01 · Brief
A sketch, a sample or a photograph, plus the scent and the retail format. The format decides more than the shape does.
Process
From a sketch to a packed pallet
Five stages. The timings below are what happens in practice, not a best case with every approval arriving the same day.
02 · Model and tool
A physical model is made and agreed before any silicone is cut. Tooling takes eight to twelve working days.
03 · Samples
Two rounds. The first is about form, the second about absorption and finish, and they are never combined.
04 · Production
Cast or formed, cured, finished and inspected in one batch, from 500 pieces per form and colour.
05 · Pack and ship
Packed to the client's artwork here, with the material declaration and export paperwork in the same consignment.
Timings
| Stage | Elapsed | What holds it up |
|---|---|---|
| Brief agreed in writing | 2–4 days | Retail format undecided; it changes the form |
| Model and tooling | 8–12 working days | Model approval, which we will not skip |
| First samples | 7 days | Cure time; plaster does not hurry |
| Second samples | 7 days | Absorption testing needs a full week of readings |
| Production | 3–6 weeks | Ceramic is firing bound; gypsum is cure bound |
Why two sample rounds stay separate
The first round answers whether the form is right in the hand and on a shelf. The second answers whether it performs: absorption, cure colour, edge strength, and how it behaves after a week loaded with oil. Combining them means judging a shape while also judging a specification, and something always gets waved through.
What we need from you
- The retail format. A piece for a blister card and a piece for an open gift box are different products.
- Your oil, or its viscosity and dosage, so we can test absorption against the real thing.
- Artwork for any emboss at model stage, not after tooling is cut.
- One decision maker. Sample rounds that go to a committee take a season.
Inspection
Lots are sampled for weight, dimension and absorption against the approved sample, with the readings recorded against the batch number. Rejects are crushed and returned to the aggregate stream; they are never packed as seconds under a client's brand.