A lot of people want to make custom plush toys.
They recognize the potential of making these stuffed toys and the profit that goes along with it.
All they need to do is contact a reliable manufacturer so that they can start production.
But this is where you encounter your first big question mark.
How many should you make and what is the minimum order? It's a common misconception that it makes sense to just make a few plush dolls from the very start.
But you'll soon realize that it's not really possible to order just a few from a reliable manufacturer.
A good minimum order is 500 stuffed animals per order.
That is the lowest and most logical minimum that you can find.
Sure, you can find a manufacturer that promises to do 50 for you.
But does it make sense? You have to understand that you're dealing with mass production.
If they can promise a very low minimum, they're probably just doing it locally.
While that sounds good, it's actually very hard to find reliable local sewers that are willing to do just a few.
It will also be very hard to look for materials.
So really, you're banking on a promise that will be very hard to keep.
You can't be sure of the quality of the stuffed toys because the more reliable manufacturers cannot afford to offer a very low minimum for logistics sake.
You also won't have the assurance of getting your toys in time.
So in reality, it can do you more harm than good.
So it's in your best interest to look for a manufacturer offering a minimum that is not too low.
You also don't want to look for a very high minimum order.
If you're just starting, you really can't afford to invest in 10,000 of these toys.
Economically speaking, it just doesn't make sense for you as a "newbie" in custom plush toys.
So feel free to look for a manufacturer that has a minimum of 500 - 2,400 pieces per order.
But if you can't afford it and you just want to get your project off the ground at once, you can find a manufacturer that is willing to do a minimum of 500.
You can then work your way from there until you're like the successful individuals who order 100,000 a year.
Going directly to China is also an option.
But to make it logical, you should be ordering the toys by the tens of thousands.
If not, it just wouldn't make sense because you have to spend a lot of money to make it happen.
If you order just a few of them, you lost already even before selling your stuffed toys.
You have to scout for a reliable manufacturer and it will be hard to do that in a foreign land.
Not to mention you have to send someone to supervise the whole operation.
For now, I suggest that you stick with a local manufacturer with ties in China.
You can initially order 500 stuffed animals and start increasing for every re-order.
Once you have enough experience and resources to make them by the containers, you can then explore going to China.
But still, most toy inventors prefer to deal with a local manufacturer.
For now, just focus on your initial 500 piece order.