Can I get samples before I order from a private label manufacturer?
Yes. Depending on the route, you can ask for a sample of a product the manufacturer already makes, a development sample of a new formula, or a pilot batch from production equipment. 8 manufacturers listed on NordSourced mention samples, sampling or prototypes in their own words. A sample shows what was made once, not that the batch will match it.
What is a sample for?
A sample lets you judge the product before you commit to a minimum order: texture, taste, scent, colour, fit, finish and how the pack works. For a new formula or design it is also how you and the manufacturer agree what the product should be, so the sample you approve can become the reference for every batch.
Write that into the agreement: which sample was approved, on which date, and how a production batch is compared with it.
What kinds of samples are there?
Five kinds come up when you work with a manufacturer, and each proves something different: a catalogue sample, a development sample or prototype, a pilot batch, an approval sample before bulk production, and a retained sample the manufacturer keeps from each batch. A sixth runs the other way: a product you send for the manufacturer to match.
| Kind | What it is | What it can show | What it cannot show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue sample | A product the manufacturer already makes, before your label goes on | The base product that other brands may also buy | Your packaging, your label or any change you ask for |
| Development sample or prototype | A first small version of a new formula or design, made before production | Whether the direction is right | That production equipment gives the same result, or that the product stays stable |
| Pilot or test batch | A short run on production equipment | That the product can be made on that line | How it behaves over its shelf life, unless it is tested |
| Approval sample | The finished item from the planned materials, signed off before bulk production | What the batch should look and perform like | That every unit of the batch will match it |
| Retained sample | Units the manufacturer keeps from each batch | What a batch was like if a question comes up later | Anything about a batch not yet made |
| Your reference sample | A product you send for the manufacturer to match | What you are aiming at | Whether the manufacturer can make it |
For cosmetics, the Cosmetics Europe and CTFA guideline of 2004 says testing on batches made with representative equipment may be needed as development progresses, and it recommends "periodic post-launch monitoring of retained samples stored at ambient temperatures".
Who pays for samples?
It is a commercial term between you and the manufacturer, so the quotation should state it. Ask three things before you request one: what the sample costs, whether the charge is credited against the first order, and who pays the shipping. A pilot batch is a production run, and it can carry its own minimum.
Of the 443 manufacturers listed on NordSourced, one offers "free samples" in its own words: Allreasons, based in Latvia. On pilot batches, Noviatic, based in Lithuania, writes that "pilot batches start from 1,000 units for most formats".
What does a sample prove, and what does it not?
A sample proves that the manufacturer made that item once, from those materials, at that time. It does not prove that a production batch will match it, that the product stays stable over its shelf life, that it may be sold, or that you own the formula behind it.
Stability is a separate test. For cosmetics, the guideline says accelerated tests are "often performed at 37°C, 40°C or 45°C during 1, 2, 3... months", and Article 10(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires a safety assessment before a cosmetic is placed on the market. A sample you like is where that work starts.
Ownership is a contract question: paying for samples does not by itself make a formula yours. See who owns the formula and how long the testing takes.
What should I ask before I request a sample?
Ask enough to know what the sample will and will not tell you. The questions below separate a catalogue product from a development sample, fix the cost in advance and settle what happens to your formula if you do not order. Send them with your brief, before any formula leaves your hands.
- Which kind of sample is it: a catalogue product, a development sample or prototype, or a pilot batch from production equipment?
- Is it made from the raw materials and the packaging the production batch will use?
- What does it cost, is the charge credited against the first order, and who pays the shipping?
- How many rounds of changes does the development price include, and how long does each round take?
- Will the approved sample be kept and named in the agreement as the reference for each batch?
- Who owns the formula, the design and the test results if I do not order?
- For a cosmetic: which stability tests follow the sample, and who carries out the safety assessment?
If the sample is made to your own formula, sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before you send the formula: the EU IP Helpdesk lists "chemical formulas" among the information an NDA can cover. See whether you need an NDA.
Which manufacturers mention samples or prototypes in their own words?
8 of the 443 manufacturers listed on NordSourced mention samples, sampling or prototypes in the sentences NordSourced quotes from their websites (data of 2026-10-14). They are below in alphabetical order, each with its own sentence and a link to it; the order is not a ranking. One sentence is about a sample the buyer sends to be matched.
| Manufacturer | Country | Product groups | In its own words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allreasons | Latvia | Food & beverages | “We offer flexible MOQs, free samples, and full private-label services from concept to finished product.” source |
| Gauya Furniture | Latvia | Furniture & interior | “We provide custom furniture production and private label manufacturing for private clients, brands, architects, developers and hospitality projects across Europe. From prototyping to full scale production, we deliver …” source |
| Lāma | Latvia | Furniture & interior | “LAMA Furnish offers end-to-end OEM and private label furniture manufacturing, handling everything from prototyping and material sourcing to full-scale production, packaging, and worldwide delivery under your own brand.” source |
| Laya Cosmetics | Latvia | Cosmetics | “Our clients may bring their own recipe or even assign us to develop a new one, or send a product sample, the goal is always a satisfied customer.” source |
| Nordic Beauty Innovations | Estonia | Cosmetics | “Our contract manufacturing services provide flexible and reliable production solutions. We handle everything from small-batch prototypes to large-scale production runs, ensuring consistent quality and adherence to …” source |
| Optoga | Sweden | Furniture & interior | “I samverkan med ert team formar vi en komplett slutprodukt. Vi hjälper till med produktutveckling, prototyp, kvalitetssäkring och testning.” source |
| Specialsnickerier (Dandent) | Sweden | Furniture & interior | “Nu erbjuder vi även legotillverkning av inredning och möbler! Korta leveranstider på stora eller små serier och prototyper.” source |
| Tebesa | Lithuania | Apparel | “We can offer you: Pattern Making, Sampling, Fabric Sourcing, Production Planning, Cutting, Manufacturing and Quality Control, Packing, Delivery” source |
Some publish how long sampling takes. Wings2fashion, based in Estonia, writes that "sampling takes two to three weeks, followed by four to six weeks in bulk production". Skarvin, based in Estonia, publishes 10-15 working days (sample batch) + 25-40 working days (main batch), depending on batch size and finish.
