Many first-time buyers assume that once a product design is approved, production can begin shortly afterwards. In reality, the period between receiving a brief and starting a production run is often where the most important product development work takes place.
At Minh Tien Ceramic, this stage is known as sampling.
A Design Is Not Yet a Product
Many ceramic projects begin with a clear vision. A brand may have mood boards, CAD drawings, competitor references, or even a fully developed product specification. But none of these materials answer the most important manufacturing question:
Can this product be produced consistently at scale?
A mug handle that looks elegant may become fragile after firing. A plate profile may warp under high temperatures. A glaze color that appears perfect on a color swatch may react differently on an actual ceramic surface.
The purpose of sampling is to make them visible.
The Five Stages of MTC Sampling
1. Brief review
Before any clay is touched, your brief goes to our production director and lead glaze technician.
We check three things: technical feasibility, glaze specification clarity, and tolerances that need to be agreed upfront.
We ask clients to come with clear dimensions for product, sketches or drawing for the product’s shape, pictures or Pantone color references, and glaze finish pictures. If anything is ambiguous, we will send a written clarification request within 48 hours.
2. Form development
For custom forms, we can produce from your technical drawing or, if you are working from a concept, from a prototype we develop in-house.
Form approval and glaze approval are two separate checkpoints. Sampling lead times can encounter unexpected delays when glaze and clay need to be adjusted for firing.
For existing forms from our collections with a new glaze only, we can move onto to the next step directly.
3. Glaze development
Glaze does not behave like paint. We produce multiple glaze variations per brief:
- One first test in order to establish the baseline formulation
- Multiple variation tests adjusted for how the glaze reacted during the first test’s firing.
All variations are photographed under controlled lighting, and sent to you with a written note explaining the difference by your account manager.
4. First physical sample
Once form and glaze direction are approved, we produce 2-3 sample pieces and send you detailed pictures for pre-approval via email. Samples sets are then shipped via express courier for final approval.
5. Sign-off and pre-production
After you review the samples, you either approve it, request a specific adjustment, or approve with noted tolerances.
All 3 outcomes are confirmed in writing. We will only begin production with your written sign-off and after submitting an official Purchasing Order. The pre-production checklist covering quantity, lead time, packaging, export format, and payment terms, is shared at this point.
What You Should Send Us
A complete brief includes: a technical drawing or clear reference image, product dimensions your target glaze finish, intended end use, quantity range for the production run, and any compliance requirements for your market. You do not need to have everything finalized.
Read more: How private label ceramic production works at MTC: from brief to first sample
If you want to download The MTC Sampling Timeline Diagram, complete the quick form below, and our team will automatically deliver the full workflow to your email.
Download the Workflow here!
