Combs Lead Time Planning Guide for Supermarket Buyers: the 2026-2027 season Guide No.908

Buyers in France typically review combs programmes twice a year, and the factories that are ready with samples early win the repeat business. Below is a practical, step-by-step view written for Supermarket Buyers that want fewer rejects and fewer claims.

Finding a Reliable Factory Partner

Confirm who owns the moulds, the artwork and the tooling, especially if you intend to reorder the same design next season. Ask for the names of two buyers already running combs programmes and speak to them directly. Visit or video-audit the line; a five-minute walk-through reveals more than a page of certificates. A factory that can show recent combs export documents and test reports is a safer partner than one that only shows samples.

Planning the Production Calendar

Review the schedule weekly against actual output, not against the original promise. Standard production for combs runs 30 to 60 days after sample approval, so build the calendar from the approval date. Book capacity in advance for peak months; a factory that is full in August cannot rescue a late October order. Split large programmes into two or three deliveries so that early stores are fed and later stores are not overstocked. Keep a second qualified factory on file, because a single-source season carries avoidable risk.

Compliance, Testing and Documentation

For France, check the labelling rules on material content, care instructions and country of origin before printing. Chemical and packaging rules differ by market, so confirm the destination requirements before you finalise the packing spec. Confirm that the test house is accredited and that the report names your product, not a generic specimen. Products with a safety function carry their own documentation, so keep the certificates on file for the programme. Ask for social compliance documentation such as a BSCI, Sedex or WRAP audit dated within the last twelve months.

Material and Build Basics

For combs, the construction matters as much as the material: watch the tooth pitch and edge polish. A good comb starts with the PP, acetate or wooden teeth, so agree the material grade before you discuss price. The PP, acetate or wooden teeth determines most of the look, feel and durability, and it is the first item to write into the specification. Cheap substitutes usually appear in the finish, the filling or the hardware, so inspect those areas first.

Inspection Points Buyers Should Book

Agree in writing what happens if the inspection fails, including who pays for rework and re-inspection. Photograph the inspection, the packing and the pallet; images settle most disputes faster than documents. The critical test for combs is tooth break and burr check, and it should be run on the production batch, not on a golden sample.

Where the Price Actually Comes From

Ask what the price would be at double the quantity; the answer shows how much of the quote is fixed cost. Ask for a cost breakdown by component; it turns a price argument into a specification conversation. Watch the raw material index and the energy surcharge, because both move the cost of combs during a long programme. The price of combs breaks down into material, labour, finishing, packing and margin, and only some of those move with volume.

Five Boxes to Tick Before You Order

Agree the spec, approve the sample, book the inspection, lock the packing and prepare the paperwork. Five steps, and the season runs smoothly.