Small batch manufacturing in China without the minimum order headache
Factories quote high minimums because set-up costs are fixed. We get around that deliberately: pay set-up separately, accept stock materials, use a trading tier, or aggregate your order with others. Trial runs from roughly 50 units are normal here.
We tell you which lever drops the minimum
Changing to a stock colour, accepting a standard material, or paying set-up as a separate line are the three levers that most often turn "MOQ 5,000" into "MOQ 300".
Trial run first, then scale
Get a small run into your hands, test the market, then reorder at a better unit price with the same factory and the same tooling.
Private label on an existing mould
If you do not need a new shape, branding someone else’s existing product is dramatically cheaper than cutting a new tool.
Aggregation
Where it makes sense, your run can be scheduled alongside similar production so the set-up is shared. This is what trading companies do — we simply tell you when it is happening and what it costs.
Honest per-unit arithmetic
Small runs cost more per unit. We show the set-up component separately so you can see exactly how much of the price is volume and how much is fixed cost.
Air express for small volume
Below roughly 100 kg, air express door to door is usually cheaper and far faster than sea freight once clearance and handling are counted.
Specific questions, specific answers
Can you really manufacture 50 units?
Often, yes — for products with low set-up cost such as silicone, urethane casting, CNC machining, cut-and-sew textiles and simple assembly. For injection-moulded plastic parts, 50 units usually means machining or 3D printing instead of moulding, and we will quote both routes so you can compare.
Why does the unit price fall so much at higher volume?
Because fixed costs — tooling, set-up, programming, sample approval, one-off freight — are spread across more units. On a 50-piece run of a moulded part, set-up can be the majority of the price. At 5,000 pieces it can become negligible.
Is a small order still worth your time?
Yes. We would rather quote a small honest order and earn the reorder than push volume you do not need. Many of our largest accounts started with a sample.
Send us the details
Describe the item, the quantity you want and where it must land. A human replies within 24 hours with options and a delivered price.