SOURCING
How to Write a Button Spec Sheet Your Factory Can Quote From
Most quotation delays are not caused by the factory being slow — they are caused by an incomplete specification. A button enquiry with nine specific fields can be quoted in a single working day; the same enquiry without them generates three rounds of email. Here is the template we would use, and the reason each field matters.
Why Spec Sheets Save Time
A button quotation needs to resolve three questions: what exactly is being made, what does it cost, and when can it ship. If the enquiry does not answer the first question completely, neither of the other two can be answered accurately. The result is a quote that is either vague or wrong, followed by a revision.
The nine fields below are the minimum for a firm quotation. Send all nine and you will normally have a written quote within 24 hours.
The Nine Fields
| # | Field | What to state | What it determines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Size | Ligne (14L–60L) or diameter in mm, plus thickness | Tooling, unit price, buttonhole fit |
| 2 | Material | Metal / plastic / zinc alloy / natural, with the specific grade if known | Process, durability, compliance route |
| 3 | Plating or finish | Finish name and, where the garment is washed hard, minimum plating thickness | Corrosion performance, colour, cost |
| 4 | Logo and marking | Engraved / embossed / laser-etched / printed; artwork or reference | Tooling complexity, unit price |
| 5 | Tolerance | Diameter and thickness tolerance if the buttonhole is tight | Yield, unit price, whether the design is feasible |
| 6 | Packing | Bulk bag / inner box / polybag counts per carton, labelling | Packing cost, carton dimensions, freight |
| 7 | MOQ and quantity | Order quantity, and confirmation of MOQ if below standard | Whether standard or custom tooling applies |
| 8 | Target price | The unit price you need to hit, stated honestly | Whether a different material or process can be proposed |
| 9 | Delivery | Required ship date, delivery port and Incoterms | Production scheduling, freight mode, total cost |
A Spec Sheet You Can Copy
The template below is the format we work from. Anything you do not know yet can be left blank or marked "to confirm" — that is still useful, because it tells us which questions to answer first.
| Field | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Style reference / name | |
| Size (ligne or mm) + thickness | |
| Material and grade | |
| Plating / finish | |
| Logo and artwork reference | |
| Diameter / thickness tolerance | |
| Packing configuration | |
| Quantity and MOQ requirement | |
| Target unit price | |
| Required delivery date, port, Incoterms | |
| Garment type and care instruction | — |
| Button attached before or after washing? | — |
| Skin-contact part? Nickel test needed? | — |
| Certificates required (OEKO-TEX / REACH / needle record) | — |
What to Send Along With the Spec
- The garment, or a fabric sample, where a button is being matched. This is the single most valuable thing you can send — it settles shank height, rivet length and colour matching at once.
- A physical reference button if you are matching an existing design. Photos lose colour accuracy and do not show the shank.
- Artwork or a vector file for logos — line art, not a photograph of a button.
- The care label wording if it exists, or the wash process if the garment is washed after attachment.
- Any customer-specified figures — pull strength, salt-spray hours, tolerance — stated as numbers, not adjectives.
A photograph of a button next to a ruler is genuinely useful and costs nothing. A photograph of a button on a table, with no scale and no view of the reverse, is not.
What Makes a Quote Hard to Compare
Once you have quotes from several suppliers, avoid these common traps:
- Different Incoterms. An EXW price and an FOB price are not comparable. Ask every supplier for the same term.
- Different packing. A price that assumes bulk bagging is not comparable with one that includes individual polybags and labelled inner boxes.
- Hidden tooling. A low unit price plus an unstated tooling charge is not a low price.
- Unstated tolerance. A quote with no tolerance figure may be produced to a loose standard that fails your buttonhole.
- Certificates excluded. Testing and documentation cost money. Confirm what is included before comparing the total.
Quick Answers
What information do I need to send for a button quote?
Nine fields: size, material, plating, logo, tolerance, packing, quantity and MOQ, target price, and delivery date with port and Incoterms. Send all nine and you will normally have a written quote within one working day.
What should I send if I do not know the size yet?
Send the garment or fabric sample, or a photo of the existing button next to a ruler showing both the face and the reverse. We will identify the size and shank specification from that.
Why do suppliers ask about the care label?
The care instruction sets the plating requirement. A button that only ever sees dry cleaning can use thin decorative plating; one that is machine washed at 40 °C needs heavier nickel or chrome.
How do I compare quotes from different suppliers?
Compare on identical terms: same Incoterm, same packing, same tolerance, tooling included and certificates included. Otherwise the totals are not comparable.
What is the fastest way to get an accurate price?
Send the nine fields plus a garment or fabric sample. The fabric settles shank height, rivet length and colour matching in one step and removes most of the follow-up questions.
Need a quote on this specification?
Send the size, material, quantity and target date. We reply with unit price, MOQ and lead time within 24 hours — from our own factory in Ruian, Zhejiang.