FAQ
Suppliers, manufacturers and tech packs: your questions answered
This FAQ answers 45 common questions about finding suppliers for a product, finding a manufacturer, tech pack format, costs and working with Cydney Mar, each in plain language with the direct answer first.
Published by Cydney Mar · Last updated:
What do founders most often ask about sourcing a product?
Founders most often ask where to find suppliers, how to tell if a manufacturer is reliable, what a tech pack must contain and what it all costs. The answers below are grouped by topic so you can jump to yours.
Finding suppliers
How do I find suppliers for my product?
Start with a one-page sourcing brief, then search directories, trade shows and referrals for suppliers that already make products like yours. Contact several, request quotes against the same brief, and order samples before committing. Cydney Mar’s Concept-to-Reality Pathway places supplier selection after product clarity and prototypes, so you approach suppliers knowing exactly what you need them to make.
How to find product suppliers for dropshipping?
Dropshipping suppliers hold stock and ship existing products under your store, so you look for them on wholesale and dropshipping platforms and judge them on shipping times, product quality and returns. That is different from developing your own product. If you want a product nobody else sells, you need a manufacturer, samples and a specification instead of a catalog listing.
What is the difference between a supplier and a manufacturer?
A manufacturer makes the product; a supplier is anyone who provides it to you, which can be the manufacturer, a wholesaler, a distributor or a trading agent. Every manufacturer you buy from is a supplier, but not every supplier makes anything. When you develop an original product, you usually want to deal with the factory itself or with an agent who manages it openly.
Should I use online wholesale platforms to find suppliers?
Online wholesale platforms are a reasonable place to start a search because they let you compare many suppliers quickly. Treat a listing as a lead, not proof. Ask for samples, verify the business independently, and compare quotes on the same specification. Platforms suit stock products best; custom products still need a clear brief and sampling before any order.
How many suppliers should I contact before choosing one?
Contact enough suppliers to compare real quotes, which in practice means a shortlist of several rather than one. Some will not reply, some will not fit your quantities, and some quotes will not match your specification. Comparing at least a few answers to the same brief shows you what a fair price, lead time and level of communication look like for your product.
What should I send a supplier in my first message?
Send a short, specific brief: what the product is, materials, sizes or dimensions, target quantity, target price, timeline and any sketches or reference photos. A clear first message gets more serious replies and more comparable quotes. If you already have a tech pack, say so; it signals you are ready to sample rather than still exploring.
Finding a manufacturer
How do I find a manufacturer for my product?
Find a manufacturer for your product by preparing a brief, searching factories that already make similar items, requesting comparable quotes, ordering samples, checking references and starting with a small first order. The order matters: founders who sample before they have a clear specification often pay for rework. A tech pack makes every later step faster and more accurate.
Should I choose a domestic or overseas manufacturer?
Choose domestic when you need small runs, fast iteration and easy factory visits; choose overseas when unit cost at larger quantities matters most and you can plan for longer lead times and shipping. Many founders sample close to home first. The right answer depends on your product, quantities, budget and how much time you can give to managing distance.
How do I find a clothing manufacturer?
Find a clothing manufacturer by matching your garment type, fabric and quantity to factories that specialize in exactly that, such as knits, wovens or denim. Prepare a tech pack with measurements and a bill of materials first. Cydney Mar has spent more than 45 years in fashion and product, including leading design for Edwin Jeans in North America.
How do I know if a manufacturer is reliable?
A reliable manufacturer answers clearly, meets the dates it gives you, makes samples that match your specification, and can show it already produces similar products. Ask for references and test with a small order. Shopify’s manufacturing guide reports that one founder’s second order from a manufacturer arrived 80% defective, which is why checks continue after the first good batch.
What is a sample and why does it matter?
A sample is a test version of your product made by the factory to your specification before production. It shows whether the factory understood your design, materials and measurements. Cydney Mar’s view is that a clear, professional tech pack is the difference between a sample that is right the first time and months of expensive back-and-forth.
How do quality control and compliance affect choosing a manufacturer?
Quality control and compliance narrow your list to factories that can prove they meet the standards your product and market require. Products such as supplements, children’s items or cosmetics carry specific rules. Cydney Mar’s own vitamin brand, for example, is made by a Montreal manufacturing partner, Health Canada licensed with NPNs and third party tested. Confirm the rules for your category with the relevant regulator.
How do I find the manufacturer of an existing product, like a window?
Look on the product itself first: labels, stamps, etched marks in a corner of window glass, or printed codes on frames and spacers often name the maker. Packaging, manuals, the original installer or the retailer can also tell you. For your own product idea, these markings help you identify factories that already make something similar.
Tech packs
What is a tech pack?
