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B2B Procurement Knowledge Published May 5, 2026 8 min read

The 11-item pre-production lock — what has to be frozen before the line starts

Sample approval is not the same as bulk-ready. Between sample sign-off and the first cut, 11 items are locked in writing. The 20-day production clock starts when those are signed off, not when the deposit lands. Below is each item, what it means in practice, and what tends to go wrong if it is left fuzzy.

"Sample is approved — can we just start?"

Buyer email

Subject: ready to start — sending deposit

v2 sample looks great, we approve. sending deposit today. can u start production?

PlushToys.Fun reply

Subject: Re: ready to start — sending deposit

Glad v2 lands. Before the line starts, we will send an 11-point pre-production confirmation. Most of it has been answered in earlier emails — this email consolidates it into one signed-off document so nothing slips. The 20-day production clock starts when the PP confirmation is signed, not when the deposit lands. Each item below has caused at least one project delay when assumed instead of confirmed; spending a day locking it is faster than spending a week unwinding it.

The deposit is part of the lock too — but it is the easy part. The hard part is the 11 items below.

The 11 items locked before the line starts

Each item below is a separate place where bulk goods can go wrong if it is left fuzzy. The "skip cost" is what tends to happen when it is not locked.

1.PP (pre-production) sample, signed off

A final sample built from the exact bulk-fabric lot, exact filling, exact decoration. Not the v2 sample — that one was the design lock. The PP is the production lock. A signed photo confirms it.

Skip cost: bulk arrives looking different from the v2, and "different" is not returnable once goods are in the container.

2.Final artwork files (logo, hangtag, packaging print)

Vector format, .ai or .pdf, with Pantone colour codes spelled out. Raster files (.jpg, .png) are not enough for embroidery setup or printing.

Skip cost: an artwork swap mid-production stalls the line while embroidery and print plates are remade.

3.Care label content (text, language, washing icons)

Exact wording for fibre composition, country of origin, age grade, washing icons — and which language(s) appear on the label. This is regulated text, not flavour copy.

Skip cost: customs holds the shipment, or the retailer rejects it on the loading dock and forces a relabel run.

4.Barcode (UPC / EAN / JAN), supplied by the buyer

The retailer-side barcode that scans into your distribution system. We print it where you tell us to print it; we do not invent it.

Skip cost: a wrong or missing barcode means the entire lot needs an overlay sticker after import — an unbudgeted line cost per piece, always at the worst possible time.

5.Carton mark / shipping mark

The print on the side of every carton: brand, PO number, item code, carton number (1 of N), gross / net weight, made-in. Required by your freight forwarder and customs broker.

Skip cost: customs clearance is delayed because the broker cannot match cartons to the bill of lading. Demurrage at the destination port is usually charged daily.

6.Carton dimensions, pcs/CTN, and weights

How many pieces per carton, carton outer dimensions, gross weight, net weight, and CBM (cubic metres). Has to match what your freight forwarder loaded into your system in advance.

Skip cost: container booking errors, mismatched packing list at port, and rebooking fees from the 3PL.

7.Inner-pack format and any retail stickers

Each piece in a polybag? Polybag plus hangtag? Window box? Sticker on one side or both? Most retailers have a precise format requirement.

Skip cost: a re-pack at the destination warehouse adds days of labour and unbudgeted handling fees.

8.Compliance test target + named lab

CPSIA + ASTM F963 for US, EN71 for EU, ST 2016 for Japan, etc. Plus the lab that will run the test (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, or a named domestic lab).

Skip cost: untested goods cleared at customs is an entire-shipment-size risk. The fix is "buy them back and dispose locally". This is the single item most worth the day it takes to lock.

9.Bulk colour confirmation (Pantone or physical swatch)

A photo of the actual bulk-fabric lot, or a posted swatch piece, signed off against the Pantone specified. Different fabric mills and different dye batches drift; the PP sample colour is not automatically the bulk colour.

Skip cost: bulk arrives a half-shade off, and "close enough" sometimes is not. Re-dye or re-source costs real calendar time.

10.Shipping mode and final delivery point

FOB to which port? EXW from our factory? DDP to your warehouse address? Sea, air, or hybrid? Final delivery point with full address, contact, and phone number.

