Four sourcing models, four very different cost structures. A side-by-side comparison of MOQ, packaging, timeline, margin and brand risk — written by the people who manufacture all four.
Four sourcing models get used interchangeably in the paint by numbers world: white label, private label, OEM and ODM. The difference is not marketing language — it decides how much you pay up front, how long your first order takes, how much of the product is genuinely yours, and how easily a competitor can sell the identical thing.
The short version
| Model | Whose design? | Whose brand? | Typical MOQ | Time to first order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White label | Ours (stock) | Yours, on a label/sticker | 50 per design | 8–12 days |
| Private label | Ours (stock) | Yours on box, canvas, cards | 100 per design | 10–15 days |
| OEM | Yours | Yours | 100 per design | 12–15 days |
| ODM | Developed for you | Yours | 100 per design + design time | 15–25 days |
White label: the fastest way to test a market
You buy a stock design in neutral packaging, add your own sticker or sleeve, and sell it. There is no artwork risk, no packaging project and almost no lead time. The problem is that the same design may be sold by ten other stores, so price becomes the only differentiator.
White label works beautifully for validating demand. Pick four or five designs across niches, list them, and see which ones sell before you spend a cent on packaging.
Private label: your brand on a proven design
Private label is the sweet spot for most small and mid-size brands. You keep our proven artwork — so quality is already de-risked — and put your brand on the box, the canvas edge, the reference card and the thank-you card. At 100 kits per design it is achievable for a first order, and it photographs far better for ads and listings.
OEM: your artwork, our production
With OEM you supply the designs — licensed illustrations, your own photography, commissioned art. You own the intellectual property; we handle conversion to line art, colour mapping, printing, paint filling and packing. This is the model that gives you a genuinely defensible catalogue, because no other store can sell the same image.
Two practical warnings. First, confirm your licence covers commercial reproduction as a paint by numbers product — an illustrator selling prints may not have granted that. Second, supply high-resolution originals: converting a 900-pixel screenshot will produce a canvas with muddy detail, and no factory can fix that after printing.
ODM: we develop the product with you
ODM suits brands that know their audience and price point but not the artwork. You brief the theme, format, colour budget and packaging direction; our designers develop designs and packaging. Expect 15–25 days to first production because you are adding a design phase before manufacturing.
This is the model for subscription boxes and gift retailers, who need designs that match a seasonal calendar rather than a single hero SKU.
How to choose
- Testing a niche with under $1,000? White label four designs.
- Found a winner and need brand credibility? Private label at 100–300 kits.
- Have your own art or a strong brand identity? OEM, and protect the artwork in writing.
- Selling seasonally or by subscription? ODM, with a design calendar agreed in advance.
Most brands we work with move in exactly that order over 12–24 months: white label to test, private label to build, OEM or ODM to differentiate. You can also combine models — private label your hero SKUs and white label your long tail.
Brown boxes do not build brands. The first thing a customer judges is the box, and the second is the brush.
Cost expectations
White label is cheapest per unit because nothing is printed beyond the standard box. Private label adds packaging and card printing, typically US$0.20–0.60 per kit at 100–300 units. OEM adds design conversion, which we include free for standard photo conversion but quote separately for original illustration. ODM is the only model with a genuine design fee, because you are commissioning new artwork.
See real ranges in our custom kit pricing, or read the wholesale buyer's guide for the cost drivers behind a quote. Ready to see your logo on a box? Request a private label mockup — it is free, and it takes a day.