Glossary: Bag Manufacturing Terms Kickstarter Creators Should Know
Which bag manufacturing terms does a Kickstarter creator actually need before requesting a quotation? Around sixty: fabric denier and coating, hardware gauges, sampling stages from proto to pre-production sample, costing terms such as FOB, EXW and DDP, and quality terms including AQL 2.5 to ISO 2859-1. Getting them wrong adds days and dollars — sampling runs 6-10 working days and production 35-50 days. This glossary defines each term in buyer language.
- How to use this glossary before you send an RFQ
- Fabric and material terms
- Construction and pattern terms
- Hardware and trim terms
- Decoration and branding terms
- Sampling and approval terms
- Costing and commercial terms
- Quality, inspection and compliance terms
- Logistics and fulfilment terms
- The terms that cause the most disputes on campaign runs
- Using the glossary in a single RFQ email
How to use this glossary before you send an RFQ
Every term in this glossary exists because someone once lost money by not knowing it. A creator who asks for a heavy duty zip receives a quotation built on an assumption; a creator who asks for a #8 YKK reverse-coil zip with an auto-lock slider receives a quotation built on a fact. The difference is not pedantry. It is the gap between a price that holds at the deposit stage and a price that is renegotiated after the sample arrives, which on a campaign programme means the difference between a schedule and a delay update.
Use the glossary in three ways. Read the sampling section before you book a sampling slot, because that is where misunderstanding costs calendar days. Read the costing section before you set your funding target, because FOB, EXW and DDP change the number you have to raise. Read the quality section before you sign the purchase order, because AQL, defect classes and inspection level determine what happens when something goes wrong. The crowdfunding bag guide applies the same vocabulary to the full programme, and the custom bag categories page shows how the terms differ by format — a tote has no frame sheet, while a structured travel bag may have several.
- Minimum order quantity
- 500 pcs per style / colourway
- Sampling
- 6-10 working days (12-15 for complex builds)
- Bulk production
- 35-50 days after deposit + approved pre-production sample
- Inspection
- AQL 2.5 to ISO 2859-1
- Trade term
- FOB Xiamen
- Payment
- T/T 30/70
- Production floor
- 4,950 m² SGS-verified, 137 staff, 7 lines, 149 machines
- Monthly capacity
- 200,000 pcs per month
- Programme contact
- service@junyuanbags.com
Key takeaways on manufacturing vocabulary
- Precise terms produce precise quotations; vague terms produce caveats that reappear as change orders.
- Fabric is specified by denier, weave and coating, not by words like thick or heavy duty.
- Sampling has named stages: proto, fit, sales sample, pre-production sample, counter sample.
- FOB, EXW, CIF and DDP move costs and risk between buyer and seller; know which one you are quoting.
- AQL 2.5 to ISO 2859-1 defines the sample size and the accept and reject numbers, not a vague quality promise.
- Lead time has two components: the production window and the transit leg. Quotation should state both.
Fabric and material terms
Fabric is the largest single cost line on most bag quotations and the term most often mis-specified. Denier describes yarn thickness: a higher denier means thicker yarn and generally a heavier, more abrasion-resistant cloth. Weave describes how the yarns interlace, and coating describes what has been applied afterwards. Naming all three — for example 600D polyester, plain weave, PU coated — gives a purchaser something they can actually buy, and gives you something you can verify at inspection.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| Denier (D) | Yarn thickness; higher number means thicker yarn | Drives abrasion resistance and cost; 600D is a common bag standard |
| Weave | How yarns interlace: plain, twill, ripstop, oxford | Affects hand feel, print surface and tear behaviour |
| Ripstop | Reinforced grid weave that stops tear propagation | Adds cost but reduces catastrophic tearing on travel bags |
| PU coating | Polyurethane layer applied to the back of the cloth | Gives water resistance; thickness is stated in mm or as a rating |
| PVC / TPU | Vinyl or thermoplastic polyurethane coating or film | TPU is the more premium, more flexible and more expensive option |
| GSM / oz | Weight per square metre or per square yard | Canvas is usually sold in ounces; synthetics in denier or GSM |
| rPET | Polyester made from recycled feedstock, often bottles | Strong sustainability story; ask for GRS documentation |
| Interlining / foam | Hidden layer adding structure or padding | Often overlooked in costing; it adds both material and labour |
Two traps sit in this section. The first is buying on denier alone: a 600D polyester with a cheap coating performs worse than a 420D with a good one, so ask for the coating specification as well. The second is assuming a sustainability claim is free: a GRS-certified recycled fabric carries documentation requirements and usually a cost premium, both of which should be in the quotation rather than discovered later. The material customisation page covers these choices in detail.