Skip cost: a wrong delivery point after goods are on the water can mean re-routing fees and customs re-filing.

11.Final quantity confirmation, with SKU split

Total pieces, broken out by colour, size, and SKU. "1,000 pcs total — 600 grey + 400 cream" is correct; "around 1,000" is not. Once the line cuts, fixing the split means re-cutting fabric.

Skip cost: re-cuts and re-runs to fix a colour mix, usually pushing the schedule by a noticeable margin.

The PP confirmation email — copy-ready

Once the 11 items are answered, the email below summarises every answer. Reply "confirmed" and the line starts the next morning.

PlushToys.Fun email

Subject: PP lock for PO [number] — please reply "confirmed" to start the 20-day clock
Hi [buyer],
Below is the full pre-production lock for your order. Please read each line, confirm anything to amend, and reply "confirmed" so the line can start tomorrow morning.
1. PP sample: photo attached, taken under daylight. Signed off?
2. Final artwork: chest-logo .ai file received [date]. Pantone 18-1664 TPX. Confirmed?
3. Care label content: 70% polyester / 30% cotton, age 3+, made in China, English + Spanish. Confirmed?
4. Barcode: UPC [12-digit] received on [date]. Print location: bottom-right of hangtag. Confirmed?
5. Carton mark: [brand] / PO [number] / Item [code] / [N of N] / GW [kg] / NW [kg] / Made in China.
6. Carton dimensions: [L] × [W] × [H] cm; 24 pcs/CTN; GW [kg], NW [kg]; CBM [m3].
7. Inner pack: each piece in a polybag with hangtag; one sticker on the polybag (front).
8. Compliance: CPSIA + ASTM F963, lab = SGS Shenzhen. Test commissioned [date].
9. Bulk colour: swatch photo attached, taken from production lot [number]. Confirmed against Pantone above?
10. Shipping: FOB [port] for sea freight, ETA roughly 18 days to US east coast. Final delivery: your 3PL at [address].
11. Final quantity: 1,000 pcs total = 600 grey + 400 cream. Confirmed?
If any line is off, reply with what to change. If everything is right, reply "confirmed" and we start.

If the project is approaching pre-production, ask for the PP lock email pre-filled with whatever is already on file — gaps will show at a glance.

Get the PP lock template

Email the PO and the PP lock email comes back pre-filled with whatever is already on file. Anything missing is flagged, and the 20-day clock starts the day "confirmed" goes back.

  1. Email the v2 sample approval and PO reference.
  2. Receive the pre-filled 11-item PP email back with whatever is missing flagged.
  3. Reply "confirmed" once gaps are closed — the 20-day production clock starts the same day.

Next steps

What should I do next?

Pick the next procurement guide below. Together these four posts cover RFQ prep, MOQ and sampling, packaging and compliance, and supplier comparison.

Custom plush inquiries — the 6 inputs that get a real quote, and 4 promises to walk away from

The six inputs that actually move the price (including the one most checklists skip), a realistic 12–16 week timeline broken stage by stage, and four supplier promises that should make you close the email.

The $120 sample fee, line by line — and why "free samples" often cost more later

What the $120 actually pays for, broken into four buckets — and the two patterns of "free sample" that look helpful but cost the buyer more downstream.

Sample revisions: what "almost right" actually means, and how to ask for v2

A real v1 feedback email kept word-for-word, sorted into quick fixes, pattern remakes, and out-of-scope additions — plus a copy-ready revision template.

Same 1,000 pieces, different lead times — and why your friend's order shipped faster

A complexity matrix showing what stretches the schedule on a 1,000-pcs order, by how much, and what you can simplify if your launch date is fixed.

"Just give me a number" — why we don't publish a price list, and how to get a real quote in 24 hours

The few price rules that hold across most projects (e.g. 25 cm and 30 cm price almost the same), and the 8 inputs that get a real itemised quote back inside a working day.

20 days in production: five milestones and what photos, videos, or reports you should expect

Day 1, 7, 14, 18, 20 — the update rhythm I run on every order, plus three signals that mean a factory is hiding something and what to ask for instead.

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