The time it takes to make custom hair brushes, combs and clips depends first on the material and second on whether the product can be made on an existing mould. As planning figures: a custom sample takes 10–20 days, bulk production takes 30–45 days for most acetate and plastic items (up to 60 days for boar bristle brushes, complex parts or very large orders), and a new steel mould adds 45 days or more before the first trial sample. Freight comes on top.
This guide breaks those numbers down by material and product type, shows three worked timelines, and lists what really moves a schedule. The figures were confirmed by our sales team in October and November 2026. They are planning ranges, not a quotation; the confirmed dates for your order come with the proforma invoice.
The short answer: four stages
| Stage | Typical time | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Stock sample | Ships within 3 days | Any existing style; regular styles are free, you pay the freight |
| New steel mould | 45+ days, then 7–15 days to the first trial sample | Only for a plastic or wheat-straw design that has no existing mould |
| Custom sample | 10–20 days, by material | Your colour, logo, bristles or shape on an existing mould or die |
| Bulk production | 25–60 days, by product | Starts after sample approval and the 30% deposit |
| Freight | 5–7 days express · 12–15 days air · 25–50 days sea | Planning ranges; every destination differs |
The stages run one after another, not in parallel: bulk production cannot start until the sample that will be used as the production standard is approved.
Sample time by material
| Material / route | Custom sample time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic (ABS, PP) on an existing mould | 15–20 days | Colour, logo, bristles and finish can all change without a new mould |
| Cellulose acetate | 15–20 days | Cut from sheet; regular shapes use existing cutting dies at no charge |
| Wood and bamboo | 10–15 days | Logo by engraving or screen printing |
| New injection mould | 7–15 days after the mould is finished | The mould itself takes 45+ days and starts from about US$6,000 |
A custom sample is usually charged at RMB 300–500 per design after the details are checked with sales; stock samples of regular styles are free apart from freight. Each revision round is a new sample cycle, so the clearest way to protect the schedule is a complete brief at the start. The Hair Accessories RFQ Checklist lists what to send.
Bulk production time by product
| Product | Bulk production after sample approval |
|---|---|
| Integrated-moulded detangling brush and comb | 25–40 days |
| ABS paddle, cushion and vent brushes | 30–45 days |
| Cellulose acetate clips, claw clips and combs | 30–45 days (includes 7–10 days of tumble polishing) |
| Wood and bamboo combs and brushes | 30–40 days |
| Round brushes | 35–50 days |
| Boar bristle brushes | 40–60 days |
| Complex plastic items, or orders above 20,000 pieces | About 60 days |
A reorder takes the same production time as the first order. What a reorder saves is the sampling stage, because the approved sample from the first order is still the standard.
The biggest variable: existing mould or new mould
For plastic and wheat-straw products, the route decides both the timeline and the minimum order:
| Existing mould | New mould (custom design) | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | 1,000 pieces per design and colour | 5,000 pieces per design and colour |
| Tooling | None | Steel mould from about US$6,000 |
| Added time | None | 45+ days for the mould, then 7–15 days to the trial sample |
| What you can change | Colour, logo, bristles, finish, packaging | The shape itself |
With 2,000+ existing moulds available, many brand projects start on an existing shape and change colour, logo, bristles and packaging. Acetate, wood and bamboo work differently: the parts are cut rather than moulded, so there is no injection mould at all. Acetate clips start at 500 pieces per design and colour; acetate, wood and bamboo combs and brushes at 1,000. For tooling costs in detail, see Existing Mould or New Mould? Tooling Cost and Timing.
Three worked timelines
| Project | Sample | Mould | Production | Air freight | Total, brief to delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABS paddle brush on an existing mould, your logo and colour | 15–20 days | — | 30–45 days | 12–15 days | About 8–12 weeks |
| Acetate claw clip in a regular shape, your colours | 15–20 days | — | 30–45 days | 12–15 days | About 8–12 weeks |
| New plastic brush shape (new steel mould) | 7–15 days after the mould | 45+ days | About 45–60 days | 12–15 days | About 4 months or more |
The totals leave out the time you take to approve the sample and pay the deposit. By sea instead of air, add roughly 2–5 weeks.
What changes the schedule
- Sample revisions. Every change after the first sample is another sample cycle.
- Colour work. A Pantone-matched colour does not add time. A gradient finish needs extra spraying steps and slows the line; plating adds a few days.
- Number of colours. Every colour is its own batch and must reach the minimum on its own.
- The production schedule. Material in stock does not mean production starts the same week. The start date depends on the schedule and is confirmed when the deposit is paid.
- Order size and complexity. Above about 20,000 pieces, or for complex plastic items, plan around 60 days.
- Factory holidays. Public holidays in China, especially around Chinese New Year, pause production. Confirm the calendar when you plan a launch date in the first quarter.
Quality checks are inside the schedule
Inspection is not an extra stage at the end. Every piece gets a visual check, the springs of claw clips are tension-tested by hand, and each order is inspected to AQL 2.5 (General Inspection Level II) against the approved sample before shipment. Third-party inspection is welcome; book it for the last days of production so it does not delay loading. Checklists for hair clips and hair brushes explain what is checked.
How to keep a launch on time
- Start from an existing mould or regular shape unless the shape itself is your product. It removes 45+ days and lowers the minimum.
- Send a complete brief: material, size, colours per design, logo file and position, packaging and destination.
- Approve the sample quickly and in writing; the approved sample becomes the bulk standard.
- Agree the dates on the proforma invoice, together with the payment terms (30% deposit, balance before shipment). The Purchase Order Checklist lists what else to confirm.
- Choose the freight method early, so the packing and carton marks match it.
To check a timeline for your own product, browse the existing custom hair brush and hair clip ranges or send us your brief; the reply includes the sample route, the minimum and the production time for that item.
