Personal Care: Feminine Care

Finding a private label menstrual cup supplier that you feel confident in partnering with can be challenging (especially if you aren't used to searching and vetting suppliers on your own). So, here is Kanary's advice on how you can find a supplier that is a good match for your business needs:

• Use Alibaba: Alibaba is the world's largest online B2B platform, so it's a great place to start looking for a private label supplier (especially if you want to see a lot of options). However, you need to take time to thoroughly vet any supplier you find on Alibaba, since many suppliers won't end up being a good match for your business or your needs. 
• Online search: Finding a private label supplier can be as easy as using a simple Google search! Many reputable factories have established online presences, though you still need to perform your due diligence in making sure these suppliers are an ideal solution for your needs (and to make sure they are actual factories and not middle-men trade companies).
• Trade shows: It's possible to find private label suppliers (even for menstrual cups) by attending trade shows. It's a great way to make a fast, in-person connection with a potential supplier, but you should keep in mind that your options will be more limited, and you still need to thoroughly vet any choices you're considering. 

If you don't have the time or resources to search for, and vet, potential suppliers, then you may want to consider the services of a sourcing specialist, like Kanary, to do the heavy lifting for you.

Wholesale menstrual pads are available from multiple suppliers, many of which can be found on platforms like Alibaba. However, finding a supplier that's a good fit for your business can be exceptionally challenging, which is why many businesses rely on the expertise of a sourcing specialist, like Kanary, for help.

Yes! There isn't anything inherently dangerous about sourcing wholesale products, like sanitary napkins, from China. However, you still need to manage the production of your order, just like you would with any factory-direct supplier. Making sure that quality control standards are followed in an overseas factory can be challenging, which is why many businesses look to 3rd parties to help support quality control, like Kanary.

Here are a few of our favorite tips in sourcing products from China (including biodegradable sanitary pads). Keep in mind that these steps will vary and are dependent on the product specifics that you need:

• Determine material needs: First, make sure you understand what kinds of biodegradable materials you're looking for. If the specific materials aren't that important (for example, you just want to make sure that the sanitary pads are biodegradable and that's it), then move to the next tip.
• Decide product type: Are you looking for a wholesaler? A supplier that can accommodate white label or private label needs? Are you interested in customizing an existing product or developing something entirely new? All of these questions should be answered, since certain suppliers will fit specific production needs. 
• Search for suppliers: Once you have a clear understanding of your product specifics, you can start searching for suppliers. We recommend starting with a large group of options and narrowing them down based on how well they fit your business needs. For example, when Kanary searches for suppliers for our clients, we generally start with 30-50 supplier options. 
• Vet suppliers and ask for samples: When you've narrowed your choices to about 3-5 options, you need to start vetting them. If possible, visit the factories in-person for inspections (or at least request videos and photos of the factory in progress). 

‍

You can! Kanary regularly finds factories for clients that need specific prototyping ability. For an herbal feminine wash, Kanary can help you find a supplier that:

• Has access to the specific raw materials you need.
• Can produce related materials (like packaging).
• Manufacturers products that are certifiably safe.

Kanary helps clients get access to a number of different fulfillment options, and many of our feminine care product clients end up combining multiple solutions for an ideal supply chain. The most common fulfillment options Kanary helps execute include:

• Sea freight shipping/traditional bulk ordering: Kanary helps clients with traditional bulk ordering strategies. This includes purchasing a large volume of product from a China-based supplier, shipping it via sea freight, clearing customs, and delivering the order to a domestic fulfillment warehouse. 
• Air freight/traditional bulk ordering: Depending on the specific feminine care product (as well as how quickly you need the order), Kanary can help organize air freight shipping logistics. While the order still ends up going through customs and getting delivered to a domestic fulfillment center, the time between the China supplier and customs is cut dramatically. 
• China fulfillment: Depending on your product and general needs, fulfilling straight from China may be an excellent option. In this strategy, you cut out freight shipping and customs entirely. Instead, orders go from a China factory to a China fulfillment center, which then ships products directly to customers. 

Each of these strategies has their pros and cons, which is why many of our clients use a mix of both for their supply chain. For clients that are interested in incorporating China fulfillment into their supply chain, Kanary partners with EcommOps, a 3PL that specializes in China fulfillment.

You need to plan on vetting any feminine care supplier you want to partner with, especially if you find them on Alibaba. Here are some ways we recommend you can make sure that a potential supplier is worth signing a contract with:

• Inspect the factory: One of the most concrete ways to make sure a factory is worth partnering with is to visit the factory in-person. This allows you to see what quality control standards they have in place, to make connections with factory management, and to see how completed inventory is treated and stored until orders are finished. 
• Request videos and photos: If making a factory visit isn't practical, then you should request videos and photos of the factory to serve as a digital inspection. We'll emphasize that you should plan on visiting any factory you plan on making a significant investment with. 
• Request samples: Even after you inspect a factory, you need to request samples of your feminine care product. This is the most concrete way to see what the factory is actually capable of, and in cases where you are customizing products or creating prototypes, it serves as a benchmark for their ability to understand you and follow your instructions. 
• Hire 3rd-party assistance: If you don't trust your ability to thoroughly vet a supplier, then you may want to hire the assistance of a 3rd-party, like Kanary, to visit the factory and vet them on your behalf.

The best way to ship wholesale sanitary napkins from China will depend on your specific business needs. However, the following are the shipment methods most commonly used by our clients in their supply chain strategies: 

• Sea freight shipping: This is the most cost-effective choice, since shipping sea freight is almost always the least expensive shipping method. It also is the longest shipping method, so make sure you have a clear understanding of shipping times to avoid unnecessary complications. ‍
• Air freight shipping: Air freight shipping is the fastest shipping choice (sometimes by several weeks). However, it is also the most expensive, by a lot, so we don't recommend businesses use air freight shipping unless they need their products as fast as possible, or if their product is particularly light-weight and compact.

The best way to make sure that menstrual cups you source from China are safe to use is by managing mass production closely, especially when it comes to quality control. In order to do this effectively, you should make sure that:

• You can communicate with your factory clearly
• You are available to respond to production issues in a fast, timely manner
• You have inspected your factory thoroughly, and ideally are available for in-person supervision during mass production

If you aren't sure that you have the expertise or resources to manage factories to make sure your products are safe, then you may want to consider the support of a 3rd party, like Kanary.

‍

There are dozens of suppliers that manufacture feminine deodorant sprays, so your problem won't be finding a supplier. Instead, your problem will be picking a supplier. You need to consider multiple factors, including lead times, pricing, production quality, and any other factors that may be impactful to your business. You also need to spend time vetting suppliers before you sign contracts and begin mass production. 

‍

If you aren't sure that you have the time to search through the multiple suppliers options, or you aren't convinced that you have the expertise to vet suppliers, then reaching out to a sourcing specialist, like Kanary, may be a great option. 

‍