Does my product change what a sample can show?
Yes. A cosmetic can look right in a sample and still need stability tests and a safety assessment before sale; a food or supplement formula may need a pilot run on the line. Furniture or textiles made from the planned materials come closer to the finished product, so the checks after the sample differ by group.
- Cosmetics: stability tests and a safety assessment come after the sample; see selling cosmetics in the EU.
- Food supplements and food: a pilot batch shows how the product runs on production equipment; see launching a food supplement.
- Furniture and interior: 4 of the 99 furniture and interior manufacturers listed on NordSourced mention prototypes or prototyping in their own words.
- Home textiles: sampling comes before bulk production; see textile labelling for what the label must state.
Questions and answers
Are samples from private label manufacturers free?
Sometimes, and the quotation should say. Of the 443 manufacturers listed on NordSourced, one offers "free samples" in its own words: Allreasons, based in Latvia. A development sample of a new formula involves work, so ask what it costs and whether the charge is credited against your first order.
Which manufacturers in the Baltics offer free samples?
Allreasons, based in Latvia, writes: "We offer flexible MOQs, free samples, and full private-label services from concept to finished product". It is the one manufacturer listed on NordSourced in Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia that offers free samples in its own words (data of 2026-10-14). Others may also send samples without charge; their websites do not say, so ask.
Which furniture manufacturers in Northern Europe make prototypes?
4 of the 99 furniture and interior manufacturers listed on NordSourced mention prototypes or prototyping in their own words: Gauya Furniture (Latvia), Lāma (Latvia), Optoga (Sweden) and Specialsnickerier (Dandent) (Sweden). Ask whether the prototype is made from the materials and on the equipment the order will use, and what it costs.
How long does it take to get a sample?
There is no standard time; each development round adds its own. Wings2fashion, based in Estonia, writes that "sampling takes two to three weeks, followed by four to six weeks in bulk production". Skarvin, based in Estonia, publishes 10-15 working days (sample batch) + 25-40 working days (main batch), depending on batch size and finish. Ask how many rounds the price includes; see how long private label takes.
Can I send my own product for a manufacturer to match?
Some manufacturers invite it. Laya Cosmetics, based in Latvia, writes that "our clients may bring their own recipe or even assign us to develop a new one, or send a product sample". Say what you want matched and what may change, such as the scent or the pack, and expect a development sample of the manufacturer's own version first.
Do I need an NDA before a manufacturer makes a sample of my formula?
If the formula is yours and secret, yes: send the NDA before the formula. WIPO's trade secrets guide advises: "Enter into an NDA with potential partners (including customers and suppliers) at the very beginning." A request for a catalogue sample reveals nothing confidential and does not need one. See whether you need an NDA.
Does an approved sample guarantee the production batch?
No. It is the reference the batch is compared with, and only if the agreement says so. Name the approved sample and its date in the agreement, keep units of it on both sides, and agree which tests and checks decide whether a batch matches. The manufacturer's retained samples then show what each batch was like.
What is a pilot batch?
A short production run on the equipment that will make your order, between the development sample and the first full batch. It shows whether the formula runs on that line. It can carry its own minimum: Noviatic, based in Lithuania, writes that "pilot batches start from 1,000 units for most formats".
What is a retained sample, and why does it matter?
Units the manufacturer keeps from each batch it makes. If a customer complains or a question about a batch comes up months later, the retained units show what that batch was like. The Cosmetics Europe and CTFA stability guideline also uses retained samples to monitor products after launch. Ask how long the manufacturer keeps them.
Do I own the formula if I paid for the development samples?
Not by paying alone: the agreement decides. If you want the formula, the agreement should assign it to you; the EU IP Helpdesk describes an assignment as "generally understood as a permanent transfer of ownership". See who owns the formula for how each route starts.
What should a sample request say?
The product and its form, which kind of sample you want, how many units, in which packaging, where to send it and by when. Add whether it is to your formula or the manufacturer's, and ask for the price and whether it is credited against the first order. The same brief later goes into the quotation.
Is a sample the same as a stability test?
No. A sample shows the product on the day it was made. A stability test, in the words of the Cosmetics Europe and CTFA guideline, is meant to "ensure that a new or modified product meets the intended physical, chemical and microbiological quality standards" over time. For a cosmetic the law also requires a safety assessment before sale.
Where to go next
Sources
- Guidelines on Stability Testing of Cosmetic Products (March 2004), Cosmetics Europe (formerly Colipa) and CTFA. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, Article 10, European Parliament and Council, hosted by the European Commission (DG SANTE). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Non-Disclosure Agreement: a Business Tool (fact sheet, updated April 2021), European IP Helpdesk (EISMEA). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- WIPO Guide to Trade Secrets and Innovation, Part IV: trade secret management, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Your Guide to IP and Contracts (15 December 2020), European IP Helpdesk (EISMEA). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
Directory figures are counted from the manufacturers listed on NordSourced, each listed because its own website says it makes products for other brands; see how we check. This page is general information, not legal advice. Found a mistake? Tell us.