Generic / Other Customers

Use these standard requirements when shipping to customers without a specific guide. These are conservative defaults that should be acceptable to most buyers.

Always ask the customer for their compliance guide first. Use these defaults only when no specific requirements are provided.

When to Use This Guide

Situation	Action
New customer, no guide provided	Use these defaults
Customer says “standard packing”	Use these defaults
Small order, no specific instructions	Use these defaults
Customer has specific guide	Use their guide instead

Safe Defaults Summary

Requirement	Safe Default
Carton Label Size	A4 (210mm × 297mm)
Barcode Type	Code 128
Max Carton Weight	15 kg
Max Carton Dimensions	60 × 40 × 40 cm
Size Sorting	Single size per carton
Poly Bagging	Yes, individual
Sealing	H-seal, clear tape
Documents	Invoice, Packing List, COO

Carton Label

Recommended Layout

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                 │
│  FROM: MAC LEATHER CO                           │
│        [Your full address]                      │
│                                                 │
│  ─────────────────────────────────────────────  │
│                                                 │
│  TO: [Customer name]                            │
│      [Customer address]                         │
│                                                 │
│  ─────────────────────────────────────────────  │
│                                                 │
│  PO: [Customer PO number]                       │
│  Style: [Style reference]                       │
│  Description: [Product name]                    │
│  Colour: [Colour name]                          │
│  Size: [Size]                                   │
│  Quantity: [Units in carton]                    │
│                                                 │
│  ─────────────────────────────────────────────  │
│                                                 │
│       ║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║║        │
│       [Barcode number]                          │
│                                                 │
│  ─────────────────────────────────────────────  │
│                                                 │
│  Carton: [X] of [Y]                             │
│  Gross Weight: [XX.X] kg                        │
│  Dimensions: [L] × [W] × [H] cm                 │
│  Country of Origin: PAKISTAN                    │
│                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Label Specifications (Safe Defaults)

Specification	Default
Size	A4 (210mm × 297mm)
Orientation	Portrait
Paper	White, 80gsm minimum
Barcode Type	Code 128
Barcode Height	Minimum 20mm
Quiet Zone	Minimum 10mm each side
Print	Laser printer, black ink
Placement	One label per carton, largest face

A4 is universally accepted. If customer prefers smaller, A5 (148mm × 210mm) is also widely acceptable.

Product Label

Safe Default Specifications

Specification	Default
Size	50mm × 80mm
Material	250gsm card minimum
Barcode	EAN-13 or customer-provided
Attachment	Clear loop or cotton string

Required Elements

Element	Include
Product Description	Yes
Size	Yes, clearly visible
Colour	Yes
Barcode	Yes, with human-readable
Composition	Yes
Care Instructions	Yes
Country of Origin	Yes
Price	Only if customer requires

Packing Requirements

Carton Specifications (Safe Defaults)

Specification	Default
Maximum Weight	15 kg gross
Maximum Length	60 cm
Maximum Width	40 cm
Maximum Height	40 cm
Carton Material	Double-wall corrugated
Carton Color	Plain brown kraft

15 kg is the safest maximum. Most warehouses can handle this weight. Heavier cartons risk rejection.

Packing Rules (Safe Defaults)

Size Sorting

Default Rule: Single size per carton.This is the safest approach as most customers require it.

Approach	Risk Level
Single size per carton	Low risk
Mixed sizes	High risk - may be rejected

Exception: Only mix sizes if customer explicitly permits it in writing.

Poly Bagging

Default Rule: Individual poly bagging required.

Specification	Default
Bag Material	Clear polypropylene
Bag Thickness	25 micron minimum
Closure	Self-adhesive or fold-seal
Warning	Include suffocation warning

Why: Almost all customers require individual bagging. It protects garments and is expected by DCs.

Sealing Method

Default Rule: H-seal with clear tape.

┌───────────────┐
│ ═══════════   │ ← Top seal
│       │       │
│       │       │ ← Edge seals
│       │       │
│ ═══════════   │ ← Bottom seal
└───────────────┘

Specification	Default
Tape Width	50mm
Tape Color	Clear
Pattern	H-seal (all edges)
Quality	No gaps, neat edges

Why: H-seal is the most secure and widely accepted.

Void Fill

Default Rule: Use paper void fill.

