Choosing between OEM and ODM is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a UK brand. Get it right and you’re building a competitive edge. Get it wrong and you’re locked into the wrong supplier with the wrong product.
Whether you have a fully designed product ready to produce (OEM) or you want to customise an existing design with your branding (ODM) — Epic Sourcing connects you with the right manufacturer for the job. No Alibaba roulette. Just verified factories and a team who know this space inside out.
Two very different manufacturing models. One expert sourcing team to help you navigate both. Here’s what you need to know.
You own the design. The factory builds to your exact specifications. Full control over materials, dimensions, and intellectual property. Best for brands with a finished concept ready to produce.
The factory has an existing design. You add your branding and customise the details. Faster to market, lower development cost. Best for brands who want to move quickly with a proven product.
Not sure which model suits your product and budget? Our London-based team has guided hundreds of British businesses through this exact decision. We’ll tell you straight.
We’ve sourced thousands of products for British businesses across China and Vietnam. Whether you’re placing your first OEM order or scaling an ODM product line, our team handles supplier finding, factory vetting, sampling, quality control, and shipping — so you don’t have to.
Your IP, your specs, your tooling. Built to your exact design files with full ownership of the mould and product.
Factory-designed base products with your branding applied. Faster timelines, lower upfront investment, proven designs.
Build a full branded product range without designing from scratch. Customise packaging, labelling, colour, and formulation.
Long-run production contracts with verified factories. Consistent quality, predictable lead times, and managed supplier relationships.
Not sure which model fits your project? Here’s the honest comparison every UK brand builder needs to read.
You provide the design. The factory manufactures to your exact specifications.
✓ Full control over design and IP ✓ Unique product — competitors can’t copy it easily ✓ Higher perceived brand value ✓ Best for: Inventors, patent holders, established brands
✗ Higher upfront cost (tooling, moulds, development) ✗ Longer lead times to first sample ✗ Requires finished design files or CAD drawings
The factory already has the design. You customise it and brand it as your own.
✓ Faster to market — designs already exist ✓ Lower development cost and risk ✓ Ideal for testing a product concept ✓ Best for: eCommerce brands, startups, private label sellers
✗ Less unique — other brands may sell the same base product ✗ Limited design control ✗ May not be suitable for patent-sensitive products
with an expert sourcing agency (that’s us!) by your side.
Tell us about the product you want to manufacture — whether OEM or ODM — and we’ll start building the perfect procurement plan for your UK business.
Our clients only work with the best suppliers and manufacturers. If you want world class products, you need a world class supplier.
Tweak, tune and refine the features. Get to the Golden Sample before you push ahead with production.
We’ll negotiate pricing and contract terms, monitor production, conduct QC checks, and ship the products direct to your door or warehouse.
It’s product sourcing made simple. For British businesses in a global supply chain.
Everything UK businesses ask us about OEM and ODM manufacturing.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) means you supply the design and the factory produces it to your exact specifications — you own the IP. ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) means the factory already has a design, and you customise and brand it as your own. OEM gives you more uniqueness; ODM gets you to market faster.
Most UK startups are better off beginning with ODM. It’s lower risk, faster to market, and requires less upfront investment. Once you’ve validated demand and built cash flow, moving to OEM with a proprietary design makes more sense. We’ll give you an honest recommendation based on your specific situation.
Yes — with the right vetting process. The risk isn’t China; it’s unverified factories. Epic Sourcing conducts thorough supplier verification, factory audits, and pre-shipment QC on every order. We’ve been doing this for hundreds of UK businesses and our standards are non-negotiable.
It varies by product and factory. ODM products typically have lower MOQs because tooling costs are already covered. OEM MOQs depend on materials, complexity, and whether custom tooling or moulds are needed. Epic Sourcing negotiates MOQs on your behalf and can often achieve lower quantities than you’d get approaching factories directly.
Epic Sourcing charges a transparent service fee rather than taking hidden commissions from factories. Our packages start from £699 for supplier vetting through to £3,299 for full end-to-end sourcing and private label development. You can see all pricing on our pricing page — no surprises.
