Between sample approval and press start lies a short window where every future problem can be prevented for free — or ignored, to be discovered in a container 5,000 boxes deep. This is the checklist we walk every client through before mass production at KUBO Paper.
1. The approved sample is locked and dated
One physical sample, signed or emailed as approved by you, retained by both sides, referenced in the PO by number and date. This sample is the legal and visual standard for the whole order. If a second revision happened, make sure *this* is the version both sides hold.
2. Color standard is physical
Pantone numbers written down are not enough — a draw-down or press-proof chip on the actual board, kept by both parties, is the color referee. Confirm D50 lighting was used for the approval.
3. Materials and weights confirmed in writing
Board grade, gsm, coating, lamination type, foil colors, insert materials — a one-line spec list in the PO. "Same as sample" works only while the sample exists; paper fades, but an email doesn't.
4. Dimensions re-measured with the product inside
Load the approved sample with your actual product one last time — especially after any product revision since sampling. Fit issues discovered here cost a dieline tweak; discovered post-press, they cost the run.
5. Packing data is on the order
Units per inner carton, cartons per master, master carton dimensions and weight, label placement. This is what your forwarder, your warehouse, and (for FBA) Amazon all consume. Missing packing data delays shipments more than production does.
6. QC plan agreed
What gets checked (color, size, function, count), how many units per inspection (AQL sampling is standard), and what happens on failure. Ten minutes now replaces a dispute later.
7. Payment and schedule milestones match the plan
Deposit paid, balance terms clear, production start date and completion date in writing, inspection slot booked if using a third party.
None of this requires expertise — it requires ten minutes of discipline. The factories worth keeping run this checklist with you; the ones worth avoiding resist it.
FAQ
What does AQL mean on an inspection report?
Acceptable Quality Limit — the statistical sampling standard (ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, ISO 2859) inspectors use: how many units to check and how many defects of each class (critical/major/minor) are tolerable. AQL 2.5 is a common major-defect standard for packaging.
Can changes still be made after production starts?
Small color tweaks within tolerance, no. Anything structural — size, material, structure — effectively means restarting the order. This is why the pre-production window is the last cheap moment to change your mind.