Material	Acceptable
Kraft paper	Yes (preferred)
Tissue paper	Yes
Bubble wrap	Check with customer
Packing peanuts	Avoid
Air pillows	Check with customer

Why: Paper is universally acceptable and environmentally friendly.

Required Documents

Standard Document Set

Document	Copies	Required
Commercial Invoice	3	Yes
Packing List	2	Yes
Certificate of Origin	1 original + 2 copies	Yes
Bill of Lading/AWB	Original + 2 copies	Yes

Commercial Invoice (Safe Format)

Field	Include
Your company details	Full name, address, contact
Customer details	Name, address
Invoice number	Your reference
Invoice date	Current date
PO reference	Customer’s PO number
Description	Each style/colour
Quantity	Units per line
Unit price	Per piece
Total value	Line totals + grand total
Currency	As per PO (usually USD or GBP)
Incoterms	As per PO (FOB if not specified)
HS codes	6-digit minimum
Country of origin	Pakistan

Packing List (Safe Format)

Field	Include
Shipment reference	Your reference
Customer PO	Customer’s PO number
Carton numbers	1 of X, 2 of X, etc.
Carton contents	Style, colour, size, qty per carton
Carton weights	Gross and net
Carton dimensions	L × W × H
Totals	Total cartons, total pieces, total weight

Troubleshooting

Customer rejected shipment

Cause: Non-compliance with unknown requirements.Solution:

Ask customer for specific reason
Request their compliance guide
Document for future shipments
Update internal records

No PO reference available

Cause: Order placed informally.Solution:

Request formal PO from customer
If not available, use your internal reference
Clearly state “No PO provided” on documents
Get customer confirmation in writing

Customer wants specific barcode format

Cause: Their system requires specific format.Solution:

Ask for exact specifications
Request sample label for reference
Test scan before bulk printing
Document for future orders

Unsure about weight limit

Cause: Customer hasn’t specified.Solution:

Use 15 kg as safe maximum
Ask customer for their limit
Err on the side of lighter
Record answer for future reference

Mixed sizes required by customer

Cause: Customer requested ratio packs.Solution:

Get ratio in writing (e.g., 1-2-2-1)
Follow exact ratio specified
Label cartons clearly
Document in packing list

Getting Customer Requirements

Questions to Ask

When onboarding a new customer, ask for:

Information	Why Needed
Compliance/routing guide	Full specifications
Label template	Exact format required
Barcode type	EAN-13, Code 128, etc.
Max carton weight	DC handling limits
Size sorting rule	Single or mixed
Required documents	What they need
DC address	Delivery location
Contact for queries	Who to ask

Sample Request Email

Subject: Shipping Compliance Requirements

Dear [Customer],

We are preparing your order [PO number] for shipment.

To ensure compliance with your DC requirements,
please provide:

1. Carton label specifications (size, format)
2. Barcode type required
3. Maximum carton weight
4. Packing requirements
5. Required shipping documents

If you have a supplier compliance guide,
please share it with us.

Thank you,
[Your name]

Quick Reference Checklist

Before shipping without specific customer guide:

Customer Overview

Compare all customer requirements

Export Documents

Document generation

Carton Planning

Planning cartons in the system

​Generic / Other Customers

​When to Use This Guide

​Safe Defaults Summary

​Carton Label

​Recommended Layout

​Label Specifications (Safe Defaults)

​Product Label

​Safe Default Specifications

​Required Elements

​Packing Requirements

​Carton Specifications (Safe Defaults)

​Packing Rules (Safe Defaults)

​Required Documents

​Standard Document Set

​Commercial Invoice (Safe Format)

​Packing List (Safe Format)

​Troubleshooting

​Getting Customer Requirements

​Questions to Ask

​Sample Request Email

​Quick Reference Checklist

​Related Guides

Customer Overview

Export Documents

Carton Planning

Generic / Other Customers

When to Use This Guide

Safe Defaults Summary

Carton Label

Recommended Layout

Label Specifications (Safe Defaults)

Product Label

Safe Default Specifications

Required Elements

Packing Requirements

Carton Specifications (Safe Defaults)

Packing Rules (Safe Defaults)

Required Documents

Standard Document Set

Commercial Invoice (Safe Format)

Packing List (Safe Format)

Troubleshooting

Getting Customer Requirements

Questions to Ask

Sample Request Email

Quick Reference Checklist

Related Guides