OEM & ODM Luggage Manufacturing Process – From Design to Shipment
OEM & ODM Luggage Manufacturing Process – From Design to Shipment
Complete luggage OEM & ODM manufacturing process from design to global shipment! Full customization for size, material, logo & functions, professional design proposals, flexible sample development, strict QC testing, diverse shipping options and reliable after-sales support for global B2B luggage buyers.
Customization process
-
Requirements
Communication -
Design And
Proofing -
Sample
Proceeding -
Confirmation
And Production -
Quality Inspection
And Packaging -
Logistics
Arrangement
The OEM and ODM process of luggage manufacturing involves several important steps to ensure product quality, customization accuracy, and on-time delivery. Below is the standard process from product concept to final shipment.
1. Requirement Confirmation
The process starts with understanding customer requirements. This includes:
- Product size (Cabin size, Medium, Large or custom sizes)
- Material selection (PC, ABS, Polycarbonate composite, Aluminum frame)
- Quantity requirements
- Logo customization (Laser logo, Metal badge, Printing, UV logo)
- Functional requirements (Front opening, TSA lock, brake wheels, USB port)
Based on this information, the supplier evaluates feasibility and provides recommendations.
2. Product Design and Proposal
For ODM projects, the manufacturer provides design proposals based on market trends and customer positioning. This normally includes:
- Product catalogue selection
- Color suggestions
- Structure recommendations
- Customization options
At this stage, customers receive product specifications, pictures, and preliminary pricing.
3. Quotation Confirmation
After confirming the product details, the supplier provides a formal quotation including:
- Unit price
- Tooling cost (if new mold required)
- Sample cost
- Logo cost
- Estimated production lead time
Once agreed, a Proforma Invoice (PI) is issued.
4. Sample Development
Sample production begins after design confirmation. This step includes:
- Logo artwork confirmation
- Color confirmation (Pantone reference)
- Material preparation
- Sample assembly
Typical sample lead time:
- Standard customization: 7–15 days
- Complex customization: 15–30 days
5. Sample Approval
Customers evaluate the sample based on:
- Product appearance
- Function performance
- Color accuracy
- Logo quality
- Overall workmanship
After approval, mass production can begin.
6. Order Confirmation
Customers place the formal order and usually arrange a deposit payment (commonly 30%). The factory then prepares:
- Bill of Materials (BOM)
- Production schedule
- Raw material purchasing plan
This ensures smooth production execution.
7. Mass Production
Mass production includes several key manufacturing stages:
- Shell forming
- Component preparation
- Trolley system installation
- Wheel assembly
- Final product assembly
Typical production lead time is:
30–45 days depending on quantity and customization level.
8. Quality Control
Strict quality control ensures product reliability. Inspections usually include:
- Drop testing
- Handle fatigue testing
- Wheel rolling test
- Lock functionality test
- Appearance inspection
Third-party inspections such as SGS, BV, or TUV can also be arranged if required.
9. Packing and Shipment
After inspection approval, goods proceed to packing:
Standard packing includes:
- PE protective bag
- Dust bag (optional)
- Export carton
- Pallet packing (if required)
Shipping methods include:
- Sea freight (most common)
- Air freight (urgent orders)
- Railway transport (Europe routes)
Trade terms can be:
FOB / CIF / DDP depending on customer needs.
10. After-Sales Service
Professional suppliers also provide after-sales support such as:
- Spare parts supply (wheels, handles, locks)
- Quality issue support
- Re-order assistance
- Product improvement feedback
A reliable after-sales system is essential for long-term cooperation.
Conclusion
A professional OEM/ODM luggage supplier not only provides manufacturing, but also offers design support, quality control, and supply chain management to help customers build strong brands and competitive products.
