Translate the concept into a production brief
We review your reference, dimensions, target feel, finished unit weight and expected order volume. Destination markets and age grading enter the brief early. Shape, surface details, decoration and packaging become a single specification for engineering and quotation.
Put ownership and exclusivity in writing
The tooling agreement defines mold ownership, permitted production, storage and maintenance. Exclusivity can cover a design, customer, territory or agreed period. Design rights, artwork authorization and engineering-change responsibilities are established before the tool is commissioned.
Engineer the shape and formulation together
Wall thickness, parting lines, undercuts and filling volume affect how a squishy feels and how it is made. We review the construction before cutting the mold. Custom formulas, colors and finishes are developed against the agreed feel and testing brief, with the approved version recorded.
Move through clear sample gates
Development moves from drawing review to tool trials, revised samples and a pilot run. Each gate checks the relevant dimensions, weight, function and finish. Your signed reference sample and artwork revision become the production target after the agreed corrections.
Plan testing and packaging before release
The schedule includes test samples, laboratory review and packaging approval alongside tooling. A change in construction can change the testing scope. We show the dependencies in the project schedule so the launch date is based on approvals and production readiness.
Keep the tool ready for repeat orders
Mold identification stays linked to the drawing and product revision. Maintenance, repairs and authorized production are recorded through the program. Transfer, end-of-life and storage arrangements are covered by the tooling agreement.
Private label without a private mold
Customization does not always require new tooling. On existing catalog models we develop brand-matched Pantone colors, pad- or screen-printed logos, custom hangtags and barcode labels, printed display trays, retail color boxes and multilingual instructions — often at modest MOQs. It is a fast route for e-commerce brands and boutique retailers that need a differentiated shelf presence before committing to exclusive shapes, and a common step before customers graduate to their own private mold with us.
Promotional, gashapon and event customization at scale
For marketing agencies, restaurant and fast-food programs, gashapon operators and seasonal retailers we engineer mascot-shaped squeeze toys, logo stress balls, capsule-compatible figures and blind-box assortments around a campaign date and per-drop quantities. The tooling agreement can cover a single territory or event window, cavity count is planned against the giveaway volume, and sampling, testing and production are scheduled backward from the launch — including retail-ready multi-language packaging and retailer compliance files.
Private-mold development gates
| Gate | Working file | Release decision |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | Design reference, market, feel and forecast | Engineering scope |
| Design | Drawing, material construction and tolerances | Design freeze |
| Tooling | Mold plan and ownership agreement | Tool authorization |
| Samples | Trial results and revision record | Approved production sample |
| Production | Testing, artwork and pilot-run review | Bulk manufacturing release |
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions.
What is the difference between OEM, ODM and private label?
ODM starts from our existing design and tooling with your choices of color, logo and packaging within agreed limits; OEM builds a custom shape on your private mold; private label puts your brand identity — colors, printing, packaging — onto an existing model without new tooling. We define the exact scope, rights and MOQs in writing rather than relying on the labels.
Who owns the mold and can you guarantee exclusivity?
The tooling agreement states mold ownership, storage, maintenance, authorized production and exclusivity — which may cover a design, customer, territory or defined period — before the tool is commissioned. Design-right and trademark clearance is handled separately from mold ownership.
What MOQ applies to a custom or private-label project?
Private-label customization on catalog models typically starts at lower, project-specific MOQs; custom colors, retail packaging and private molds each carry their own minimum. Send the brief — dimensions, reference, forecast quantity and destination — and we quote MOQ, tooling and unit price together.
How long does a private-mold project take?
The timeline runs through design freeze, tool build, trial samples, compliance testing and pilot production, with the critical path set by sample approvals. We supply a gate-by-gate schedule showing which dates depend on your team, so the launch plan is realistic before tooling starts.
Can you develop a custom feel or custom formulation?
Yes. Custom PU density and slow-rise behavior, TPR shell/filling combinations, custom colors and finishes and specialty fillings are developed against an agreed feel brief and the test scope, with the approved formulation recorded as the production reference.
Do you make custom capsule toys, giveaways and advent calendars?
Regularly. We produce mascot squeeze toys and logo stress balls for promotions, capsule-compatible figures for gashapon and vending, and blind-box/advent-calendar assortments such as 24-day programs, with tooling and exclusivity scoped to the event and retail-ready compliance files included.