Sourcing
How to choose a phone case manufacturer in China
Most problems in a first phone case order are visible before the deposit is paid — in the model list, the MOQ structure and who owns the tool. This is the checklist we would use ourselves.
Start with the model list, not the catalog
A product catalog tells you what a supplier photographs well. A model list tells you what they can actually ship. Ask for the list as a spreadsheet before you discuss anything else: model name, mould number, which models share one mould, colour count, and whether the item is held in stock.
Two suppliers can show identical catalog photos and have completely different coverage. One mould may serve iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 only if the supplier's list says so; if their list shows a separate mould for each, the cases are not interchangeable even though the phones look the same size. Never infer a shared mould from a shared screen size — always read it off the list.
The list also previews tooling cost. A supplier with 120 moulds covering 400 phone models sells from stock; a supplier with 12 moulds covering 400 models is quoting you a new tool for most of your range.
Red flag: "Any model is available" with no list to back it up.
Five questions that decide the price comparison
Quotes are only comparable when the same five variables are pinned down. Ask them in writing, and keep the answers next to the quote.
| Question | Why it changes the number |
|---|---|
| Is the MOQ per model or per order? | An MOQ of 300 pcs usually means 300 of one model. Twelve models becomes 3,600 pcs, not 300. |
| Is it per colour as well? | Each colour change stops the machine for purging and colour matching, so per-colour MOQ is normal on custom colours. |
| Is tooling charged once or amortised? | One-time and client-owned is the norm for new moulds; per-order tooling charges quietly raise repeat-order cost. |
| What is the lead time for stock, and for custom? | These are different numbers. Stocked lines ship in days; custom production runs in weeks. |
| What does the unit price include? | Print, retail box, inserts, polybag, magnet or ring assembly. A cheap unit price often excludes the box. |
Understand what the unit price actually contains
Two quotes for "a phone case" can differ by 40% and both be honest. The gap is usually material grade, wall thickness, print method, and packaging.
Material: PC alone, PC plus TPU, soft TPU, liquid silicone rubber and hybrid multi-layer shells behave differently in drop and feel — and cost differently. Print: pad printing, UV printing, heat transfer and IMD sit at different price levels and different minimum quantities. Packaging: a printed retail box with a die-cut insert can cost more than the case itself at low volume.
Finally, compare on the same delivery basis. An EXW price excludes inland freight, export documentation and loading; an FOB Shenzhen or Yantian price includes them. We quote FOB Shenzhen/Yantian, T/T, with quotes valid 90 days and a tariff-adjustment clause, because duty changes have moved faster than mould cycles.
Factory or trading desk: what actually matters
You are not buying a building; you are buying one accountable party. The useful test is not "are you a factory" but "can you tell me exactly which line runs each process, where the mould is cut, and who signs my sample".
A supplier that controls printing, assembly and packing keeps lead time short and rework local. Ours runs injection at a partner plant in Danzao under our tooling, and printing, assembly and retail packing in our own facility in Yantou, Nanhai, Foshan — which is why a stock order leaves in 3–15 days and a custom run in 25–35 days instead of "about a month, maybe more".
Ask for a short video of the actual line that will run your order, filmed on one take, with the model number visible. It costs the supplier ten minutes and tells you more than any brochure.
Sample discipline
Order the sample in the colour you intend to sell, drawn from production stock rather than a hand-made pilot piece. Then keep it: the signed sample is the only reference that settles a dispute later.
What to check on arrival, in daylight rather than under office lighting: camera cutout alignment against the real phone, button feel and travel, magnet pull force if the case has magnets, stone adhesion if it is a rhinestone design, and whether the retail box survives the courier. Photograph the sample and date the photos — colour drifts between batches are argued about with pictures, not words.
Red flags worth walking away from
Each of these is cheap to check now and expensive to discover after production:
- No model list, or a list that cannot be exported.
- "One mould fits all models of that size" with nothing to support it.
- A single lead-time figure with no split between stock and custom.
- Magnet grade or material grade left as "good quality".
- No clause on tooling ownership or tooling storage.
- A price that cannot be broken down into material, process and packing.
A low-risk first order
Sequence beats negotiation. Sample two or three models in the colours that actually sell, then place a stock order on one model to test packing and transit, then add custom printing on the version that worked, and only then invest in your own tooling for an exclusive shape.
Our own numbers for that sequence: sampling 7–10 days; stocked tablet series 3–15 days; custom production 25–35 days; tooling from USD 900–2,400 for hybrid designs and USD 1,500–3,600 for magnetic designs, one-time and owned by the client.
Frequently asked
What is a typical MOQ for phone cases from a Chinese manufacturer?
It depends on which mould the case comes from. Stocked moulds start at 10 pcs per model per colour on our phone lines; tablet series start at 20 pcs per model per colour (50 pcs for one series); custom-printed shells usually run 300–500 pcs; rhinestone designs start at 100 pcs. The MOQ is nearly always per model and per colour, not per order.
How long does sampling take?
7–10 days for samples from an existing mould, plus courier. A T1 sample from a brand-new mould takes longer, because the steel has to be cut and trialled first.
Do I own the tooling?
Yes. New moulds are quoted one-time and owned by the client, and we store them for repeat orders. Ask for the tooling ownership and storage terms in writing — it is the single most common omission in a first-order contract.
Can I verify the factory before ordering?
Yes. Ask for a single-take video of the line that will run your order, or arrange a third-party inspection. Buyers are welcome to visit our facility in Foshan; we would rather show the line than describe it.
What are the payment and delivery terms?
FOB Shenzhen/Yantian, T/T. Quotes are valid 90 days and include a tariff-adjustment clause. Sample and tooling payments are separate from production payment.
Need the numbers for your own model?
Send the models and colours you are considering — we reply with FOB pricing, MOQ and lead time within one business day.