Construction and pattern terms
Construction terms describe how flat cloth becomes a three-dimensional object. They matter to a creator for one practical reason: every additional panel, seam and reinforcement is additional labour, and labour is a large share of unit cost on a sewn product. They also determine how the bag behaves under load, which is what backers will comment on in reviews.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | One cut piece of fabric in the shell | Panel count drives cutting time, sewing time and cost |
| Gusset | Inserted strip that gives a bag depth | Converts a flat shape into a three-dimensional one |
| Seam allowance | Fabric reserved inside the seam | Too small a allowance causes seam failure under load |
| Bar-tack | Dense zigzag reinforcement stitch | The standard reinforcement at strap and handle load points |
| Binding | Tape folded over a raw edge to finish it | Cleaner interior; adds an operation and a material |
| Piping | Cord enclosed in fabric along a seam | Decorative and structural; adds cost per metre |
| Box stitch | Rectangular reinforcement stitch pattern | Used on handles and straps where pull-out is the failure mode |
| Lining | Interior fabric layer | Grade affects perceived quality and pocket durability |
| Daisy chain | Webbing loop ladder for attaching items | Popular on technical bags; adds webbing and bar-tacks |
Hardware and trim terms
Hardware is purchased, not made, which means the terminology of the component supplier becomes the terminology of your programme. Learning half a dozen terms here prevents the most common specification error on campaign bags: asking for a description rather than a reference. A description invites substitution; a reference invites an exact match, and if the reference is discontinued you will be told before the sample is cut rather than after.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| Zip gauge (#3, #5, #8, #10) | Width of the zip teeth in millimetres | The single most mis-specified hardware attribute |
| Coil / reverse coil | Nylon spiral zip; reverse hides the teeth | Reverse coil reduces scratching on screens and skin |
| Auto-lock slider | Slider that locks when the puller is released | Prevents zip creep on load-bearing openings |
| D-ring | Metal or plastic ring shaped like a D | Attachment point for straps; needs webbing reinforcement |
| Side-release buckle | Clip that releases by pinching the sides | Sized by webbing width; state the width in mm |
| Ladder lock / triglide | Slider that adjusts webbing length | Standard on strap adjustment; state webbing width |
| Webbing | Woven flat tape, usually polyester or nylon | Specify width and breaking strength, not just colour |
| Cam buckle | Lever buckle that grips webbing by friction | Premium feel; check it holds under stated load |
| Eyelet / grommet | Reinforced hole through fabric | Used for drainage or cord routing; needs a washer |
Decoration and branding terms
Decoration is where brand intent meets physical limitation. Each method has a set-up cost, a per-unit cost, a minimum detail size and a durability profile, and each one needs a different artwork file. The terms below are the ones that appear on quotations; knowing which is which stops you from agreeing to a method that cannot reproduce your logo.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| Screen print | Ink pushed through a mesh screen per colour | One screen per colour; set-up cost amortises over the run |
| Plastisol / water-based ink | PVC-based or water-based ink system | Water-based is softer and greener; plastisol is more opaque |
| Discharge print | Ink that removes dye and replaces it | Soft hand feel on dark cotton; needs the right fabric |
| Heat transfer | Design printed then heat-pressed onto fabric | Good for small runs and multi-colour art; heavier hand feel |
| Dye sublimation | Dye turned to gas and bonded into polyester | Photographic output; polyester only, and only light colours |
| DTF (direct to film) | Printed film transferred with adhesive powder | Works on cotton and blends; check wash durability |
| Digitising | Converting artwork into a stitch file | One-off embroidery set-up; reuse it on re-orders |
| Satin / fill stitch | Column stitch or area-fill stitch in embroidery | Satin needs 1.2 mm minimum width; fill adds cost by area |
| Strike-off | Printed sample of the artwork on production fabric | The only artefact that settles a colour question |
A practical note on set-up costs: screens, embroidery digitising and heat-transfer dies are one-off charges that are reused on re-order. That is why the second run of the same artwork is cheaper per unit than the first, and why it is worth keeping the vector master and the digitised file in your own archive. Our print and embroidery page compares the methods on cost and durability.
