A custom wooden toy project is decided long before the first board is cut. It depends on how much of the design is fixed in the tech pack, and how early the factory can quote against it. This guide walks through the process we run at our Yunhe factory, from the first email to a sealed container, with the numbers that matter: a quote within 24 hours, functional samples in 7–10 days, a 500 pcs per style minimum, and 25–30 days of production after sample sign-off.
What the factory needs before it can quote
A wooden toy is a stack of decisions: wood species, board thickness, part count, finish, hardware, packaging, age grade, destination market. A usable tech pack answers most of them. At minimum, send a 2D drawing with critical dimensions and tolerances, a 3D file (STEP or IGES) if the shape is organic, a reference photo or a physical sample, vector artwork for engraving or print, retail packaging requirements, the target age grade and market, and the order quantity per style.
The most common gap is tolerance. "About 20 mm" cannot be inspected; "20 ± 0.5 mm" can. The second most common gap is the colour target: a Pantone number or a physical chip is workable, "warm natural" is not.
Step 1: Technical review and a quote within 24 hours
We read the pack, check whether the geometry can be cut, milled and sanded at the stated tolerance, and confirm which parts are made in-house and which are bought in — hinges, buckles, magnets, screws, elastic. Then we reply with a quotation inside 24 hours.
That quotation is broken into material, machining time, finishing, hardware, packaging, sampling, testing and freight terms (EXW or FOB Ningbo/Shanghai). It states the MOQ, the sample lead time, the production lead time and what is excluded. If something in the design will add cost — a 3 mm wall, an undercut, a 6-colour print — we say so in the reply rather than in a change order later.
Step 2: Sampling in 7–10 days
Once the quote and the drawing are agreed, we build a functional sample: CNC or laser-cut parts, hand-sanded edges, the specified finish, and the hardware that will be used in production. Sample lead time is 7–10 working days, counted from artwork approval and sample-fee payment.
Sample fee depends on complexity: a single-piece engraved board is a different job from a multi-part busy board with eight hardware types and a printed retail box. The fee is credited against the mass-production order, so the real cost of sampling is the shipping and the calendar time.
Step 3: Sign-off and the sealed golden sample
You inspect the sample against the drawing and the market requirements: dimensions, colour against the chip, edge radius, paint coverage, hardware pull strength, packaging fit, weight. Send comments in one batch, with photos and measured values where possible — a single consolidated round of changes is faster than five emails.
When the sample is approved, we seal a golden sample: one unit, signed and dated, kept at the factory and one copy sent to you. That sealed unit is the reference for the production inspection. If a question comes up in week three of production, the answer is in that box, not in an email thread.
Step 4: Pre-production work that decides quality
Before mass production starts, three things are locked: material, fixtures and print artwork. Material means the actual board — species, thickness, grade, moisture content after kiln drying. Fixtures means laser programs, CNC jigs, silkscreen frames or UV print files, and any assembly jigs that keep hardware positions repeatable. Print artwork means final, print-ready files for the retail box, the insert, the manual and the barcode, approved in writing.
This is also when testing is scheduled. For an EU order that means EN71-1, EN71-2 and EN71-3 on the final materials and colours; for the US, ASTM F963 and CPSIA with a Children's Product Certificate. Testing runs on production-representative samples, and a colour or supplier change reopens it.
Step 5: Mass production in 25–30 days
Production time is 25–30 days, counted from deposit and approved pre-production sample, not from the date of the PO. The run moves through cutting, milling or laser work, sanding, painting or printing, assembly, hardware fitting, and packing.
We schedule in parallel where the process allows: boards are cut and dried while print artwork is approved, packaging is printed while parts are in the paint shop. What cannot be compressed is curing time for water-based finishes and the final assembly and packing sequence. If your retail launch date is fixed, work backwards from it and put the dates in the PO.
Step 6: Inspection, packing and loading
Before packing we run an internal inspection against the golden sample: dimensions, colour, hardware security, surface defects, small parts and sharp edges, drop and torque checks where relevant. Third-party inspection (SGS, TÜV, Intertek, Bureau Veritas) can be booked on request and usually needs 3–5 working days' notice.
Packing follows the approved dieline and carton specification: inner packs, barcode position, age marking, warnings, instruction sheet, carton marks. Pallets are ISPM 15 treated if the destination requires it. Container loading is photographed carton by carton, and the loading plan is shared with your forwarder.
Timeline at a glance
| Stage | Duration | Clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| Tech review and quote | 24 hours | Tech pack received |
| Functional sample | 7–10 working days | Artwork approval, sample fee paid |
| Sample revision (if needed) | 5–7 working days | Comments received |
| Pre-production (artwork, materials, testing) | 7–14 days | Sample sign-off |
| Mass production | 25–30 days | Deposit and PP sample approval |
| Inspection | 1–3 days | Production complete |
| Loading and documents | 3–5 days | Inspection passed |
A clean, fully specified project typically runs about 6–8 weeks from approved tech pack to container. Most delays are not in the workshop; they come from incomplete artwork, undefined tolerances, and late colour approvals.
FAQ
How detailed does the tech pack need to be before you can quote?
A 2D drawing with dimensions and tolerances, the species and thickness, a photo or sample, and the order quantity are enough to quote. Artwork and packaging can follow. If the design is still rough, send what you have and we will tell you which decisions are missing before the sample stage.
Do you charge for samples, and is the fee returned?
Yes, the sample fee is quoted per design based on complexity, and it is credited against the mass-production order. What is not refunded is the courier cost and, for heavily customized pieces, the cost of any dedicated print plates or dies — those are listed separately on the quote.
Can you produce a first order while a second design is still in sampling?
Yes. Designs are planned independently, and we can run a first style into production while the second is in sampling. The only shared constraint is the container: it makes sense to hold shipment until enough styles are ready to fill a 20GP or 40HQ efficiently.
Frequently asked
How detailed does the tech pack need to be before you can quote?
A 2D drawing with dimensions and tolerances, the species and thickness, a photo or sample, and the order quantity are enough to quote. Artwork and packaging can follow. If the design is still rough, send what you have and we will tell you which decisions are missing before the sample stage.
Do you charge for samples, and is the fee returned?
Yes, the sample fee is quoted per design based on complexity, and it is credited against the mass-production order. What is not refunded is the courier cost and, for heavily customized pieces, the cost of any dedicated print plates or dies — those are listed separately on the quote.
Can you produce a first order while a second design is still in sampling?
Yes. Designs are planned independently, and we can run a first style into production while the second is in sampling. The only shared constraint is the container: it makes sense to hold shipment until enough styles are ready to fill a 20GP or 40HQ efficiently.