Production timeline at a glance
The six stages below are the sequence every custom luggage programme follows. The timings are the ones we quote to buyers; the two that most often surprise first-time importers are component lead time and assembly.
| Stage | Typical time | What actually happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Requirements communication | — | Target market, size range, material preference, quantity and target price are fixed, and the production route is agreed. This is the first exchange, and the clock on the stages below starts after it. |
| 2. Design & prototyping | 14–21 days | Concept and 3D design, sample making, and revision until the sample is signed off. Nothing is tooled before this is settled. |
| 3. New mold development (only if needed) | 15–30 days | Shell tooling where no existing structure fits. Using a mold from our library of 200+ existing molds takes 0 days and adds no tooling cost. |
| 4. Raw material & component lead time | Extrusion 2–3 days; long-lead components booked ahead | Sheet extrusion and shell forming, plus zipper tape dyeing, locks, handles and wheels. Custom TPU wheels with a unique colour have to be booked with the sub-factory about 3 weeks ahead. |
| 5. Assembly | 25–30 days for a standard container | Injection molding of shells, lining stitching, hardware riveting and final assembly. |
| 6. Inspection, packaging & loading | 3–5 days | Lab testing (SGS / ITS), final quality inspection, export packaging and container loading. |
| Planning buffer | 7 days | Added to the arrival forecast so a port delay does not break your launch date. |
For a standard OEM hard-shell order, plan on 20–30 working days from raw material preparation to goods ready for inspection. Rush orders can be completed in 15–20 days, but that usually means compromises on cooling times and QC checkpoints. A factory that promises a fully custom 1,000-unit run in 15 days is not quoting efficiency — it is quoting a quality problem.
Commercial terms
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MOQ, hard-shell luggage | 300–1,000 pieces per model | The injection mold sets the floor; the exact number depends on structure and colour plan. |
| Samples | 1–5 pieces | Sample orders are almost always available; the sample fee is often deductible from the first production order. |
| Colour splitting | e.g. 600 pieces split into 3 colours of 200 | One MOQ can cover several colours instead of a full MOQ per colour. |
| Tooling | 0 days / no tooling cost on existing molds; new molds 15–30 days | New mold development runs $2,000–8,000 per mold depending on complexity. |
| Facility | 33,000 sqm in Ji'an, Jiangxi, China | Mold making, injection molding, assembly, inspection and export packaging under one roof; 2,200,000 pieces annual capacity. |
Frequently asked questions
How long does the whole OEM process take?
Allow 20–30 working days for a standard OEM hard-shell order once the sample is approved and the design is frozen. Add 15–30 days if a new mold has to be developed, and add a 7-day buffer to your arrival forecast so a port delay does not break the launch date.
Why does a 15-day quotation look suspicious?
Because shell cooling, component lead times and QC checkpoints cannot all be compressed at once. Rush orders of 15–20 days are possible, but they trade away cooling time and inspection steps. The stages that genuinely set the pace are component lead time — for example, custom TPU wheels booked about 3 weeks ahead — and assembly, which runs 25–30 days for a standard container.
Can you start from our own design, or do we use your molds?
Either. Using a mold from our library of 200+ existing molds means no tooling cost and no tooling lead time, and you customize colour, components and branding on a shared platform. A new mold (15–30 days, $2,000–8,000 depending on complexity) gives you a shell shape only you can order.
What is the minimum order for a hard-shell model?
A realistic starting MOQ is 300–1,000 pieces per model, with samples from 1–5 pieces. Because of colour splitting, one MOQ can cover several colours — a 600-piece MOQ split into three colours of 200 units lets you test the market without tripling your first spend.
Where is the factory, and what is made in house?
The plant is in Ji'an, Jiangxi, China, with 33,000 sqm under one roof: mold making, injection molding, component assembly, quality inspection and export packaging. Annual capacity is 2,200,000 pieces, and we ship to buyers in more than 60 countries.
How do I start a project?
Send your target market, size range, material preference and target quantity through the inquiry form. Component lead times get checked at quotation, because that is usually what decides the real delivery date.
Further reading for buyers
More detail on the numbers quoted above, written by our team:
FAQ
Common Questions from Global Clients
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