Start with the quantity you can actually use
For a custom bag order, ask for the minimum order quantity (MOQ) against a specific style, colour split, artwork and material. Then compare the money committed to that order with the quantity you expect to sell or distribute. A lower unit price is useful only when the extra bags fit your demand and budget. Ask about the repeat order at the same time as the first order.
LinHord's minimum is 100 pcs per style per colour. Colours cannot be combined to meet the minimum: 50 black and 50 natural bags do not qualify as one 100-piece colour order. Contact us directly to discuss samples. The worksheet below helps confirm the specification, material and process requirements for your project.
Why smaller commitments are a useful topic now
In its April 28, 2026 research report, Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) describes limited marketing budgets and procurement constraints through the views of PPAI 100 suppliers and distributors. These are industry participants' observations about end buyers, not a direct survey of all bag purchasers.
Earlier, PPAI's August 6, 2025 report said 58.2% of responding suppliers reported smaller average distributor orders. That is a dated promotional-products survey result, not a 2026 bag-market statistic. Together, these reports support a practical purchasing question: how can a buyer test demand without committing to more stock than the project can absorb? The planning steps below are our suggested response, not survey findings.
Ask which minimum applies to which part
MOQ is the smallest quantity a supplier agrees to accept for the specified offer. Do not assume that adding different variants together satisfies every minimum. Ask the supplier to separate the finished-bag requirement from any material, decoration or packaging requirement and identify which one limits your proposal.
| Scope | Question to include in the RFQ |
|---|---|
| Finished style and colour | LinHord requires at least 100 pcs for each style and colour. List each colour separately; colours cannot be combined to reach the minimum. |
| Colour and material | What is required per fabric or yarn colour? Which available colours and quantities are confirmed for this quote? |
| Artwork and decoration | Does changing a logo, print location or jacquard pattern create a separate minimum or setup charge? |
| Labels and packaging | Do custom labels or printed packs have their own minimum? Who pays for and owns any unused balance? |
| Repeat order | Which minimum applies later, and what depends on retained materials, setup records or current availability? |
For example, 100 bags in one colour meet LinHord's minimum for one style. The same style in three colours needs at least 100 bags in each colour, or 300 bags in total. A request for 100 bags split across three colours does not meet the minimum. Confirm the colour breakdown before approving the order total.
For a knit bag, list the yarn colours and the finished colourway separately: a two-colour jacquard design is one colourway made with two yarn colours. For a canvas bag, separate the base-fabric colour from the printed artwork. Ask which items can be shared across variants instead of assuming that visually similar bags belong to one production batch.
Compare the purchase amount, not just the unit price
Batch economics can include both costs linked to each unit and costs incurred for an order or setup. The ETH Zurich logistics teaching material explains this distinction. Ask which charges are included in the unit price and which are separate; a supplier's explanation should refer to the proposed job, not a generic claim that every small order is uneconomic.
The following is a hypothetical budget example in USD, not a LinHord quotation or a market price. Both options assume the same approved specification, an immediate requirement of 300 bags, and one separately charged setup fee. Freight, duties, taxes, storage, financing and any other fees are excluded.
| Item | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Order quantity | 300 | 600 |
| Unit price (USD) | 6.00 | 5.40 |
| Goods amount (USD) | 1,800 | 3,240 |
| Separate setup fee (USD) | 120 | 120 |
| Goods plus setup (USD) | 1,920 | 3,360 |
| Bags beyond immediate need | 0 | 300 |
Option B reduces the stated unit price by USD 0.60 but commits USD 1,440 more to goods and setup and leaves 300 bags for later use. Those bags are not automatically a loss: they may be useful if demand follows. Compare expected use, storage and the cost and feasibility of a later reorder before choosing. Do not describe USD 1,920 or USD 3,360 as the delivered cost; add the remaining charges on a consistent delivery-term basis.
Request alternatives that reduce complexity
A useful negotiation changes a specific constraint. Send the preferred version and one acceptable alternative, then ask the supplier to quote both. LinHord's 100-pcs-per-style-per-colour minimum still applies. The options below can simplify the specification; they do not allow colours to be combined or promise lower cost or faster delivery.
| Proposal | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| An available material colour instead of new colour development | Current material reference, physical swatch, usable quantity and any reservation conditions. |
| Fewer finished colourways or sizes in the first order | A revised quantity split, with at least 100 pcs in each style and colour. |
| One artwork version across the initial batch | Actual setup charges and a sample of the agreed artwork on the selected material. |
| Simpler packaging or standard components | Compatibility with the product, receiving requirements and all required labels and information. |
Preserve the features the end user needs. On a dual-handle knit tote, for example, specify both the long and short handle pairs in the base design; deleting one pair changes the product. Record any accepted alternative as a new specification version and use the sample-approval process before releasing it for production.
Separate split deliveries from smaller purchase commitments
Receiving an order in several shipments does not by itself reduce the quantity you have agreed to purchase. Ask whether the proposal means producing the complete order and storing finished bags, reserving raw materials for later production, or placing separate future orders. Each arrangement needs its own quantity, payment and release schedule.
- Record the committed quantity separately from the forecast quantity and any unconfirmed future option.
- Confirm who owns and pays for reserved material or finished stock, where it is stored and for how long.
- List storage, handling and separate shipment charges, plus the process if a release is delayed or cancelled.
- Agree whether unused custom labels, trims or packaging can be retained and used for a repeat order.
Make a repeat order possible to quote
LinHord repeat orders also start at 100 pcs per style per colour, without mixed-colour aggregation. Do not assume that a repeat order keeps the first order's price or timing. Ask for a repeat-order basis covering the same style version, quantity by colour, material availability, recurring charges and quotation validity. Separate sample review, material procurement, production, inspection, dispatch and transport when discussing timing; state the required arrival date and destination.
Keep the approved sample, artwork, material references and colour records linked to the order. Ask what must be reapproved if material or source changes; use the colour-matching guide to define the comparison reference. Keep the agreed quality requirements in the repeat-order brief as well. A reorder is a purchasing event with its own confirmations, even when the design is unchanged.
What to send for an MOQ quotation
- Bag style and specification version; dimensions, material, construction and required handle arrangement.
- Initial order quantity with a separate row for every size, finished colourway and artwork version.
- Immediate sales or distribution need, plus a separate non-binding forecast for later demand.
- Acceptable alternatives: fewer colourways, an available material colour, shared artwork or simpler packaging.
- A request to separate unit price, sample fees, setup fees and any unused material or packaging balance.
- Requested arrival date, destination, delivery term and any proposed split shipments.
- Repeat-order quantity scenarios and questions about retained materials, recurring fees and reapproval.
Send the quantity breakdown with your product brief through the RFQ form. Ask for the exact minimum that limits the proposal and one feasible alternative if the first version does not fit. The useful result is an agreed configuration, quantity and cost basis that matches the demand you are ready to commit to.