Start with a brief everyone can quote
Put the two drawings side by side. One might have a simple outline; the other might depend on ears, a narrow tail or a small face detail. At 65 mm, identify those features before asking suppliers to price “the same thing.”
| Brief item — example figures | Working requirement | Detail still to settle |
|---|---|---|
| Designs | 2 original characters | Approved artwork and essential features for each |
| Overall size | 65 mm maximum dimension | Where the measurement starts and ends, including projections |
| Quantity | 1,200 pieces per design; 2,400 total | Supplier acceptance and MOQ for each design |
| Packing | 1 item per plain individual carton | Internal dimensions, protection, labels and carton arrangement |
| Use | US retail promotion | Intended users, distribution method and handling |
| Candidates | TPR, silicone, PU foam and sewn plush | Exact material, components, structure and decoration |
The quantity split belongs at the top of the enquiry. “2,400 pieces” leaves room for a supplier to assume one design. Likewise, 65 mm needs a measurement sketch: including the ears in the height can leave a very different face size from measuring the body alone.
Give each material a reason to stay on the shortlist
The comparison below is a sampling agenda. It avoids assigning a universal feel or performance to a material category.
| Option | Question that earns it a place | What to examine in the sample | What the quotation must identify |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPR | Is the proposed construction a useful starting point for the intended squeezing action? | Complete body structure, surface, joins, deformation and decoration | Material specification, components, tooling and assembly |
| Silicone | Can the proposed construction preserve the character details at 65 mm and deliver the handling experience the team wants? | Actual shape, hand feel, surface finish and decorated details | Material specification, tooling, decoration and development scope |
| PU foam | Can the proposed form carry the character and suit the intended handling? | Shape and printed details before handling, after handling and after packing | Material specification, surface treatment, decoration and protection |
| Sewn plush | Is a textile character the better interpretation of the idea? | Face placement, silhouette, seams, filling and attached parts at 65 mm | Fabric, pattern development, decoration, assembly and packing |
If squeezing is central to the brief, reviewers need to handle identified reference samples. “Softer” is a weak comment unless everyone knows which sample it describes and what they want changed. Record the preferred action and feel against that reference; ask the supplier which parts of the proposed construction control them.
If the main appeal is the character, start with the face and silhouette. A sewn plush version deserves consideration when the team wants a textile object. It should not be expected to reproduce the same experience as a different construction simply because both look soft in a photograph.
Once a direction clearly misses the intended use, there is no need to commission a custom sample just to fill the comparison table. Spend that part of the budget on the questions still affecting the choice.
Separate a buyer decision from a sample approval
The team can settle the artwork, design count, quantity split, desired use, destination and approval owner now. It can also identify features that may change and features that must survive. For example, deciding whether a small face detail can be simplified is an artwork decision; confirming that the revised face reads well at 65 mm needs a physical sample.
Hand feel, shape, decoration, seams or joins, attachments and packing fit belong on the sample review sheet. Keep an approval for each design. A shared color palette does not make one character a reliable substitute for the other.
For quotations, request the same scope from every supplier: development, tooling where applicable, revisions, unit price, individual packing, inspection and delivery basis. Ask what changes the price if the final construction changes. MOQ, cost and timing remain quotation questions, while applicable product requirements need review against the actual construction and intended users.
Don't leave the box until the end
A plain individual carton still affects the decision. The product has to fit, stay in the intended position and come out looking as expected. Approve a packed sample, then unpack it and check the character again.
One box size for both characters may simplify packing, but it should not force an unsuitable product size or excessive empty space. Compare the two packed samples before choosing a common box. Give each design a clear packing reference so the right item, label and carton stay together.
For the final review, put the sample, artwork version, packing reference and quotation together. Resolve any disagreement between them before production.
Questions buyers usually need answered
Which of the four options is cheapest?
Compare quotations for the same defined scope. A lower unit price is not enough if tooling, decoration, individual cartons or development are excluded.
Can both characters use the same construction?
Possibly, but review each outline and its important details. Shared construction is useful only if both characters still work at the chosen size.
Is 1,200 pieces per design enough?
That needs supplier confirmation. Send the quantity by design and the current artwork; a total collection quantity does not establish MOQ for every component or process.
Can an existing sample replace a custom sample?
An existing sample helps explain a preference. It does not settle the new character's proportions, decoration or box fit. Those need approval against the intended specification.
What should reviewers write besides “too hard” or “too soft”?
Identify the sample, describe the action being assessed and say what needs to change. Keep appearance comments separate from handling comments so the supplier can answer each one clearly.
What files are needed for the first review?
Send authorized artwork, key character features, intended use, approximate dimensions, quantities by design, packing ideas, destination and target arrival date. Mark unresolved items rather than filling the gaps with guesses.
Send the two designs and the questions that are still open
AIYYANG can separate artwork decisions from sample questions and clarify what suppliers need to quote. A short enquiry works if the quantity split and intended product experience are clear.
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The same approval approach also applies to football club merchandise planning.