Sampling and approval terms
Sampling is not one event; it is a sequence with named stages, and each stage answers a different question. Confusing them is the reason some creators believe they have approved production when they have only approved a shape. The stage that matters commercially is the pre-production sample, because that is the artefact that releases the deposit and starts the 35-50 day bulk window.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| Proto sample | First physical build from the pattern | Answers whether the shape and proportions work |
| Fit sample | Sample built to check fit against the intended contents | Critical for laptop sleeves and device-specific pockets |
| Sales sample | Sample made for photography and backer previews | Built to look right; not always bulk materials |
| Pre-production sample (PPS) | Sample built from exact bulk materials and methods | The approval that gates the deposit and the bulk clock |
| Counter sample | Sample made to match a reference you supplied | Used when you are replicating an existing product |
| Revision / round | One cycle of correction and rebuild | 6-10 working days each; budget two rounds |
| Gold seal / reference unit | The approved unit kept as the inspection standard | What the inspector measures the run against |
| Tech pack | The written specification the sample is built to | The source document for quotation, sampling and QC |
production 35-50 days after the deposit and the approved pre-production sample. Both conditions are required. Approving a sales sample does not start the clock, and sending the deposit without written sample approval does not either. Get the approval in writing, dated, referencing the sample and the pack revision number.
Costing and commercial terms
Commercial terms decide who pays for what and who carries risk at each stage of the journey. They also decide the number you have to raise on the campaign, because a FOB price and a DDP price for the same bag can differ substantially once freight, duty and inland delivery are included. Read this section before you set the funding target, not after.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| MOQ | Minimum order quantity, 500 pcs per style and colourway | Sets the smallest viable first run and the cash you need |
| Unit cost | Price per piece at a stated quantity | Always confirm the quantity the price is valid at |
| Tooling / set-up | One-off charge for moulds, screens or dies | Non-refundable and amortised across the run |
| FOB Xiamen | Goods delivered on board the vessel at Xiamen | Buyer arranges freight, insurance, clearance and inland delivery |
| EXW | Ex works: goods made available at the production site | Buyer handles everything from collection onward |
| CIF / DDP | Seller covers more legs; DDP includes duty delivered | Higher unit price, fewer destination-side tasks |
| T/T 30/70 | 30% deposit, 70% balance before cargo release | Deposit timing must sit inside the funding target |
| Price validity | How long a quoted price holds, often 30-60 days | Protects against material and currency movement |
| Volume pricing | Unit cost falling as quantity rises | Ask for tiers at 500, 1,000 and 3,000 pcs |
Quality, inspection and compliance terms
Quality terms exist to convert a subjective feeling into a measurable rule. Without them, good quality means whatever each party wants it to mean on the day the container is due to load. With them, both sides are working from a sampling plan with defined sample sizes, defect classes and accept and reject numbers — which is exactly what AQL 2.5 to ISO 2859-1 provides.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| AQL | Acceptable quality limit: the defect threshold | AQL 2.5 is the default for reward-grade bag runs |
| ISO 2859-1 | The sampling standard behind the AQL tables | Reference it by name so the plan is not ambiguous |
| Inspection level II | General inspection level setting sample size | Level II is the default; level I samples fewer units |
| Critical / major / minor | Defect severity classes | Define each class for your product before inspection |
| First-off approval | Approval of the first decorated unit in bulk | Catches decoration errors before the run continues |
| In-line QC | Checking during production rather than at the end | Corrects a defect trend while it is still fixable |
| Pre-shipment inspection | Check on finished goods before release | The gate that triggers the 70% balance payment |
| CPSIA | US consumer product safety requirements | Applies to children's products; tracking labels required |
| REACH / Prop 65 | EU and California substance restrictions | Drives material and ink selection and testing |
| GRS / OEKO-TEX | Recycled content and textile safety certifications | Documentation backs any sustainability claim you make |
Compliance is cheapest when it is designed in. Naming the destination market in the RFQ lets materials, inks and labelling be selected correctly the first time; discovering a Prop 65 or EU GPSR obligation after the run is sewn means testing and possibly relabelling finished goods. Our QA and QC page sets out the defect classes and checks used on campaign runs.
