A club ordering 100 rackets with one logo and a distributor ordering 100 rackets across four designs may receive different quotations. The first order uses one set of artwork and specifications. The second may require separate setups, components, and approvals, even though the total quantity is the same.
The delivery schedule depends on similar details. A buyer who needs stock for a tournament must account for sample production, courier delivery, approval, bulk manufacturing, and freight. The factory’s production window covers only part of that schedule.
At Padelico, we manufacture custom padel rackets in China for brands, clubs, and distributors. Before setting an order quantity or launch date, confirm which variants can share a production run, what the final sample must include, and which approvals release the bulk order.
How MOQ Works for Custom Padel Rackets
MOQ stands for minimum order quantity. In a custom racket project, the applicable minimum depends on what the factory needs to set up and purchase for the order. Using an existing mold can simplify tooling, but a special core, grip, or finish may still introduce its own minimum.
| Customization route | What changes | How to plan the order |
|---|---|---|
| Existing mold with logo or artwork | Graphics are applied to an established shape and construction | Some small-batch programs can accommodate 20–50 rackets per design. Ask whether the offer covers your finish and packaging. |
| Existing mold with custom specifications | Face material, EVA or other foam core, grip, weight, balance, or paint finish may change | Request a quote for the specific construction. Material or component minimums can increase the quantity required. |
| Exclusive new mold | The frame geometry or dimensions require new tooling | Budget for tooling and sample development. Depending on how tooling is charged, the project may require a separate mold fee, a commitment of several hundred units, or both. |
These are planning examples. Published supplier terms vary considerably, including for projects that use shared molds or require new tooling.
Padelico’s custom racket program lists a minimum order of 100 rackets. Confirm the requirement for your selected model, construction, and artwork before finalizing the order split. See Padelico’s custom padel racket options.
Does the MOQ Apply per SKU, Color, or Total Order?
Ask for the answer in writing. If a buyer wants 100 rackets split between black and white, the factory may be able to run 50 of each using the same construction. If each color has a separate minimum, the order may need to be larger. Changing the core or face material alongside the color can turn the two versions into distinct production runs.
List the quantity for each model, construction, artwork, and colorway in your request for quotation. Include any special grip color or retail box. A component can have a purchase minimum even when the factory can combine the racket quantities.
For a first order, it is often easier to agree on one construction and price the additional artwork or color options separately. That gives you a clear comparison before committing to inventory.
What to Approve at Each Sample Stage
A digital proof answers questions about appearance and layout. An unpainted prototype lets you assess construction and handling. A finished pre-production sample brings those decisions together in the version you intend to order.
| Stage | Illustrative time allowance | What to review |
|---|---|---|
| Concept, CAD, and artwork | 3–7 days | Shape, dimensions, logo placement, artwork alignment, and available material options |
| Unpainted prototype | 7–14 days | Frame geometry, core feel, handling, and preliminary weight and balance |
| Finished pre-production sample (PPS) | 10–21 days | Final paint, decals, surface texture, grip, finished weight and balance, and agreed packaging |
| Mold creation or adjustment | 1–3 weeks where required | Dimensions, geometry, and fit before proceeding with the relevant prototype |
Use these ranges to build an initial schedule. Confirm the time required for each stage, whether days are calendar or working days, and whether courier transit and buyer review are included. A quotation may combine stages into one sample window, and a change to geometry or construction can require another round. Published sample schedules vary with the scope of development and finishing.
The unpainted prototype is the right stage to raise feedback about structural feel. If the weight is within target but the head feels slow during volleys, ask the factory to review balance before applying the final graphics. At the PPS stage, check the racket in its intended retail configuration. Paint, decals, grip, wrist cord, and any fitted protector should be accounted for when confirming the finished specification.
Approve the PPS alongside a written specification. Record the agreed materials, weight and balance tolerances, artwork version, finish, grip, and packaging. If the project calls for impact or fatigue checks, agree on the test method and acceptance criteria with the factory. Keep the approved sample as the reference for the first production run and future reorders. See the Padelico custom padel racket process.
When Does Bulk Production Lead Time Start?
Ask the factory to name the event that starts the production window. For a custom order, that typically means the final sample and written specifications are approved and the agreed deposit or order confirmation is in place. Material availability and the reserved production slot also need to be confirmed. Padelico’s published process places bulk production after sample approval and payment of the agreed deposit.
| Project scope | Initial scheduling allowance | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Standard bulk run using an existing mold | 4–8 weeks for production planning | Confirm the start date and whether inspection and packing are included. |
| Complex OEM project | 60–90 days as a preliminary project allowance | Confirm whether the schedule covers tooling, sampling, specialized materials, finishing, and packaging. |
| Padelico bulk manufacturing | 35–45 days in the published factory process | Confirm the schedule for the selected model, specifications, and order quantity in the quotation. |
The first two ranges are planning allowances. For a complex project, a factory may quote a combined development and production window. Ask for the milestones in writing so you can see whether tooling and sampling are already included.
Plan Backward From the Date You Need the Rackets
If the rackets are for a club opening, tournament, or retail launch, give the factory your required arrival date. Work backward through destination delivery, freight, dispatch, final inspection, production, and sample approval. Put sample courier time and your own review time on the schedule.
For example, a 40-day production quote can be workable when the sample is approved and freight is arranged. If the racket still needs a revised core, a second sample, and new packaging artwork, those decisions may move the production start date. Ask for a sample-ready date, a bulk goods-ready date, and an estimated arrival date. Each answers a different question.
What to Send Padelico for a Project Quote
Include your preferred shape or reference racket, face material, core feel, target weight and balance, artwork, grip, and packaging. State the quantity per model and design, the delivery destination, and the date you need the order in hand. If you are flexible on materials or colors, identify those options so the factory can check which configurations fit the quantity and schedule.
Ask for the MOQ by variant, tooling and sample charges, the proposed sample stages, and the conditions that release bulk production. With those details agreed, you can plan the inventory commitment and launch around the same specification. Request a custom padel racket quote from Padelico.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I split Padelico’s 100-racket minimum across two designs?
The customization page lists a 100-racket minimum. Whether two designs can share that quantity depends on the selected model, construction, artwork, and components. Provide the exact split when requesting a quote.
Can I order a sample before committing to bulk production?
Padelico supports sample review before bulk manufacturing. Confirm the sample fee, what the sample will include, and the scope and timing of any revisions when requesting the quote.
Can I use an existing mold and change the carbon face or EVA core?
That depends on compatibility with the mold and the intended construction. Provide your preferred face material and core feel, then review the effect on weight, balance, MOQ, and sample lead time.
Does production lead time include freight?
Ask the supplier to state what the quoted window covers. For launch planning, record the factory goods-ready date and the estimated destination arrival date separately.
Will a reorder follow the same lead time?
An approved sample, existing tooling, and reusable artwork can reduce the development work on a reorder. Confirm current material availability, the production slot, and any changes to artwork or packaging before setting the delivery date.
