A usable cut resistant gloves RFQ has to lock the glove build and the packing maths together. Buyers should specify the liner yarn, knit gauge, coating type, target EN 388:2016+A1:2018 or ANSI/ISEA 105 level, unit pack format, box count, carton limits, barcode rules, inspection standard and trade term. If any of those items are vague, the first quote is only provisional and usually changes after sampling or artwork review. This guide shows what a factory can quote and pack in-house, where MOQ and lead time usually tighten, and which compliance claims buyers still need to approve before print.
Start with the packing formula, because freight and labour move fast
If an enquiry says cut resistant gloves with custom box, no factory can give a stable price from that alone. The RFQ needs one complete line that combines glove build and pack structure, for example: 13 gauge HPPE plus glass fibre liner, grey shell, black micro-foam nitrile palm coating, knit wrist, sizes 8 to 11, 1 pair per self-seal polybag, 12 pairs per printed dispenser box, 5 boxes per master carton. That single line determines yarn consumption, coating usage, folding method, box size, carton cube and packing labour minutes. Pack format changes cost more than many buyers expect. A slim 13 gauge shell with palm coating will usually pack denser than a bulky 10 gauge aramid blend glove, a 7 gauge thermal liner, or a double-dipped full-coat glove with safety cuff. If the retail pack must fit a shelf or trade-counter slot, give target dimensions in mm. A box moving from 200 x 150 x 80 mm to 240 x 160 x 90 mm can cut carton efficiency enough to change the freight cost on a 40HQ materially. State the pack style early: tuck-end carton, tear-front dispenser, crash-lock bottom, wrap sleeve, header card plus polybag, or export carton only. We cannot guess shelf depth, peg-hook requirement, anti-theft opening style or whether the retailer wants the size visible on two box panels.
Write the glove spec in factory language, not sales language
A quote starts from the build. A workable RFQ should state liner yarn, gauge, coating polymer, coating finish, coverage, cuff, shell colour and size run. Example: 13 gauge HPPE, glass fibre and polyester blend, grey shell, black sandy nitrile palm, reinforced thumb crotch, elastic knit wrist, sizes 8, 9, 10, 11. Another example: 18 gauge HPPE, nylon and steel fibre blend, grey shell, black micro-foam nitrile palm, touchscreen treatment on thumb and index, sizes 7 to 10. Those details are not cosmetic. Changing from smooth nitrile to sandy nitrile affects grip, coating pick-up and often abrasion behaviour under EN 388:2016+A1:2018. Moving from 13 gauge to 18 gauge usually improves dexterity and reduces bulk, but raises yarn cost and changes knitting speed. Adding steel, basalt or tungsten can push cut performance up, but it also changes hand feel and can reduce wearer acceptance if the glove becomes stiff. Avoid vague terms such as anti-cut glove, high cut glove or cut level glove. For the US, specify the target ANSI/ISEA 105 cut level, such as A3, A4 or A5. For Europe and the UK, specify the target EN 388:2016+A1:2018 code if you already have a verified sample, such as 4X42C or 4X43D. If the build is still under development, say target level only and do not ask the factory to print a fixed claim before testing is complete.
Keep the performance claim tied to the tested construction
This is where many RFQs become risky. The box artwork must match the tested SKU, not a similar glove. If the report is based on one yarn blend, one gauge and one coating build, you should not assume the same result still applies after changing yarn supplier, fibre ratio, coating thickness, surface finish or even cuff length if the test sample reference changes. The same applies to ANSI/ISEA 105. If a prototype tested at A4 but the production build later changes and only verifies at A3, the printed claim has to follow the lower verified level. Serious PPE buyers normally keep the lab report, declaration wording and artwork approval linked by SKU code or internal style number. That is the clean way to avoid carton rework and claim disputes. A capable supplier may be able to print EN 388 pictograms, ANSI references, lot codes, care icons, origin statements and warning text. We do not fabricate certification wording, copy another factory report or print an unsupported 4X43D or A5 claim because a buyer needs it for a sales meeting. Honest factories should refuse that. Reprinting 5000 boxes is expensive; a customs or retailer compliance issue is worse.
Decide whether the programme is retail-ready or transit-only
Retail-ready and transit-only are different cost structures. Retail-ready means the final consumer pack is completed at the factory: usually 1 pair, 3 pairs or 12 pairs in a printed box or a header-card pack, with barcode, size mark, origin statement and required symbols. Transit-only usually means 12, 24, 60 or 120 pairs per export carton with basic size identification, so the importer can relabel or repack locally. Retail-ready adds real process steps: left-right pairing, size sorting, folding, polybagging if needed, insert loading, barcode scan check, box erection, box filling, sealing and final carton verification. On a new artwork project, approvals alone can add 7 to 21 days before mass packing. Transit-only is simpler, cheaper and easier to reorder in mixed size ratios. If the customer needs a display format, specify the exact hardware. A euro-slot header card is not the same as a reinforced hang tab. A tear-front trade-counter dispenser needs a different die-line and board strength from a plain tuck-end carton. If display requirements appear after glove approval, the quote and lead time usually move.