Logistics and fulfilment terms
Once the goods leave the production floor, a second vocabulary begins, and it is the vocabulary of your freight forwarder and fulfilment partner rather than of the sewing line. Getting these terms wrong does not usually break the product; it breaks the budget and the delivery promise, which is arguably worse on a crowdfunding campaign where backers are counting days.
| Term | What it means | Why it matters to your order |
|---|---|---|
| Lead time | Total time from order release to delivery | State whether it includes transit or production only |
| Production window | Days the order occupies the line, 35-50 days | The incompressible part of the schedule |
| Carton / master carton | Shipping box and its specification | Drives freight cost and damage risk in transit |
| CBM | Cubic metre; the volume of a shipment | Freight is quoted on volume or weight, whichever is greater |
| Volumetric weight | Chargeable weight derived from volume | A bulky light bag can cost more than a heavy compact one |
| HS code | Customs classification code for the product | Determines duty rate; confirm it before quoting landed cost |
| Packing list | Document listing cartons, contents and weights | Needed for clearance and for warehouse receipt |
| Drop ship | Shipping direct to individual backers | Changes packing, labelling and data requirements |
| Re-order | Repeat run of the same specification | Reuses tooling and artwork, so development time drops |
A structured backpack or duffle packed at low density is often charged on volume rather than mass. That can double the freight line against a naive estimate. Ask for carton dimensions and the volumetric calculation at quotation stage so the landed cost in your budget is real.
The terms that cause the most disputes on campaign runs
In campaigns we support, the same handful of misunderstandings account for most disputes. They share a pattern: one party used a term in its everyday sense and the other used it in its trade sense. The fix is always the same — write the term into the purchase order with a number attached, so that agreeing is a measurement rather than an opinion.
| Vague term | What each side may mean | Write this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy duty zip | Anything from #5 to #10 | YKK #8 reverse coil, auto-lock slider, black nickel |
| Water resistant | Shower-proof or submersible | PU coated 600D with storm flap; no immersion claim |
| High quality fabric | Any available grade | 600D polyester, plain weave, PU coated, with a swatch code |
| Fast delivery | Any date sooner than expected | 35-50 days after deposit and approved PPS, FOB Xiamen |
| Good stitching | Untestable | 8-10 stitches per inch, bar-tack at all strap load points |
| Matches the sample | Matches the photo or the physical unit | Conforms to the approved pre-production sample held as reference |
| Eco-friendly | Any green claim | GRS-certified rPET with transaction certificate provided |
Notice how every remedy in the right-hand column is either a reference, a number or a named standard. That is the whole discipline of specification writing. It also speeds up quotation, because a programme coordinator can price a defined requirement in one pass, whereas every undefined line becomes a question that has to travel to you and back. The low minimum production page shows how these definitions interact with the 500 pcs minimum.
Using the glossary in a single RFQ email
The point of shared vocabulary is that one email can carry an entire requirement. When the fabric is named by denier and coating, the hardware by reference, the sampling by stage, the trade term by Incoterm, the inspection by standard and the destination by market, there is nothing left to clarify — and a quotation, a sampling estimate and a production window come back in a single exchange. That is worth two to three weeks on a programme that is already running 12-16 weeks end to end.
- Name the product category and the intended use, so the right construction defaults are applied from the start.
- Specify fabric by denier, weave and coating, with a swatch code or a reference product where one exists.
- List hardware by type, size, finish and quantity per bag, marking any item that needs tooling.
- State the decoration method and placement for each brand hit, with artwork attached at the correct version.
- Give the quantity per style and per colourway, remembering the 500 pcs minimum per style and colourway.
- Name the trade term, here FOB Xiamen, and the destination country for freight and compliance purposes.
- State the inspection standard: AQL 2.5 to ISO 2859-1, general inspection level II, with defect classes defined.
- Confirm payment terms, here T/T 30/70, and the target delivery month you intend to publish to backers.
- Ask for the quotation to state price validity, typically 30-60 days, and the quantity each price tier applies to.
- Ask which components are stock and which are custom, since only the custom ones carry tooling time.
- Ask for carton dimensions and the volumetric calculation so landed cost can be modelled accurately.
- Ask for the compliance documentation your destination market requires, named standard by standard.
- Ask for the re-order price on the same tooling, held open for a defined period after the first run.
- Crowdfunding bag guide
- Material customisation for Kickstarter bags
- Print and embroidery for custom bags
- Crowdfunding bag sample prototyping
- Kickstarter campaign bag QA and QC
- Bag manufacturing for campaign creators
- Request a quotation
Speak the same language as your production team
Send your specification using the terms in this glossary and you will receive a quotation, a sampling estimate and a production window in one exchange. As your production partner we will flag any term that is still ambiguous before it becomes a change order. Write to service@junyuanbags.com or use the quotation form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does MOQ mean and what is the MOQ for campaign bags?
