gifts, promotional products and party supplies / Buying guide
Wholesale souvenirs from China
Souvenir merchandise is almost entirely custom — the same magnet, keyring or mug with a different place name on it — which means the whole category runs on print set-up costs rather than unit prices.
The economics work because the items are small and dense. A carton of fridge magnets is one of the better freight propositions in this whole sector.
In this guide
What the category is made of
- Fridge magnets — resin, metal or acrylic. Dense, cheap, print or mould per design.
- Keyrings and bottle openers — metal, low unit cost, engraving or enamel fill.
- Printed mugs and shot glasses — heavier, fragile, need proper packing.
- Textiles — tea towels, aprons, caps. Flat and light, print-led.
- Pins and enamel badges — high perceived value, very low freight cost, mould charge per design.
Custom moulds change the arithmetic
A shaped resin magnet or a die-struck pin needs a mould, charged once and typically a few hundred renminbi. That mould cost is amortised across the run, so it makes a 200-piece order expensive per unit and a 2,000-piece order cheap.
Ask who keeps the mould. Standard practice is that the factory holds it and reuses it for your repeat orders; if you have paid a tooling charge, establish in writing that it will not be used for anyone else.
Licensing is the category's main legal risk
Landmarks are generally fine. Flags, coats of arms and official emblems are restricted in many countries and their use is regulated rather than simply unlicensed. Sports clubs, characters and brands are licensed property and importing them without a licence is an infringement you carry.
The Chinese domestic market does not distinguish between these. The seller will make whatever artwork you send and whatever they already have on file, and neither of you is protected by their willingness.
Questions & answers
Common questions
- What is a realistic minimum per design?
- Around 500 for printed items and 1,000 for moulded ones, mostly because of the set-up or mould charge rather than the production itself.
- Can I order many designs in a small total quantity?
- Yes, but each design carries its own set-up. Ten designs at 100 each costs far more than 1,000 of one design.
- How long does a custom souvenir order take?
- Two to three weeks for mould and sample, then three to four weeks production, then shipping.
Your next step
Have a link you want checked?
Send a 1688 or Taobao product link and you get back the specification in English, the supplier check, and the landed cost to your country before you commit to anything.
Get a quote