Luggage manufacturers have very different by-product materials and service types. Whether you are looking for a long-term supplier or a qualified custom manufacturer for your luggage, the following 5 points are of reference value.

Custom Luggage Manufacturers

Custom luggage manufacturers typically refer to those factories or producers that offer customers flexible options for customizing every aspect of the luggage, from design style and materials to functionality and minimum order quantities. It’s more than just adding a logo or pattern to pre-made luggage. While top brands like Rimowa, Tumi, Travelpro, and Samsonite do offer personalized customization, they don’t fully qualify as custom luggage manufacturers in the strictest sense.

Importance of customization in the luggage market

Customized services are crucial in the luggage industry, serving as the ideal business model to meet diverse customer needs. This includes offering custom logo or pattern services for stock luggage and custom luggage accessories. Companies in this sector typically operate through two supply sources: drop shipping and customized services using their inventory. Dropshipping is particularly appealing for start-ups, as it offers a responsive, asset-light business model compared to those requiring substantial inventory. Most customization services from inventory focus on branded luggage. By personalizing standard products, brands like Monos luggage can enhance their competitiveness and capture a larger market share.

Case studies: Successful custom luggage brands

A prime example of a custom luggage brand is Globe-Trotter. Their customization service involves partially customizing styles from their existing collection and delivering the final product to the buyer. Globe-Trotter positions itself as a provider of personalized, high-end travel luggage. With over a century of history, they boast a loyal fanbase and strong reputation, making their business model difficult to replicate. However, as mentioned earlier, this spot customization model has its limitations—it doesn’t allow for significant changes to the suitcase’s appearance or more flexible functional modifications. If you’re considering starting a business with this model, it’s essential to thoroughly explore the possibilities for offering more extensive customization options.

How to choose the right custom luggage manufacturer

The most important factors in choosing a suitable custom luggage manufacturer are the processing technology capability, customization flexibility, price, and delivery time of the other party. Whether it is a start-up luggage brand or a well-known brand when choosing a custom luggage manufacturer, it should be based on its own brand needs, not blindly pursuing low-price suppliers. It is undeniable that low-price OEM can provide more profit space for your brand. As the saying goes: you get what you pay for.

In terms of craftsmanship, you should pay attention to the cooperation cases of luggage manufacturers. The more cases, the more familiar the manufacturer is with the craftsmanship, and it can likely meet the various concepts you put forward.

Customization flexibility refers to the minimum order quantity. Is there a reasonable minimum order quantity for your different customization requirements? Some luggage manufacturers start with thousands of orders, which is unacceptable to most brands. There is no need for brands to take great risks to cooperate, even if the quotation provided by the other party is extremely attractive.

Price is one of the factors that most people care about when choosing a custom luggage manufacturer. For products whose quotations are far lower than those of other similar manufacturers in the market, you need to pay special attention to the risk of being deceived and not be blinded by the price.

The delivery time represents the contract spirit and reliability of a luggage manufacturer. Manufacturers that always talk big before the delivery date but always find excuses to postpone delivery when the delivery date comes cannot be reliable long-term partners.

The Differences Between Plastic Luggage Manufacturers

Plastic luggage comes in various types, primarily categorized by materials like ABS, PC, PP, and their combinations. Although these are all plastic, the luggage made from each material differs significantly, making it essential to evaluate plastic luggage manufacturers based on both materials and manufacturing processes.

The two main molding processes for plastic luggage today are hot pressing and blow molding. Blow-molded luggage is cost-effective and has higher production capacity, but it tends to have uneven material thickness and lower box hardness, commonly using PC or PP materials. Manufacturers with blow molding capabilities can often create luggage with trendy designs, making it an ideal choice for new or youth-focused brands.

Hot pressing, on the other hand, involves heating and melting the plastic, injecting it into a mold, and then die-casting it under pressure. This process is suited for luggage that requires a high shell hardness. The luggage produced this way typically has a simpler appearance, and the production process is slower and more costly compared to blow molding. This type of production process is still widely used in Japan, a leader in global luggage manufacturing.

The Differences Between Metal Luggage Manufacturers

While most metal luggage in the market is made from aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the use of titanium alloy is still in its early stages, as a factory with 20 years of experience in aluminum luggage OEM, we understand that this field can be quite complex, especially for those new to it. The fundamental molding process for aluminum luggage is generally similar across manufacturers, but the key differences lie in the molds themselves.

Luggage produced using a one-piece mold differs significantly in both quality and appearance compared to those made with modular molds. For instance, premium brands like Tumi utilize a one-piece mold to die-cast the water-rippled shell of their luggage, while lower-end or budget brands opt for modular molds to cut costs, which often results in poor alignment and visible gaps between structural elements.

Therefore, before entering into business with any metal luggage manufacturer, it is crucial to have a thorough understanding of their production processes, equipment, and past projects. This will help you avoid potential pitfalls related to pricing and quality.