How to read supplier catalogues

Supplier catalogues are great for gathering ideas. A product page will show you a style, a material, colours, a branding area and a freight note, and still leave stock, lead time, quantity breaks and the final branding method entirely open.

You don't need to become a catalogue expert. You just need enough direction for us to go and check what can actually be done.

What a product page tells you

Most pages give you an item code, colour options, material, dimensions, a branding area and sometimes carton or freight details. Apparel pages usually add size charts, fit notes and the colourways in the range.

The branding area is the one to pay attention to. It tells you roughly where a logo can sit. The final size and method still come down to your artwork, the surface and the supplier rules.

• Product code or SKU.
• Colours, sizes and materials.
• Branding area, or preferred logo position.
• Carton quantity, weight and freight notes.
• Related products, or others in the same family.

Catalogues worth knowing

Different catalogues suit different jobs. Use them to gather examples, then send the links through with a rough quantity, your deadline and any branding notes.

What a catalogue page won't settle

A product page can't confirm the item is in stock, that the colour is available in the quantity you need, that your logo will reproduce cleanly on it, or that any of it can arrive by your date.

It also leaves out most of the cost and delivery picture. Setup charges, freight, split deliveries, artwork changes and packing all move the final recommendation around.

• Live stock and size availability.
• Current production and branding lead time.
• Whether your logo suits the branding area.
• Whether the item still works at your quantity.
• Freight, packing and split delivery.

What we do with it

We turn catalogue interest into a practical shortlist: checking suppliers, stock, branding, freight, quantities, timing and the alternatives, before we recommend anything to you.