Minimum order quantity is one of the first questions a new brand asks, and one of the most commonly misunderstood answers. The number is not a negotiating position; it falls out of tooling cost, material purchasing and how production is actually scheduled.
Where MOQ comes from
Three cost drivers set the floor:
- Tooling. A new mould is a fixed cost. Spread over 50 paddles it is ruinous; over 500 it is manageable.
- Materials. Cores, faces, grips and edge guards are bought in batch quantities. A production run shorter than a material batch wastes most of it.
- Setup time. Presses, CNC programs and print stations all need setting up and tearing down. Short runs spend proportionally more time in setup than in production.
Typical structures
In practice, our minimums break down like this:
- Prototype or sample: from 1 paddle, so you can test the feel before committing.
- Existing mould, your graphics: from 100 paddles per design.
- New mould required: from 300–500 paddles, because the tooling is built specifically for you.
- Full private label with custom packaging: typically from 500 paddles.
How to start small without paying over the odds
- Use an existing mould for your first run. Change the graphics and the specification rather than the silhouette, then invest in custom tooling once the product sells.
- Run one colourway first. Multiple colourways multiply setup cost on the same order.
- Combine products. Pairing paddles with balls, covers or grips in one shipment spreads freight and setup across the order.
- Ask about production slots. A short run can sometimes be scheduled alongside a larger order on the same tooling, which reduces the effective minimum.
Why we do not simply say yes to any quantity
We could accept a 20-piece order at an inflated unit price. What we cannot do is deliver it at the quality and consistency a brand needs, because the process does not have enough units to stabilise. It is more honest to say no to a run that would disappoint you than to take the order and ship inconsistency.
If your target volume is below our stated minimum, tell us anyway. We can usually find a way to run a small trial within existing production, and we would rather build the relationship than lose the project on a number.