Do you have a minimum order quantity?
Production MOQ is 25 pieces for most stitched assemblies, and 50 for die-cut foam sets where a cutting die is involved. Prototypes, first articles, and fit samples run as single units — we quote those separately from the production release so a low pilot quantity never sets your unit price. Established part numbers on repeat release can drop to 10 pieces per call-off. Send us your drawings for a quote →
What lead times should I plan around?
Plan on 2–3 weeks for pattern development and a first article, then 3–4 weeks for the production run once the FAI is approved. Long-lead materials — MIL-spec Cordura in a specified shade, aramid webbing, closed-cell foam in a non-stock density — drive schedule more than shop capacity does, so we call those out in the quote.
Where is the work actually performed?
All cutting, sewing, heat sealing, hardware setting, and foam fabrication happen in our Melbourne, Florida shop. Nothing is offshored and no sewing is subcontracted, which is what makes domestic and Berry-compliant sourcing verifiable rather than assumed. Schedule a facility visit →
Can you work from a physical sample instead of drawings?
Yes. Send the part and we will reverse-engineer it into a hard pattern, document the stitch and seam construction, and return a dimensioned sample for your sign-off before any production cut. This is the usual path for legacy items whose original drawings are gone or were never released. See where to ship samples →
Are you registered to hold government contracts?
We hold CAGE 0FDR6, maintain an active SAM registration, and are ITAR registered with the DDTC. We work as a subcontractor to primes and as a direct vendor on small-value solicitations, and we can flow down Berry Amendment and DFARS specialty-metal-free soft-goods requirements. Download our capability statement →
Which processes do you run in-house?
Pattern development, die and clicker cutting, single-needle and walking-foot sewing, bar tacking, webbing cut-and-seal, grommet and snap setting, hook-and-loop assembly, CNC-routed and hand-cut foam inserts, RF and hot-air seam sealing, and permanent part marking.
Anything we do not run — anodizing, injection molding, machined hardware — we source from vetted domestic suppliers and manage as a purchased part on your BOM. See our full process list →
Do you develop patterns and tooling, or must I supply them?
Our pattern shop works from your 2D drawings, 3D models, flat patterns, or the physical part. Patterns we develop are archived under your part number and stay available for reorders and revisions. Start a pattern development quote →
How is inspection handled, and what happens on a rejection?
Every job carries a first-article check against the released drawing plus in-process and final inspection at AQL levels you specify. We supply dimensional reports, material certs, and lot traceability on request, and we accept customer or DCMA source inspection at our facility. Review our quality documentation →
Can you kit, label, and package to our work instruction?
Yes — individual bagging, barcode and part-number labeling, kit assembly with purchased components, and MIL-STD-129 marking where the contract calls for it. Send the packaging spec with the RFQ so it is priced into the unit, not added later. Send your packaging spec →
What tooling and setup costs should I expect?
Non-recurring cost is quoted as a separate line so you can see exactly what is one-time and what repeats. Simple pouches and covers often need no tooling at all; steel-rule dies pay for themselves at moderate volume by holding tolerance and cutting labor.
How much does quantity move the unit price?
We quote price breaks at 25, 100, 500, and 1,000 pieces. The largest single drop is between prototype and the first production break, where setup spreads across the run; past 500 the curve flattens and material cost dominates. Tell us the annual volume even if you release in small lots — we price the program, not the purchase order. Request tiered pricing →
How long is a quote held, and what can change it?
Quotes are firm for 30 days. Beyond that we re-check mill pricing on coated fabrics, aramids, and foam, which have moved unpredictably in recent years. A revision to the drawing, the AQL, or the packaging spec is the other thing that reopens a price. See our materials list →
How do you handle ITAR-controlled technical data and exports?
Controlled drawings are received through your secure transfer system or ours, held on access-restricted storage, and worked only by US persons on our floor. We do not email controlled data, do not use offshore CAD or estimating support, and return or destroy technical data on request at program close.
Hardware shipments leave the country only under an export authorization held by you or by us, and we ship EXW our dock unless the PO states otherwise. Ask about our ITAR handling procedure →
Can you support blanket orders and scheduled releases?
Blanket POs with monthly or quarterly call-offs are the way most of our long-running programs work. We hold finished goods or cut kits here and ship against your release, which protects your price break without forcing you to receive a year of inventory. Set up a release schedule →
Who arranges freight, and how are parts packed?
Ship on your carrier account and routing guide, or let us quote freight prepaid and add. Parts go out bagged and labeled with part number, revision, quantity, and lot, cartoned to survive LTL handling, with the packing list and any required certs in the lead carton. Send us your routing guide →
What happens if a lot does not meet the drawing?
Workmanship or dimensional nonconformance traceable to us is reworked or replaced at our cost, freight both ways included. We issue a corrective action with root cause on request and will hold the pattern or fixture change against the part number so the same escape does not repeat. Open a rework request →
Where do you source materials, and can you prove origin?
Fabric, webbing, thread, foam, and hardware come from domestic mills and distributors who can supply certificates of conformance and, where the contract requires it, Berry-compliant documentation. We keep the certs on file against the lot so an audit two years out does not turn into an archaeology project. Read the Berry & ITAR guide →
How long do you retain patterns, tooling, and records?
Patterns, dies, and inspection records are retained seven years from last production, longer on active programs. Reorders quote against the archived pattern at the revision you last approved, so a part built in 2019 comes back the same in 2026. Look up an archived part number →
How to request a quote
FOUR PIECES / CUT ON FOLD
01
Send drawings or a sample
PDF, STEP, a flat pattern, or the physical part in a box — whatever you actually have.
02
Tell us quantity and releases
Prototype count, production quantity, and how often you expect to call it off.
03
Specify material and spec
Called-out mil-specs, Berry or ITAR flow-down, AQL, marking and packaging.
04
Give us your target date
Need-by date and whether the first article gates the production release.