a production order. When you approve, the team prepares the pre-production confirmation: the approved sample is re-checked on production machines, the tech pack is finalized, and the production schedule is set. This is also the moment to confirm the commercial terms of the bulk order.

The bulk order follows the standard framework: a minimum order quantity of 50 pieces per style, bulk production of 25 to 40 days depending on quantity and complexity, and payment terms of 30 percent deposit with 70 percent before shipment. The sample fee you paid is deducted from the first bulk order invoice, which is the point where the sampling investment converts into production credit.

If changes are needed after approval, the situation is handled openly. A design change that requires a new sample round is quoted separately, and for established relationships the cost structure for revision samples is agreed in advance. The goal is that no bulk production starts against an unapproved specification, because that is the single most expensive mistake in the sourcing cycle.

From this point, the project follows the same path as any confirmed order: material procurement, production planning, in-line quality control, final AQL 2.5 inspection, and shipment. The approved sample travels with the order as the reference, and the quality reports during production let you track the bulk against the benchmark you approved.

Sample Fee and Deduction Policy in Detail

The sample fee structure is designed to make testing low-risk for the buyer while covering the factory's real development cost. For new clients, the sample fee is deductible from the bulk order invoice under defined conditions: the bulk order is placed within the agreed period after sample approval, and the order quantity meets the minimum MOQ of 50 pieces per style. The deduction covers the sample cost up to the amount paid.

For existing clients with an established cooperation relationship, the terms can be more favorable, and some programs qualify for reduced or waived sample fees as part of long-term arrangements. These terms are agreed per program and documented so there is no ambiguity at invoicing time.

• New client: sample fee $50–$200, deductible from the first bulk order meeting MOQ
• Revision after approval: new sample round quoted separately; second-round cost may be shared for established clients
• Multiple styles: each style has its own sample fee and its own deduction against its bulk order
• Expedited sampling: possible in some cases, with the timeline and any priority charge agreed in advance

The deduction policy matters for your accounting as well as your cash flow. Because the fee is credited against the bulk invoice, the effective cost of validation is zero once you proceed to production. If you do not proceed to bulk, the fee compensates the factory for the development work already performed, which is why it is not refundable in cash.

Ask for the deduction terms in writing with your quotation. The written quotation states the fee, the development timeline, the shipping cost, and the deduction conditions, so the commercial picture is complete before you pay anything.

Common Questions About Sampling

Buyers ask a consistent set of questions when they first request samples. Here are the direct answers based on how the process actually runs.

Can I get more than one sample size? Yes, samples can be made in multiple sizes, usually with an additional fee for the extra pattern grading and materials. For most first evaluations, one sample in your core size is enough, with grading done at bulk.

Can I supply my own fabric? Yes. Client-supplied materials are accepted, and the factory validates them for sewability before production. The sample is made with your fabric so you evaluate the real material.

Is the sample fee refundable? The fee is not cash-refundable, but it is deductible from the first bulk order that meets the MOQ, which means the validation cost is recovered when you proceed with production.

How long does a sample take to arrive? Development takes 7 to 14 days, and courier delivery takes 3 to 5 business days to most destinations, so plan on roughly two to three weeks from inquiry to sample in hand.

What if I need changes after the sample? Send written feedback with photos. A revision round typically takes another 7 to 14 days, and the cost is quoted transparently before work begins.

Do I need to pay for the sample before development? Yes, the sample fee is paid before development starts, and it covers the first round of pattern making, materials, and sewing.