Custom cellulose acetate claw clips start at 500 pieces per design, per colour. A regular claw shape that already has a cutting die carries no tooling charge; only a special outline needs a new die, quoted per design. Stock samples of regular styles ship within 3 days, a custom sample takes 15–20 days, and bulk production takes 30–45 days after sample approval. Those four numbers are enough to plan a first order before you ask anyone for a price.
This guide is for new brands and small retailers who want their own acetate claw clips but need to keep the first order small. It explains how the minimum really works, how to stay at the lowest total quantity, what you can still make your own on an existing shape, and how long the whole process takes.
The numbers that decide a first order
| Item | Acetate claw clips | For comparison: plastic claw clips |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | 500 pieces per design, per colour (existing or custom) | Existing style: 1,000 pieces; custom design: 10,000 pieces |
| Tooling | Regular shapes: existing cutting die, no charge. Special shapes: new cutting die, quoted per design | New shape: steel injection mould from about US$6,000, 45+ days |
| Stock sample | Regular styles free, ships within 3 days; you pay the freight | Same |
| Custom sample | 15–20 days; usually RMB 300–500 per design | 15–20 days on an existing mould |
| Bulk production | 30–45 days after sample approval | About 45 days after sample approval |
| Payment | 30% deposit; balance before shipment | Same |
These are planning figures confirmed by our sales team in October 2026, not a quotation. They also explain why acetate, not plastic, is the usual material for a small first order: a custom acetate design starts at 500 pieces against 10,000 for a custom plastic design, and a regular shape needs no tooling at all.
Why the minimum applies to every colour
Cellulose acetate is bought as pressed sheet with the colour and pattern already inside the material—tortoiseshell, solid, pearl, translucent or marbled. Each colour you choose is cut from its own sheet and runs through cutting, tumbling, polishing and assembly as its own batch. That is why the 500-piece minimum counts per colour, not per order: a design in three colours is three batches of 500, not one batch of 500 split three ways.
Use this table to see what a range costs in quantity before you think about price:
| Range plan | Minimum total quantity |
|---|---|
| 1 design × 1 colour | 500 pieces |
| 1 design × 2 colours | 1,000 pieces |
| 1 design × 3 colours | 1,500 pieces |
| 2 designs × 2 colours | 2,000 pieces |
| 3 designs × 3 colours | 4,500 pieces |
What if you need fewer than 500 pieces?
This is the most common question in our acetate enquiries: many first messages ask for 50 or 100 pieces. A custom acetate run below 500 pieces per colour is not workable, and we would rather say so in the first reply than after a sample. The honest options are:
- Start with one design in one colour. 500 pieces is the smallest custom acetate order, and it is enough to test a product on a website or at a market.
- Use a regular shape. It keeps tooling at zero, so all of the first-order budget goes into product.
- Order a stock sample first. Regular styles ship within 3 days and are free apart from freight, so you can check size, finish and spring strength before committing.
- Plan the second order now. Add colours and shapes on the reorder, once the first 500 pieces have shown which ones sell.
Plastic is not a shortcut to a smaller custom order: existing plastic styles start at 1,000 pieces, a custom plastic design at 10,000 pieces, and a new shape needs a steel mould. For the material differences, see Acetate vs Plastic Hair Clips.
Existing shapes and cutting dies: when tooling is free
Acetate claw clips are not injection-moulded, so they never need a steel mould. The outline of each part is cut from the sheet with a cutting die. Regular claw shapes already have dies, and using one of them costs nothing. A special outline—a shape that does not exist in the die library—needs a new die, which is quoted per design before you approve anything.
Because the tooling is a cutting die rather than a steel mould, a new shape in acetate is far cheaper and faster than a new shape in plastic. For the full comparison of tooling routes, see Existing Mould or New Mould? Tooling Cost and Timing.
What you can make your own on a regular shape
- Colour and pattern: choose from the acetate sheets in stock.
- Logo: simple logo placement is free; the method is confirmed per design. 3D renders and full product design are quoted separately.
- Metal parts: spring and hardware options are covered in Metal Components for Custom Acetate Hair Clips.
- Packaging: bag, card or retail box; see Retail Packaging, Artwork and Barcodes.
How long a small first order takes
| Stage | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stock sample | Ships within 3 days | Regular styles; free, you pay the freight |
| Custom sample | 15–20 days | Your colour, logo or shape; approved sample becomes the bulk standard |
| Bulk production | 30–45 days | Starts after sample approval and deposit; includes 7–10 days of tumble polishing |
| Freight | 5–7 days express · 12–15 days air · 25–50 days sea | Planning ranges; each destination differs |
Added up, a first order that goes straight from a custom sample to bulk and ships by air usually lands about 8–12 weeks after the brief, plus the time you take to approve the sample. Having acetate sheet in stock does not guarantee a same-week start; the start date depends on the production schedule, and it is confirmed with the order. How the approved sample becomes the reference for bulk is explained in Custom Sample Approval: From Reference Photo to Golden Sample.
Quality checks on a small order
A small order is not checked more lightly. Every spring is tension-tested by hand, every piece gets a visual check, and the order is inspected to AQL 2.5 (General Inspection Level II). You can also send your own inspector or a third-party inspection company. If you find a defect after delivery, send photos within 30 days; once it is confirmed as our fault, we refund it or replace it in your next order. The full checklist is in the Custom Hair Clip Quality Control Checklist.
What to send for a quotation
- The shape: a stock style code, a photo of a regular shape, or your own drawing with the main dimensions.
- The number of designs and the colours for each, with the quantity per colour.
- Your logo file and where it should go.
- Packaging: bag, card or retail box, and whether you need barcodes.
- Your destination and target delivery date, so the freight method can be planned.
The Hair Accessories RFQ Checklist has a fuller template. To see the claw shapes available now, browse the hair claw range, or send us your brief.
