What is the Specific Customization Process for Styles and Colors of Fumei ETPU Pet Balls?

When pet product brands and cross-border traders develop new ETPU pet balls, they always want to know the full customization workflow: from concept, drawings, color codes, mold making, sampling to bulk delivery. They also want to clarify required documents, lead time and confirmation items at each stage. Located in Dongguan, Guangdong Fumei New Materials runs an independent mold workshop and ETPU foaming production line. Customization of shape, texture, color and integrally molded logo is finished in-house without outsourcing. Below we fully explain the whole customization workflow for styles and colors of ETPU pet balls.

Step 1: Requirement Communication & Information Collection

Customers share product requirements, and our engineering & sales team collect all customization parameters to define the project direction. Information to confirm:

1. Shape & style: standard spherical, bionic sports ball or irregular molar toy. Customers may provide 3D drawings, 2D engineering drawings, physical samples or hand sketches;
2. Dimensions: ball diameter, wall thickness, solid or hollow structure;
3. Surface finish: smooth surface, matte finish, leather grain, grid anti-slip texture, 3D molar particle texture and mold texturing requirements;
4. Color requirement: basic solid color, macaron color, fluorescent color, two / multi-color contrast, or Pantone color code;
5. Logo requirement: embossed integrally molded logo, text or pattern, logo position and size;
6. Material performance: target dog group (puppy / small dog / medium & large dog), ETPU foaming ratio, hardness and resilience;
7. Order information: estimated sample quantity, mass production volume, target lead time, target sales market and safety test requirements.

After receiving your requirements, our team will finish feasibility assessment within 1–2 working days, and provide customized proposal, quotation and lead time estimation. Non-disclosure agreement (NDA) can be signed to protect your original product design.

Step 2: Product Solution & DFM Manufacturability Evaluation

Our engineers carry out DFM design for manufacturability analysis for your design. We evaluate draft angle, wall thickness, venting, texture depth and logo molding feasibility. For color: We assess pigment mixing feasibility according to your color swatch or Pantone code, evaluate mass production stability for dark colors, fluorescent colors and multi-color contrast, and predict color difference risks. If you do not have 3D files, we can assist with 3D modeling and structure optimization to avoid molding defects and reduce mold modification cost. After proposal confirmation, quotation and project schedule are finalized.

Step 3: Mold Fabrication & Surface Texture Etching (Texturing)

Once the solution is approved, we start mold production. CNC machining and mold etching are all completed in our in-house mold workshop, no outsourcing.

1. CNC precision machining of mold cavity to replicate product contour;
2. Mold cavity etching (texturing): engrave your selected surface texture and emboss logo on the mold cavity;

Important note: Texture and logo of ETPU products are completed in mold stage. The features are integrally molded, no post-printing, wear-resistant and bite-proof.

3. Mold trial & adjustment to check molding, demolding and texture integrity.

Step 4: ETPU Raw Material Color Matching & Sampling

After mold completion, we proceed with color matching and sample trial. Color is achieved by mixing pigment into ETPU pellets instead of surface painting. Color penetrates the whole product and will not fade by biting or washing.

1. Color matching: Mix ETPU color masterbatch according to confirmed color swatch or Pantone code and produce color chips for your color confirmation;
2. ETPU pre-foaming and steam integral molding to produce T1 prototype samples;
3. Internal factory inspection: dimension, resilience, hardness, tear strength, appearance and color comparison;
4. Samples are sent to you for checking shape, texture, color, logo, elasticity and hand feel.

You may submit revision requests: adjust color depth, modify texture, fine-tune ball hardness or change logo size and position. We will revise the mold and re-sample iteratively until both sides confirm the golden sample. The golden sample will be the unique acceptance standard for subsequent mass production.

Step 5: Order Confirmation & Pre-production Preparation

After you approve the golden sample, we sign the production order, locking product specifications, colors, textures, acceptance criteria and delivery time. Our production team prepares raw materials, debugs production line according to confirmed ETPU formula, pigment ratio and molding parameters, and conducts pre-production trial to verify that the first article matches the golden sample.

Step 6: Mass Production & Full-process Quality Control

During mass production, all products are manufactured strictly following the golden sample.

1. Incoming raw material inspection for ETPU pellets and color masterbatch batches;
2. ETPU pre-foaming, steam molding and automatic trimming;
3. In-line inspection: sampling every 2 hours for appearance, dimension and color to control batch color difference;
4. Finished product screening: reject defective items with shortage, deformation or surface flaws;
5. Random performance test: sampling for resilience and tear resistance to meet pet toy safety standards.

Step 7: Final Inspection, Packaging & Delivery

1. Final bulk inspection, compare style, texture, color and logo with golden sample;
2. Inner packaging and carton packing as your request, custom carton marks available;
3. Arrange shipment and logistics delivery.

Reference Project Lead Time

• Requirement evaluation & quotation: 1–2 working days
• Mold fabrication & texturing: 7–15 days (depends on shape complexity)
• Color matching & sample confirmation: 5–10 days (including sample delivery)
• Mass production lead time: 15–25 days based on order quantity

Core Advantages of Fumei Customization Process

1. In-house mold workshop, CNC and mold texturing finished internally. Fast mold revision and less communication error from outsourcing;
2. Integral raw material color mixing, accurate Pantone color matching, controllable multi-color contrast design;
3. Support integrally molded logo, no secondary printing, bite-resistant logo without peeling;
4. Full-process QC covering raw material, mold trial, mass production and finished inspection to guarantee stable style, texture and color for every batch;
5. Flexible order quantity: small batch sampling and large-scale stable bulk orders for cross-border brands;
6. We can provide samples and test documents to meet domestic and overseas pet toy safety compliance requirements.

If you plan to develop new ETPU pet balls and want to learn more about style & color customization, sample cost and mold cost, please contact Guangdong Fumei New Materials for detailed project proposal.