MOQ, Samples, and Lead Time: What to Ask Before Ordering Baby Bottles

Start with the decision, not the SKU photo Most first RFQs to a Chinese baby-bottle factory list a capacity and a color. The quote that comes back is only useful if you also lock three commercial facts: minimum order quantity, what a sample run actually includes, and how many calendar days sit between approved sample and loaded container. This note is how AppleBear Baby (Zhejiang YouZhi, Yiwu) answers those three questions for OEM and wholesale buyers. applebearbaby.net is the brand headquarters. If you already source on Alibaba, the same factory also takes RFQs at ywyouzhi.en.alibaba.com — treat that store as a sales channel, not a second brand. MOQ: ask for the real bottleneck MOQ on feeding bottles is rarely “one carton.” It is usually the larger of: (1) one injection / blow-molding batch for the bottle body, (2) one silicone nipple or collar color run, and (3) printed sleeve or gift-box print minimum. A 240ml PP bottle that looks like a stock SKU on the catalog can still have a print MOQ of a few thousand pieces if you want your logo on the sleeve. When you write the RFQ, split the quantity: Stock color / stock print — we can often start from a lower carton MOQ on running models. Custom color or private-label print — expect the print or color masterbatch to set the floor. Gift set (bottle + bib + brush) — MOQ follows the slowest component, not the bottle alone. If you only need 500–1,000 pieces to test a market, say so. We will tell you whether that is a sample-price run, a mixed-carton trial, or not economical on that mold. Samples: what to request before you approve a mold A useful sample pack is not one pretty bottle. Ask for: The bottle body in the resin you will buy (PP vs PPSU) and the neck type (standard or wide). The nipple/teat in the silicone grade and hole size you will sell. The collar, handle, and any gift-set extras in the same color family. Export carton markings and a photo of inner packing, so your warehouse can plan. Samples from Yiwu usually g