If you’re looking for a custom plush manufacturer with a low MOQ of 100 pieces, you may notice that ordering 100 usually costs more per toy than ordering 2,000—even when the design, size, and materials are the same.
Vid CustomPlushMaker, we accept orders starting at 100 pieces per design, per color. Smaller runs let buyers start with less inventory, but the factory still needs to prepare the production process. Larger runs spread those preparation costs across more toys and allow more efficient production.
Here’s a practical breakdown of where the difference comes from.
The Main Reasons: Production Preparation and Labor Efficiency
Before production begins, the team must prepare cutting layouts, test embroidery, set up sewing stations, and inspect the first completed production unit. These tasks are necessary for both small and large orders.
Once production starts, a larger order also allows workers to specialize in individual operations, reducing the labor time needed for each toy.
The following example shows how these two factors affect unit cost.
Example assumptions:
- Both orders have the same design, size, materials, and quality requirements.
- Total labor cost is USD 5.71 per hour.
- Production preparation requires 14 combined labor hours per batch.
- Production labor per toy is 15 minutes for 100 pieces, compared with 11 minutes for 2,000 pieces.
These are illustrative assumptions, not measured results from a specific order. All amounts are in US dollars (USD). The figures cover labor only—not the finished-product price.
| Labor Cost per Toy | 100-Piece Order | 2,000-Piece Order |
| Production preparation | USD 0.80 | USD 0.04 |
| Production labor | USD 1.43 | USD 1.05 |
| Total labor cost per toy | USD 2.23 | USD 1.09 |
In this example, the smaller order costs approximately USD 1.14 more in labor per toy. Here’s how that difference develops.
1. Every Order Requires Production Preparation
An approved sample tells the factory what to make. Production preparation confirms how the team will make it consistently using the actual materials and equipment.
For a plush toy with embroidered features and several sewn components, preparation might include the following:
| Preparation Task | Work Involved | Assumed Labor Hours | Batch Labor Cost |
| Review construction and plan operations | Confirm fabric direction, seam allowances, component placement, and sewing sequence | 2 | USD 11.43 |
| Prepare cutting | Arrange patterns, prepare templates, make trial cuts, and check parts | 3 | USD 17.14 |
| Set up embroidery | Position facial features, adjust settings, and test stitching on the fabric | 3 | USD 17.14 |
| Prepare sewing stations | Adjust needles and thread, organize components, and demonstrate operations | 2 | USD 11.43 |
| Make and inspect the first production unit | Check the completed toy and adjust shape, placement, or workmanship as needed | 4 | USD 22.86 |
| Total | 14 | USD 80 |
“Labor hours” means the combined time contributed by everyone involved. Two people working for two hours each contribute four labor hours.
The Same Batch Cost, Spread Across Different Quantities
For 100 toys:
USD 80 ÷ 100 = USD 0.80 per toy
For 2,000 toys:
USD 80 ÷ 2,000 = USD 0.04 per toy
That creates a USD 0.76 difference per toy from preparation alone.
Actual preparation time varies by project. A larger batch may need additional workstations, while an intricate design may require more testing. We have kept preparation time equal here to make the effect of order quantity easy to see.
Production Preparation Is Different from Sample Development
At CustomPlushMaker, sample development is charged separately from production.
Sample development creates the patterns and physical sample for a new design. Production preparation gets a particular batch ready to manufacture. These are different activities and should be accounted for separately.
We archive each project’s sewing patterns, fabric and accessory specifications, cutting templates and files, and embroidery digitizing files for future production.
For an unchanged repeat order, we do not charge the original sample development fee again. The new batch still requires production preparation.
2. Larger Orders Allow More Efficient Production
On a small order, workers may move between several operations. Switching tasks takes time to organize parts, change materials, and settle into the next step.
For a 2,000-piece run, the factory can organize a team around specific operations. One worker makes ears, another sews faces, and another prepares tails. An experienced worker handles key assembly operations.
When workloads are balanced and parts move smoothly between stations, this arrangement reduces switching time and improves efficiency through repetition.
Using our example:
| Production Labor | 100-Piece Order | 2,000-Piece Order |
| Combined labor time per toy | 15 minutes | 11 minutes |
| Calculation | 5.71 × 15 ÷ 60 | 5.71 × 11 ÷ 60 |
| Labor cost per toy | USD 1.43 | Approximately USD 1.05 |
That adds approximately USD 0.38 to the smaller order’s labor cost per toy.
The 11 minutes is the total labor contributed across all operations for one toy. It is not the interval between completed toys leaving the production line. The time savings come from organizing the work more efficiently while maintaining the same quality requirements.
3. Materials and Other Batch Costs Also Affect the Price
Labor explains part of the difference. Purchasing and order-related costs can widen it further.
| Cost Factor | How It Can Affect a 100-Piece Order |
| Fabric and component purchasing | Smaller purchases may cost more per unit. Supplier minimums can also leave unused materials or components. |
| Trial materials and cutting waste | Trial cuts and embroidery tests consume materials even for a small batch. Their cost is spread across fewer finished toys. |
| Sample development | A separate upfront development fee has a greater effect on the total project cost per toy when ordering fewer pieces. |
| Custom packaging | Printed boxes, bags, and tags may have their own setup charges or minimum quantities. |
| Coordination, quality control, and overhead | Every batch needs material checks, scheduling, inspections, and order management. These costs do not fall in proportion to quantity. |
| Additional project requirements | Rush schedules, special components, testing, and other requirements may add costs, depending on the project. |
Factories account for these expenses differently. Costs already included in a labor rate or overhead calculation should not be counted again.
What Does CustomPlushMaker’s 100-Piece MOQ Mean?
Our minimum order quantity is 100 pieces per design, per color. Different designs or color versions cannot be combined to reach 100 pieces.
For example, the same bear in brown and white requires 100 brown bears plus 100 white bears—200 pieces total. Each color requires separate fabric purchasing and production handling.
We accept 100-piece orders for:
- Short-pile and long-pile plush toys.
- Small plush keychains.
- Standard-size and oversized plush toys.
Size and construction affect the price, but these formats can all start at 100 pieces per design, per color.
Is a 100-Piece Order Still Worth Considering?
A higher unit price can still make sense when you need fewer toys.
A 100-piece run may suit a first product launch, a limited collection, a small event, or a project with a focused audience. It lets you commit to fewer units while learning what buyers respond to.
A larger order generally offers a lower unit cost, but it also means purchasing and holding more inventory. The right quantity depends on your expected demand, available budget, and plans for the product.
In our example, preparation adds USD 0.76 and production efficiency adds approximately USD 0.38 to the smaller order’s labor cost per toy—a total difference of about USD 1.14. These costs help explain why the same plush design can have different prices at 100 and 2,000 pieces.
If you’re comparing low-MOQ custom plush manufacturers for a 100-piece order, CustomPlushMaker with your artwork, preferred size, and color requirements. We can review your project and quote sample development and production separately, so you can assess the cost of starting small.
