A lower price per metre does not mean the material costs less per product. The same length can come in a different usable width, and the quantity required or the costs bundled into the price can differ too.
Comparing quotes means converting to a price per area first, then looking at the parts actually cut and the order terms. The figures below are made up to explain the calculation; they are not REGEN's prices or a market rate.
The width on the quote and the width you can use
The full width of a roll can differ from the width you can actually cut. The agreed width after excluding edges you cannot use is the usable width. Ask which width the quote states, and bring both quotes to the same unit.
One metre of length at 1.2 m usable width gives 1.2 m². At 1.5 m the same length yields 1.5 m². If one quote is in yards and the other in metres, bring the length unit into line first.
Converted to the same area, the comparison changes
Price per m² = price per metre ÷ usable width (m)The comparison below assumes identical specification and cost terms, differing only in width. Cutting loss and separate costs are not yet included.
| Item | Example A | Example B |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1 m | 4.00 USD | 4.50 USD |
| Usable width | 1.20m | 1.50m |
| Usable area per 1 m | 1.20㎡ | 1.50㎡ |
| Price per m², worked | 4.00 ÷ 1.20 | 4.50 ÷ 1.50 |
| Price per m² | about 3.33 USD | 3.00 USD |
B costs more per metre but less per square metre. That still does not make B the choice: how the actual parts lay out within that width has to be checked before comparing material cost per product.
How many parts does that width actually yield?
The share of usable area that ends up as parts is the cutting yield. Part size, layout, the direction of the grain and how pieces line up, and areas that cannot be used all change it. Leftover area is worth little if the parts you need cannot be cut from it.
That is why cutting layouts are compared for the same parts and the same production quantity. With a patterned material, the direction and placement of the grain need to go into the conditions too. Mark an estimated yield as an estimate, separate from a verified figure.
Minimum quantities and one-off costs, written separately
Check that every quote prices the same total quantity and the same split by colour. Ask whether the minimum order quantity applies to the order or to each colour. If you have to buy more than you use, it costs more and leaves you with leftover rolls.
Development, roller and colour-setting charges are written out by item and amount. Check whether each is inside the unit price or a one-off. To spread them across the order, use the same quantity for both quotes, and do not add a cost that is already included.
If the material is printed, what to prepare when ordering printing is worth reading as well; it sets out which artwork and processing conditions a quote has to reflect.
How far does the included freight go?
List currency, packaging, delivery point and freight for each quote, side by side. Where what is included differs, price the extras and compare totals delivered to the same place. A cost not yet quoted is left as unknown, not as zero.
Before comparing price, check that code, thickness, backing, surface finish and approval standard match too. However cheap, a material that misses the specification is unusable; compare cost only between candidates that meet the required performance.
Set the two quotes side by side, item by item
| Item | What to write down |
|---|---|
| Sample and specification | Reference sample, code, thickness, backing, colour and finish, test data required |
| Price and width | Currency, length unit of the price, full and usable width, price per area |
| Cutting | Parts, grain direction and matching, estimated yield and how it was verified |
| Order | Total and per-colour quantity, what the MOQ applies to, quantity actually bought |
| Separate costs | Whether development, processing, packaging and freight are included, their amounts, and what is still unknown |
| Schedule and terms | Quote validity, sample and bulk dates, delivery point and cost scope |
Where a blank appears, that is the next question to ask. Knowing where the price difference comes from means the discussion can move past asking for a discount: keep the specification, or change the processing or the order.
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