How to Choose a Custom Contract Manufacturer

You know what they say: if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.

Those in the beauty and personal care industry know that there are countless variables to consider when choosing a custom contract manufacturer. It’s a big decision, and we want to help you get it right.

We’ve created a guide for you to evaluate each manufacturer's capabilities to deliver the best possible version of your product. Here are the things you should consider when choosing a contract manufacturer:

Paths to product development

Determine the paths that each custom contract manufacturer offers. Four common processes are:

Base Library: This option gives you a jumping-off point to build a product on an innovative base formula. This option gives you the chance to start with a desirable texture and then collaborate on an ingredient and marketing story.

Tech Transfer: This is the best path when you have a finished formula and need a manufacturer partner to produce it.

Custom Development: You have a vision for a product that you want to bring to life. Start from scratch and have our lab create the formula of your dreams.

White Label: This is usually the fastest and easiest way to get a product onto the shelf – but it’s also the least unique. Buy a generic pre-produced formula and slap your branded label on it. (Note: At Twincraft, we do not offer White Label services.)

Capabilities

Once you’ve determined your development path, ensure your prospective personal care manufacturer has the right equipment for your project. Can their equipment run your components and your chosen formula? Do they have successful examples with similar formats? It's also wise to explore additional equipment that could support scalability and future products, enabling a seamless partnership.

Experience and Expertise

Take a look at their catalog to see what types of products they typically produce. Do their finished goods instill confidence in your vision? How well do the brands they work with align with your product strategy? What do their partners say about working with them? Sometimes, the proof is in the pudding (or facial serum). Make sure you’re evaluating a potential partner not only on what they promise but also on what they’ve produced. The right manufacturing partner serves as a member of your team and helps bring your vision to life.

Capacity & Scalability

It's important to vet each custom contract manufacturer's ability to scale production for future growth. Scalability is often overlooked, making it one of the biggest roadblocks as demand rises. Make sure your prospective partner is considering your formula through the lens of production - equipment compatibility, timing shifts, order of additions, raw material variability, etc. Most importantly, understand your capacity requirements and reconcile them with the available capacity of your chosen CM over the same time horizon. Can they scale with you? Will your needs exceed their ability to deliver? Are they willing and/or able to add capacity, and if so, how will they do so? How quickly can it be implemented?

Quality Assurance

See if your prospective partners have any information on their quality assurance processes. Look for certifications that you want applied to your products to ensure product quality, consistency, and regulatory compliance.

Transparency and Communication

Finally, consider communication. Consistent, transparent communication is essential for smooth product development and production. Look for a manufacturing partner that keeps you in the loop and proactively communicates with you along the way – even when it’s bad news. And when challenges do arise (and we all know they will), you’ll want a partner that explains the risks and proposes solutions, so you can get unstuck quickly and move forward with confidence.

If you want to simplify this list, ask yourself these three questions:

• Can they make my product?
• Are they easy to communicate with?
• Do they have my best interests at heart?

Ultimately, the best custom contract manufacturer is the one that gets the job done as painlessly as possible. So, tap into your intuition, use this checklist, take a little leap of faith, and get the job done.

And if you wanna hear about how Twincraft measures against your qualifications, reach out to our team. We'd love to hear about your project.