MOQ means minimum order quantity, the smallest run a production line will schedule. For campaign bag programmes the minimum is 500 pcs per style and per colourway, so a bag offered in three colours is three separate 500 pcs commitments unless negotiated as one run with a colour split.
What is a pre-production sample and why does it matter?
A pre-production sample is built from the exact bulk materials, hardware and decoration methods that the run will use. It is the approval artefact that releases the 30% deposit under T/T 30/70 and starts the 35-50 day bulk production window. Approved in writing, it also becomes the reference unit for inspection.
What does AQL 2.5 mean in bag manufacturing?
AQL means acceptable quality limit, the defect threshold used in a sampling inspection. AQL 2.5 under ISO 2859-1 at general inspection level II sets the sample size drawn from the run and the accept and reject numbers for critical, major and minor defects. It is the default for reward-grade bags.
What is the difference between FOB, EXW and DDP?
FOB Xiamen means goods are delivered on board the vessel at Xiamen and risk transfers there; the buyer handles freight, insurance, clearance and inland delivery. EXW makes the buyer responsible from the production door. DDP includes freight and duty to the destination, so the unit price is higher.
What does denier mean when choosing a bag fabric?
Denier measures yarn thickness: a higher number means thicker yarn and generally heavier, more abrasion-resistant cloth. 600D polyester is a common bag standard and 420D a lighter option. Denier alone is not enough; also specify the weave and the coating to control performance.
What is tooling in bag manufacturing?
Tooling is the one-off charge for making something that does not yet exist: a mould for a custom zip puller, a die for a rubber patch, screens for screen printing or a digitised file for embroidery. It is non-refundable, adds 15-20 working days, and is reused on re-orders.
How many sampling rounds should a campaign budget for?
Budget two rounds at 6-10 working days each, so 12-20 working days before the pre-production sample exists. Complex builds run 12-15 working days per round. A third round is common on structured bags and should be treated as contingency rather than the plan.
What is volumetric weight and why does it affect freight cost?
Volumetric weight is a chargeable weight derived from the volume of the shipment rather than its mass. Freight is billed on whichever is greater. A bulky, low-density bag such as a structured backpack or duffle is often charged on volume, which can materially raise the freight line.
What does a tech pack contain?
A tech pack contains dimensions with tolerances, fabric and lining specifications, hardware references, construction and reinforcement notes, decoration method and placement coordinates, labelling and compliance text, and the packing specification. It is the source document for quotation, sampling and inspection.
What is the difference between a proto sample and a sales sample?
A proto sample is the first physical build, used to check shape and proportion. A sales sample is built for photography and backer previews and may not use bulk materials. Only the pre-production sample is built from exact bulk materials, so only that one can gate production.
What does T/T 30/70 mean for payment?
T/T 30/70 is a two-stage telegraphic transfer. The 30% deposit falls due when the pre-production sample is approved in writing and releases materials and the production slot. The 70% balance falls due after a passed pre-shipment inspection and before cargo is released at FOB Xiamen.
Which certifications should a campaign bag programme ask for?
Ask for GRS documentation if you claim recycled content, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for textile safety, and market-specific compliance such as CPSIA for US children's products, REACH and Prop 65 substance compliance, and EU GPSR product identification. Name the market in the RFQ.
People Also Ask
Do I need to learn manufacturing terms before contacting a production partner?
You need around fifteen: denier, weave, coating, zip gauge, MOQ, tech pack, proto and pre-production sample, AQL, FOB, lead time and payment terms. Enough to write an unambiguous specification; the rest you can learn during sampling.
What is the single most mis-specified term on bag orders?
The zip. Asking for a heavy duty zip invites substitution, while naming gauge, element type, tape and slider type produces an exact match. The zip is also the most-touched component, so a mismatch shows up in backer reviews.
Is water resistant the same as waterproof?
No. Water resistant usually means a coated fabric with a storm flap that sheds showers. Waterproof requires welded or taped seams and a tested rating. Write the construction you want, not the marketing word, and only claim what the build supports.
Why does my quotation have a set-up charge?
Set-up covers one-off work: screens for printing, digitising for embroidery, dies for patches and moulds for custom hardware. It is charged once and reused on re-order, which is why a second run of identical artwork is cheaper per unit.
How long is a bag quotation usually valid?
Typically 30-60 days, because fabric, hardware and currency move. Ask for the validity period in writing and for price tiers at 500, 1,000 and 3,000 pcs so you can model a stretch goal without a fresh negotiation.