How to Request Packaging Samples from China Factories

Quick answer

Request packaging samples with a frozen spec sheet, clear sample stage (white/printed/pre-production), payment and courier terms, and written approval photos. Most bulk failures trace to verbal changes after a “looks fine” WeChat reply—not to the factory’s inability to make the first sample.

Choose the right sample stage

White/structural sample: size, fit, strength, handle/magnet action—no final artwork. Printed sample: color and finish on the real substrate. Pre-production sample: made with bulk-intent materials/process before mass run. Skipping straight to a pretty printed sample hides structural risk.

What to send the factory

Dieline or 3D dimensions with tolerances

Material callouts (board/flute/film/GSM)

Artwork in the agreed color mode and bleed

Performance targets (pull test, ECT, drop)

Destination and Incoterms for sample shipment

Whether supplier may substitute materials

Who pays and how long it takes

Expect to pay for complex tooling, custom boards, and courier. Simple stock-material whites may be free or cheap; custom rigid boxes and cylinders are not. Timelines depend on material readiness and peak seasons—ask for dates from artwork freeze, not vague “7–10 days” without conditions.

Approval records that protect you

Save dated photos of critical details: wrap corners, handle patches, seal width, barcode scans, shade under agreed light. Issue a short approval email listing allowed variances. Ban “make it a bit stronger” without a measurable change. Keep the approved sample physically when possible.

Multi-SKU and multi-factory programs

Approve each size even if artwork is shared. If two factories share a brand look, send retained standards or measured color targets. Do not assume Factory B can copy Factory A’s sample without a new approval.

From sample to PO

Transfer the approved spec into the PO and packing list expectations. State that bulk must match the approved sample within listed tolerances. Schedule inspection checkpoints for first bulk orders.

Common mistakes

Approving PDF mockups as production color; using coated proofs for kraft bulk; free-text changes in chat; not sampling the outer shipper with rigid boxes; and launching marketing dates before sample approval.

Related PackTrades Knowledge

How to Evaluate Custom Packaging Suppliers in China, How to Source Packaging Materials from China, Custom Paper Bags from China: Sourcing Guide, Gift Boxes and Rigid Packaging Buyer Guide, How to Verify Flexible Packaging Suppliers in China.