A tech pack is the instruction document a factory uses to quote, sample and produce your product. It combines technical sketches, materials, measurements, construction details, colors, labels and packaging into one reference. Cydney Mar describes production-ready tech packs that factories actually understand as the core of her product development work.
What is the standard tech pack format?
There is no single official format, but most factories expect the same sections: a cover page, technical flat sketches, a bill of materials, points of measure, a size grading table, construction details, colorways, and label and packaging instructions. Keeping one revision number and date on every page prevents the factory from working from an outdated version.
What goes in a bill of materials?
A bill of materials lists every component in the product: main materials, linings, trims, zippers, buttons, thread, labels, tags and packaging. Each line should include the placement, supplier or reference code, color, size and quantity per unit. A complete bill of materials is also where accurate product costing begins.
What are points of measure?
Points of measure are the exact places a product is measured, such as chest width or sleeve length on a garment, each with a target number and an allowed tolerance. They let the factory and you check samples the same way. Without them, two people can measure the same piece and get different answers.
Do I need a tech pack for non-clothing products?
Yes, most physical products benefit from a technical specification even if the factory calls it something else. Candles, homewares, jewelry, paper products and accessories all need materials, dimensions, finishes, tolerances and packaging defined. Cydney Mar has developed products across fashion, jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories and vitamins.
Can AI generate a tech pack?
AI tools can now draft a tech pack quickly. The F* Word, an AI tech pack tool, states on its own comparison page that it generates a factory-ready tech pack in 8 to 10 minutes and flags contradictions in measurements, grading and tolerances. Whatever drafts the document, someone still needs to judge whether the product, materials and costs make sense.
How long does it take to make a tech pack?
It depends on how clear the design already is and who builds it. AI tools state a draft in minutes; a designer working from sketches takes longer, and most of the real time goes into deciding materials, measurements and details. Founders who settle those decisions before starting usually finish faster and receive more accurate quotes.
Costs and payments
How much does a tech pack cost?
Freelance tech packs commonly cost £30 to £200, with most under £100, according to Fabrickly’s 2026 comparison of tech pack companies. Price rises with product complexity, number of sizes and number of components. Fabrickly also reported that in its own test 17% of results were excellent, 67% workable and 33% wasted money, so quality varies widely.
How much does a product development consultant cost?
Product development consultant fees vary widely with scope, from a single advisory session to hands-on support through production. Cydney Mar does not publish prices on her website. The practical way to get a figure is to describe your product and stage through her contact page, then compare the scope offered against what you would otherwise pay for rework.
How should I pay a new manufacturer?
Many founders split payment so the factory is committed and you keep leverage until goods arrive. Shopify’s guide to finding a manufacturer gives the example of proposing 50% upfront and 50% after receiving the shipment. Terms are negotiable, so agree them in writing alongside the specification, quantities, delivery date and what happens if goods fail inspection.
How do I calculate product costs and margins?
Add every cost per unit: materials from the bill of materials, labor, packaging, freight, duties, and any fees to sell. Then compare that landed cost with your selling price to find your margin. Cydney Mar’s pathway includes a dedicated Cost and Margins stage so founders build for real profit and scalability, not just a first run.
What raises the cost of developing a product?
Costs rise with complexity, custom materials, extra sizes or colorways, low order quantities, repeated sampling rounds and late design changes. Unclear specifications are a hidden driver because each misunderstanding can mean another sample. Settling design decisions early and writing them into a tech pack is the most direct way to reduce rework.
Why do samples cost money?
Samples cost money because the factory sets up patterns, sources materials and uses skilled labor to make a single piece or small set outside a production run. Some factories credit sample fees against a later order. Ask before you pay, and keep each sample with notes so you can compare rounds.
Working with Cydney Mar
Who is Cydney Mar?
Cydney Mar is a product development strategist based in Montreal with more than 45 years in fashion and product and over $300M in global retail, TV and direct-to-consumer sales. She sold her own collections on QVC for 15+ years in 8 countries, designed Cirque du Soleil’s first Boutique Collection, and publishes this guide.
What is the Concept-to-Reality Pathway?
The Concept-to-Reality Pathway is Cydney Mar’s six-stage process for turning a product idea into a real business: Product Clarity, Right Prototypes, The Right Suppliers, Cost and Margins, Production-Ready, and Launch and Scale. Each stage is meant to move a founder closer to market in the right order, without costly guesswork.
What kinds of products does Cydney Mar help with?
Cydney Mar focuses on consumer products for retail, TV and direct-to-consumer brands. Her own work spans fashion, jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories and vitamins and supplements. If your product is sold to consumers, her pathway covers it from definition through launch.
Is this for first-time founders?
