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What does private label cost in pet supplies?
Last updated: August 2026
Separating one-off costs from recurring costs
An own-brand pet product has two cost types that should be looked at separately. One-off costs occur once per product or design: product development, technical drawings, sample making, sample shipping, possibly tooling or print plates, and label and packaging design.
Recurring costs occur with every reorder: material, manufacturing, finishing, packaging, freight and duties. Anyone who folds both into a single unit price overestimates the first run and underestimates reorders. It makes sense to spread one-off costs over a planned period or over several reorders.
Key cost components at a glance
The table below shows which line item is driven by what. It doesn't replace a calculation, but it helps you read a quote and spot the levers.
| Component | What drives the amount |
|---|---|
| Development | Complexity of construction, number of revision rounds, technical drawings. |
| Samples | Number of sample rounds, number of variants, express shipping from the country of origin. |
| Tooling & moulds | Only for moulded parts: size, number of cavities, mould material, number of variants. |
| Material | Material type and quality, weight per unit, raw material pricing at order time. |
| Manufacturing | Work steps per unit, share of manual labour, setup times for colour and size changes. |
| Finishing | Printing method, number of print colours, embroidery, embossing, woven labels. |
| Packaging | Hangtag, folding carton, sleeve, polybag, display box, master carton and pallet layout. |
| Quality inspection | Scope of the factory inspection, number of batches and inspection points checked. |
| Freight | Sea, rail or air freight, volume versus weight, container utilisation. |
| Customs & duties | Customs tariff code, country of origin, goods value, import VAT. |
Why volume brings the unit price down
Every order in manufacturing incurs setup costs: machines are set up, colours mixed, sewing machines adjusted, print plates changed. These costs occur regardless of whether one hundred or several thousand units run, and are spread across the run. That's why the price per unit falls as quantity rises.
The same effect applies to material. Fabrics, yarns, rubber compounds and cartons are bought in fixed package sizes; a run that uses a package size efficiently is cheaper than one that only opens a second one. Freight follows the same logic: a well-utilised container costs noticeably less per unit than a partial load.
Variants are the most common hidden cost driver
Many projects start with one product and end up with a matrix of sizes, colours and finishes. Every additional variant means its own bill of materials, its own samples, its own packaging data, its own barcode and an extra setup step in manufacturing. The total quantity is then spread across more line items, making each one smaller and therefore more expensive.
In practice this means: a narrow starting range with a few well-chosen variants is almost always cheaper than a broad range with small individual quantities. Additional colours can be added after the first run once sales data is available.
Planning branding and packaging realistically
Branding decides how the product looks on the shelf and accounts for a noticeable share of the cost. A single-colour screen print on textile is cheaper than a multi-colour transfer print, a woven label is more elaborate than a printed satin ribbon, and a fully printed folding carton is more expensive than a hangtag on a polybag.
Secondary packaging counts too: master carton size, units per carton and the pallet layout affect freight volume and warehouse handling. Planning packaging early avoids later changes that require new print data and new samples.
Freight, customs and exchange rate
On top of the ex-works price come freight costs, insurance, customs duty, import VAT and customs clearance fees. Which duty rate applies depends on the customs tariff code and the country of origin of the goods; this should be clarified before ordering, as it noticeably shifts the landed costs.
If you buy in a foreign currency, the exchange rate between order and payment also plays a role. And because freight rates fluctuate, a quote is always a snapshot. That's why we state which items are fixed and which may still move before shipping.
Frequently asked questions
Why does no one name a unit price without a specification?
Because the unit price only takes shape once material, dimensions, weight, workmanship, printing and packaging are fixed. Two visually similar dog toys can differ significantly in price if one is stuffed and double-stitched and the other isn't. Once a specification exists, a reliable price can be calculated.
Does every product involve tooling costs?
No. Tooling or moulds are mainly needed for injection-moulded or cast parts, for example bowls, hardware or rubber items in a custom shape. Textile products, ropes and many plush items don't need tooling; there, patterns and embroidery files take that role.
How can the cost of an own brand be lowered without compromising quality?
The most effective levers are a leaner variant matrix, a simpler printing method, packaging that stacks better, and a run size that fills packaging units and containers efficiently. Cutting corners on material or quality inspection, on the other hand, usually leads to complaints that cost more than the saving.
Related categories
Concrete product pages with materials, finishes and process:
- Dog toysDog toys manufactured under your own brand
- Bowls & hardwareBowls and hardware manufactured under your own brand
- Dog beds & textilesDog beds and textiles manufactured under your own brand