Custom Sofa Programs: OEM Options for Retailers and Importers

Two importers selling the same sofa quickly end up competing on price. An OEM program changes that: you define the size, fabric, cushion feel and label, and the product arrives as your own. The upside is differentiation and better margins; the cost is a little more work upfront in specification and sampling.

What Can Be Customised

Most upholstery factories can adjust dimensions within sensible limits: overall length, seat depth, seat height and back height. Configurations can be changed — fixed, modular, chaise, sofa bed — and cushion firmness adjusted to suit your market. Fabric and leather selection is usually the biggest lever, followed by leg or base style, stitching details and contrast piping. Your brand can appear on labels, care tags, cartons and even packaging inserts.

How the Program Works

The process is straightforward when both sides are organised: brief and drawings, specification confirmation, then a sample or pre-production unit. Approve a golden sample and keep it with both parties — this is the reference for every later shipment. Production follows, with inspection before packing, then shipping. Expect minimum order quantities per model and sometimes per fabric, and allow time for sampling and for lab dips when exact colours matter. Lead times should be quoted per phase, not as a single number.

Commercial Points to Agree

Put the commercial details in writing before production: MOQ and price breaks, sample and tooling charges, exclusivity for a design or territory if you need it, packaging and labelling to your brand, warranty terms and spare parts, plus the retail documents your market expects such as care instructions and specification sheets. Clarifying these early avoids arguments at the container.

Send us your best-selling dimensions, target retail price and preferred fabrics, and we will confirm customisation scope, sample timing and MOQ for your market.