What a 500-piece minimum order actually covers
The minimum order is the question that most often ends an enquiry early. It is worth explaining where the number comes from, because it is not arbitrary.
The minimum is per design, not per order
500 pieces applies to most formats. It is set per design because that is the unit the setup work belongs to — a dieline is drawn once, plates are made once, and the machine is set once. That fixed work does not get smaller because the run does.
Split the same quantity across several designs and the setup is repeated for each. That is usually the real constraint on a small first order, not the unit cost.
It is confirmed per specification
Material, insert and finishing move the figure, so the minimum that applies to your specification is stated in the quotation rather than inferred from a table. The number on this site is the figure for most formats — it is the starting point, not a rule.
What the first order is usually for
Most first orders are sized to a launch, a season or a retail trial rather than to a year of demand. If the specification is still moving, the 3D mockup and the physical sample are the cheaper way to settle it before the run is committed.
The other guides
Short, and written from the figures the quotation is built from.
Send us the brief. We will price it.
Tell us what you are packing, how many, and where it is going. You will get a quote and a structural recommendation back.