Start with carton closure
Describe the carton surface, approximate packed weight, manual dispenser or case sealer, application temperature and storage conditions. State the required backing, adhesive preference and total thickness if known. A print that looks good does not establish adhesion on your carton. Use a sample on the actual board when closure performance is critical, and agree on how that trial will be assessed.
Write dimensions with units
Include tape width, usable roll length and core inside diameter. Do not treat 100 yards and 100 meters as the same length: one yard is 0.9144 meters, so 100 yards is 91.44 meters. Similarly, 2 inches is 50.8 mm, not exactly 48 mm. These are unit conversions, not statements of available sizes. If an alternative format is acceptable, request it as a separate quote line instead of silently changing the specification.
Give every design a clear identity
Name the artwork file and version. Specify the tape background, artwork colors, desired repeat length, print orientation and position. Supply a color reference if color consistency matters; a screen preview alone is not a physical color standard. Ask which artwork format is needed for production. For initial website review, attach a PDF, PNG or JPG. Send AI or EPS master artwork by email to sales@saflopack.com; these files are not accepted by the website upload.
Separate proof approval from a production sample
A digital proof can confirm text, placement and dimensions, but it does not prove adhesive performance or the exact appearance on the finished tape. Agree whether a physical print sample or application sample is required, what it costs and how it affects timing. Keep an approved, dated proof and record who authorized it. If artwork changes, request a revised proof before release rather than relying on a verbal instruction.
Quote rolls, not an ambiguous total
State the number of rolls per design, rolls per carton and required labels, cores or private-label cartons. If your requirement is expressed as total length, also state the desired length per roll. For example, a hypothetical 10,000-meter requirement at 100 meters per roll equals 100 rolls before allowances. Confirm any order-quantity tolerance and MOQ separately. Do not assume mixed designs share one MOQ or one setup charge.
Make costs and dates explicit
Request tape unit price, printing setup or tooling charges, special packaging, samples and freight as separate items where applicable. Include the shipping term and named destination. Ask whether quoted production lead time starts after payment, artwork approval or sample approval, and distinguish dispatch date from arrival date. A target arrival date is a requirement to review, not a confirmed promise. For repeat orders, ask what costs or approvals recur when artwork, colors or dimensions change.
Send one brief and keep the approved version
Combine the specification, artwork version, quantity, delivery address or port and target date into one RFQ. SAFLO can review missing details before a final quotation. Use the downloadable checklist below to keep supplier responses on a common basis. Before ordering, verify the commercial terms and sample results against your application; the checklist itself is not a product guarantee or a technical data sheet.