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Supply chain stage
Design & Sampling
Craft sourcing begins with a sample that both sides agree describes the bulk. Because handmade goods vary by nature, the sample conversation has to fix what must be identical and what is allowed to move: dimensions, colour range, weight, motif placement, finish. Written variation tolerance is the single most useful document in a craft order, and the one most often missing. This stage also decides whether a design belongs to the buyer, the workshop or the tradition itself — a question that has become sharper as geographical indication protection spreads across craft-producing countries.
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| How this stage works in practice | Explore → |
| Standard terms and vocabulary | Explore → |
| Common problems and disputes | Explore → |
| Cost impact | Explore → |
| Documents and records to keep | Explore → |
| Country differences | Explore → |
| Service providers and specialists | Explore → |
| Checklists and best practice | Explore → |