Show the carton maths before asking for a firm price
A serious cut resistant gloves RFQ includes the packing formula as numbers, not only words. Example: 1 pair per polybag, 12 pairs per dispenser box, 5 boxes per master carton, total 60 pairs per carton. Then state the outer carton target, such as 58 x 34 x 32 cm, and a maximum gross weight, for example under 15 kg for easier manual handling. These numbers affect carton board choice, pallet pattern and freight. Ask for cost blocks separately: glove EXW price, unit pack cost, inner box cost, export carton cost, and trade basis such as EXW Yiwu, FOB Ningbo or FOB Shanghai. For reference, a simple printed polybag may add very little, while a custom CMYK retail carton often adds around USD 0.08 to 0.25 per pair equivalent depending on board grade, print coverage, order size and whether each size has separate artwork. Foil, embossing and spot UV push it higher. Container maths should be based on finished carton dimensions, not pair count only. A bulky retail box can raise freight cost more than upgrading the glove liner from a basic HPPE plus glass build to a more engineered blend. That is why packaging cube belongs in the RFQ from day one.
Be realistic about MOQ, print method and lead time
Most glove boxes are offset printed in CMYK on duplex board or laminated paperboard. Matte or gloss lamination is common. Foil stamping, embossing and spot UV are possible, but they increase unit cost and often increase the packaging MOQ. In many programmes, the printed packaging MOQ is higher than the glove MOQ. For OEM cut resistant gloves, a practical starting MOQ may be around 1000 to 3000 pairs for a standard build, depending on yarn availability and coating set-up. A custom box often needs about 3000 to 5000 pieces per artwork version to be efficient. If the order is split into four sizes and each size uses separate printed artwork, the packaging quantity per version becomes the real cost driver. Lead time should be split honestly. Repeat glove production often runs about 25 to 40 days after sample approval and deposit. Printed packaging commonly needs another 10 to 20 days after final artwork sign-off. New die-lines, barcode corrections, special finishes or paper stock changes can add more time. We can help coordinate glove production and packing, but we cannot compress a paper printer schedule to save a vessel closing date after artwork has changed three times.
Give barcode, traceability and inspection rules in writing
Many RFQs have a decent glove spec and weak coding instructions. State the barcode type clearly: EAN-13, UPC-A or another format. Say who owns the number, where it sits on the unit pack, whether the retailer requires a specific quiet zone or bar height, and whether pre-shipment scan verification is required. If the master carton also needs a carton barcode, shipping mark or SSCC label, list that separately. Traceability should be defined at unit and carton level. If each retail pack and each master carton must show lot number, PO number, production date, size code and country of origin, give the exact format. If three different code lists arrive during production, errors usually follow. Put the inspection standard in the RFQ. A common starting point is AQL 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor defects, but some buyers want tighter control on barcode readability, assortment accuracy, pair count and claim accuracy. On PPE packs, the wrong size sticker, wrong language panel or wrong cut claim is not a small cosmetic issue. It creates a compliance and chargeback risk.
What the buyer should send, and what the factory can and cannot do
A clean cut resistant gloves RFQ should cover seven points. One: glove construction, including yarn composition, knit gauge, coating type, coating coverage, shell colour, cuff style and size range. Two: target performance, meaning EN 388:2016+A1:2018 and or ANSI/ISEA 105 level, with the understanding that fixed claims need test evidence. Three: unit pack format, such as 1 pair, 3 pairs, 12 pairs, header card, sleeve, dispenser box or export-only bulk pack. Four: artwork information, including editable files if available, barcode list, language copy and either a final die-line or a marked reference pack with all dimensions in mm. Five: carton plan, meaning units per inner, inners per master, target carton dimensions, gross weight limit and pallet requirement if relevant. Six: market details, because US, EU and UK packs may differ in wording, warning panels and barcode practice. Seven: trade term and destination, such as EXW, FOB, CIF, destination port and delivery window. What buyers still need to provide or approve themselves: final claim wording, final barcode data, final artwork approval, and any market-specific compliance text they are responsible for. If the enquiry contains only a glove photo and best price with logo box, the first quotation will move later. That is not a factory being difficult. It is simply the production maths of PPE gloves and printed packaging.
Confirm the specification in writing
Use this article as a starting point. Ask GloveMark for written, project-specific confirmation of materials, MOQ, pricing, sample policy, certification scope and lead time before placing an order.
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