Start with what you already know
Some founders arrive with a complete tech pack; others have a sketch, a reference item, or an audience they understand well. Explain your starting point. List the product features you have decided and the questions you still need to resolve. That distinction helps make the first discussion practical rather than an open-ended request for any available design.
A guided sequence of decisions
Begin with the intended product and customer, then work through materials, fit, size range, decoration, labels, and packaging. Review how these choices affect the quotation and sampling scope. Decisions often interact: a print idea may change the best material choice, while a target price may influence trim or construction complexity.
Agree on your project terms
Sample fees, artwork work, revisions, minimum quantities, production dates, and payment arrangements need to be confirmed for your design. Our startup pathway is a way to organize development; it is not a published promise of free services or a universal minimum order. Request a written quotation that identifies the work included and any separate costs.
Avoid an unnecessarily complicated first order
Launch complexity grows when many colours, fabrics, sizes, and branding methods are introduced at once. Prioritize the differences your customer will notice and value. Ask whether shared materials or consistent trims can simplify the range. Keep the product identity strong while reducing decisions that do not serve a clear purpose.
Prepare for a useful first conversation
Send a short brand introduction, product references, quantities by style if known, destination, and an indicative target date. Explain your sales channel and whether you need retail-ready presentation. We will discuss the information needed to move from concept to sample and from approved sample to manufacturing.
Your project checklist
- Your concept and audience
- First-range priorities
- Development and sample scope
- Written costs and order terms
- Launch preparation