The OEM brief: what a spec sheet must contain before we can quote

A specification sheet is the only document that decides whether a quotation is comparable. Two factories can both quote “sanitary pad, 240 mm, 10 pcs per pack” and mean completely different products, because the six variables that drive cost sit below that level of description. This note lists what a sheet has to contain before a factory can price it honestly, and what happens when any of it is missing.

The six inputs that set a unit price

1. Absorbency and core construction

Absorbency is expressed either as a millilitre figure or as a rating (1 to 5, or regular / super / overnight). Neither means anything without the test method attached. Ask for the core build in the same line: fluff pulp weight in grams, SAP (superabsorbent polymer) weight in grams, and whether the SAP is distributed or in a concentrated patch. A 240 mm pad with 0.3 g of SAP and one with 1.2 g are not the same product at any price.

2. Size set

Give the full set of lengths and widths you intend to sell, not just the hero size. A five-size range carries five sets of cutting dies, five film specifications and five carton plans. Quoting one size and expanding later is the single most common reason a confirmed price moves before the first purchase order.

3. Top sheet and back sheet

Specify the material, not just the feel. “Soft” is not a specification. Say whether the top sheet is perforated non-woven, spunlace, or apertured film; whether the back sheet is breathable PE film or a non-woven laminate; and the gsm of each. This one line typically moves unit cost by 8 to 15 per cent.

4. Packing format

Individual flow wrap, then a printed bag, then a carton: three packaging levels, three cost lines. State the pack count, the wrap material (PE film, laminated film, paper), and whether the retail unit carries a Euro slot or a hanging tab. If you need a shelf-ready carton with a tear strip, say so at quotation stage rather than at artwork stage.

5. Artwork and plate status

New print cylinders for film are a one-off cost that can run into four figures per colour per size. If your artwork is not final, ask for the quote both ways: with existing stock cylinders, and with new ones. That split tells you how much of the price is your branding rather than the product.

6. Volume, delivery terms and destination

MOQ per size versus MOQ per order, Incoterm (FOB, CIF, DDP), port of discharge, and whether the goods ship as a full container or in a consolidated groupage box. A price without the Incoterm is not a price.

What a complete sheet looks like

Field	Example of a usable entry	Why it matters
Product	Ultra-thin winged pad, 240 mm	Sets the die and the category
Absorbency	Super, 8 to 12 ml saline, in-house method	Without the method the figure is not comparable
Core	Fluff pulp 1.1 g, SAP 0.5 g, distributed	The largest single cost variable
Top sheet	Perforated non-woven, 18 gsm	Feel, cost, and skin-contact claims
Back sheet	Breathable PE film, 22 gsm	Controls leakage and pack thickness
Pack	10 pcs, flow wrap, 4-colour print	Wrap cost plus cylinder cost
Carton	24 packs, 5-layer, 380 x 280 x 240 mm	Container loading and freight per unit
Order	200,000 pcs total, 40,000 per size, FOB	Turns a price into a comparable offer

Three things buyers leave out

Target retail price. A factory that knows the shelf price can tell you which builds are impossible at that price instead of quoting the one that works and letting you discover the rest later. Give the number, even if it is a range.

Market and compliance route. The European Union, the United Kingdom, the Gulf and North America each impose different labelling, language and documentation duties on the importer. The factory needs to know which one applies before it quotes artwork, because print plates are expensive to redo.

Tolerance for substitution. If a specified SAP grade is unavailable, do you want a substitute of equal specification, or a written hold? Answer this in the sheet and you avoid a production argument six weeks later.

How we answer a sheet

Send the six inputs and we reply with two or three builds rather than a list: the build that hits your price, the build that hits your absorbency target, and the one in between. If a build cannot be made at your target price, that is stated first, before anything else in the reply.