How to Brief a Handbag Manufacturer: An RFQ Checklist

Planning a custom handbag programme? Send your drawings or reference images, target market, materials, dimensions, colours, estimated order quantity, testing requirements and delivery window. We will review the construction, flag technical risks and confirm the next development steps.

Autron develops and manufactures handbags and small leather goods for fashion brands. Use this checklist for an OEM brief or when adapting one of our ODM concepts.

1. Show the design and how the bag will be used

Include front, back and side views, overall dimensions and the intended use. Mark the details that matter: strap length and adjustability, closure, lining, pockets, reinforcement and detachable components. If a reference is only for its shape or texture, say so. This helps separate the design you want from details you do not need.

For an original design, share your sketches or tech pack. For an ODM enquiry, identify the Autron concept you want to discuss and the changes you have in mind. Explore Autron's ODM design concepts.

2. Specify the material beyond its name

Material names alone do not define how a finished bag will look or feel. For canvas or denim, indicate the preferred weight, finish and structure. For leather, PU or leather alternatives, describe the grain, thickness, backing, softness and intended appearance. Include a swatch reference when available.

If recycled content or a particular sourcing standard is required, state the documentation needed for the project. Material composition and supporting documents should be checked for the selected article; a broad material category is not enough to establish a claim. Review Autron's material selection.

3. Break quantities down by style and colour

List the quantity for each style and each colour, rather than giving only a collection total. Separate a first order from a possible repeat order. Minimum quantities can depend on the chosen material, custom colour, hardware and construction, so ask for the applicable MOQ for each combination.

For a smaller launch, tell us which details are fixed and where alternatives are possible. Sharing a material or hardware finish across styles may be worth discussing, but the actual quantities and feasibility need to be checked against the brief.

4. Give a target price and explain what it includes

State the currency, target unit price and requested shipping basis. Identify whether packaging, testing, custom hardware or other requirements need to be included. A quotation is easier to compare when each supplier is pricing the same specification.

If you have a target retail price but no factory-price target yet, share both the retail positioning and the product priorities. Tell us which elements are essential and which can be reviewed if the first costing needs adjustment.

5. Describe branding and special techniques

Provide artwork, placement and approximate dimensions for logos, monograms and other branding. For quilting, embroidery, jacquard, braiding or custom hardware, mark the intended scale and location. These details affect development work, construction and costing. Explore Autron's specialist techniques.

6. Separate sample approval from the delivery deadline

Give the date you need to review samples and the date you need the finished goods to arrive. Identify any fixed launch or campaign date. Sampling, material sourcing, revisions, production and transport are separate stages; the schedule should be confirmed for the specific design and order.

Ask what must be approved before production starts, including the sample, colours, hardware, branding and packaging. Record the agreed specification so subsequent changes can be assessed clearly. See Autron's sampling process.

Before bulk production, use the handbag sample approval checklist to record specifications, measurements, materials, function, testing and approved changes.

7. Verify evidence before sampling or ordering

A document supports a claim only when its named legal entity, manufacturing site, scope, validity dates and material match the project. Before approval, check the following:

Quality management: Autron can provide its ISO 9001 certificate for review. Check the named entity, site, certified scope and validity dates.

Recycled and organic content: request the applicable GRS or RCS scope certificate and any project-level traceability or transaction documents required. A scope certificate alone does not prove the recycled content of every shipment.

Social audit follow-up: review the latest SMETA audit together with its corrective action plan and supporting evidence. An audit does not, by itself, confirm that every finding has been closed.

Material and performance evidence: request specifications, composition records and test reports for the exact material, colour, finish and intended use. Evidence for one article or batch should not be assumed to cover another.

Include the destination market, required standards, intended claims and document deadline in the RFQ so each requirement can be checked before sample approval.

A short RFQ checklist to copy

Brand and website: Product type and intended use: Destination market and applicable standards: Design files, dimensions and reference images: Main material, lining and colour references: Quantity by style and colour: Branding, hardware and special techniques: Target price, currency and shipping basis: Sample review date and required arrival date: Testing requirements and acceptance criteria: Required claims and supporting documents: Details that are flexible:

Common questions before sending a brief

Can I enquire without a finished tech pack? Yes. Start with the references, dimensions and requirements you have, and explain what still needs development. The next step is to clarify the missing design and construction details. Read about Autron's design service.

Is an ODM design the same as a ready-to-ship product? A design concept does not by itself confirm stock availability. Identify the concept and ask about sample availability, customisation and the production requirements for your order.

Can MOQ and lead time be confirmed from a photograph? A photograph usually leaves material and construction details unresolved. Confirm quantities and timing against the agreed specification, colour breakdown and approval schedule.

Send your handbag project to Autron

Have a project ready? Enter your business details on our enquiry page and paste the checklist into “Is there anything specific you'd like to discuss?”. Include a tech pack if available, or start with reference images and target specifications. Commercial terms, material availability, documentation and timing are confirmed project by project. Send your brief through Autron's enquiry form.