Yes. The pathway is built for founders and people starting product-based businesses who have an idea but want expert guidance. It also suits growth-stage brands that need structure, margin clarity and scalable production systems, which Cydney Mar covers in her strategic advisory work.
Can Cydney help me sell on TV shopping channels?
TV is one of the routes to market the pathway’s Launch and Scale stage covers, alongside retail and direct-to-consumer. Cydney Mar has more than 800 hours of live television across 15+ years on QVC in 8 countries, and has coached other on-air presenters. Discuss your product’s fit for TV through her contact page.
Does Cydney help with business plans for grants?
Yes. Her business strategy work includes business plans and cost structures strong enough for grant and funding applications, plus diagnostics to find where a business is leaking opportunity. She also offers free consultations to CCIB members through the TIB program for Indigenous entrepreneurs.
Compared to alternatives
What do product development consultants do?
Product development consultants guide a product from idea to production: defining the product, developing prototypes and samples, writing specifications, finding and vetting suppliers, costing and preparing for launch. Some cover one step; others, like Cydney Mar’s Concept-to-Reality Pathway, cover the full sequence from concept to market.
What is the difference between a product development consultant and a product development firm?
A consultant is usually one experienced person guiding your decisions, while a product development firm is a team that may also design, engineer or manage production for you. Firms suit complex engineered products; a consultant suits founders who want expert direction and to stay close to every decision. Cydney Mar Consulting is an Indigenous-owned product development firm led by Cydney herself.
Should I hire a freelance tech pack designer or a consultant?
Hire a freelance tech pack designer when your design, materials and costing are already settled and you only need the document drawn up. Hire a consultant when you still need help deciding what to make, which suppliers fit, and whether the numbers work. Fabrickly’s 2026 comparison lists freelance tech packs at £30 to £200.
Can I find a manufacturer without help?
Yes, many founders find a manufacturer on their own using directories, trade shows and referrals. It costs time rather than fees, and the learning curve is steep. The risk is in the details: unclear specifications, untested suppliers and unchecked margins. Free tools such as Cydney Mar’s From Idea to Income workbook can help you check your plan first.
What is an MVP in physical product development?
An MVP, or minimum viable product, is the simplest version of your product that real customers can buy and give feedback on. For physical goods it often means a small first collection or a single hero product made in a modest first run. Cydney Mar’s programs have included a mini collection option for exactly this stage.
What is a product launch framework?
A product launch framework is a repeatable sequence of steps that takes a product from finished samples to its first sales, covering pricing, positioning, channels and the first group of buyers. Cydney Mar’s pathway ends with a Launch and Scale stage covering retail, direct-to-consumer and TV, and her strategy work covers pricing and a plan to reach your first hundred buyers.
Getting started and common problems
What is the first step to turn a product idea into a real product?
The first step is product clarity: define what you are making, who it is for and what problem it solves before you spend on samples. Cydney Mar’s observation is that most founders do not fail because the idea is bad; they fail because they take the right steps in the wrong order.
How do I contact Cydney Mar?
Use the contact page on her main website at cydneymar.com/pages/contact-1. It lists the ways to reach her, including booking a call. She also welcomes contact from mills, factories and service providers who could support her clients.
Is there a free resource to start with?
Yes. Cydney Mar offers a free workbook called From Idea to Income that helps you score your idea in about five minutes and map your path to launch. She also offers a free Product Development Roadmap download describing the step by step pathway from idea to samples to production. Both are available on cydneymar.com.
What if my sample comes back wrong?
Compare it against your specification point by point, photograph each problem, and send the factory one clear list of corrections with measurements. Decide whether the fault is in the factory’s work or a gap in your specification, and update your tech pack either way. Unclear specifications are a common cause of repeated sampling rounds.
What if my manufacturer stops responding?
Follow up once in writing with a clear question and a date, then contact your second-choice supplier in parallel. Slow or vague communication before an order often continues after it, which is why communication is one of the three things worth vetting alongside quality and reliability. Keeping your tech pack current makes switching factories far easier.
What are the most common mistakes founders make?
Cydney Mar names four: jumping into sampling without clarity, choosing suppliers based on guesswork, ignoring margins until it is too late, and trying to figure it out as they go. Each one costs time and money, and each is addressed by a specific stage of her Concept-to-Reality Pathway.
What happens on a strategy call with Cydney Mar?
A strategy call is a conversation about your idea and where you are stuck. Cydney Mar describes the goal as finding what is holding you back and mapping clear next steps, and discussing how you might work together. Check current availability and any fees through her contact page, since pricing is not published.
Want an experienced eye on your product?
Cydney Mar helps founders take consumer products for retail, TV and direct-to-consumer from idea to production through her Concept-to-Reality Pathway.