If you design your own outdoor collection, or work from an architect’s drawings, you need a factory that builds to your specification and not one that only sells a catalog. That’s OEM outdoor furniture, and it behaves differently from a catalog order on minimums, timing and risk. This guide walks through how OEM works with an Indonesian teak factory, what to put in your brief, and which numbers to check before you sign.
We’re RecycleTeak, a reclaimed teak manufacturer in Semarang, so the process below is how we run it. Where we quote market figures instead of our own, we say so and link the source.
OEM outdoor furniture means the factory builds to your drawings and specification. At RecycleTeak, custom orders start at 10 units per SKU, take 45 to 60 days from sample approval (the sample itself takes 15 to 30 days), and ship FOB Semarang. Marketplace guides quote higher OEM minimums of 50 to 200 pieces, so check which model a supplier is actually offering.
Suppliers use these terms loosely, so pin them down before you compare quotes:
| Model | Who designs | Our MOQ | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalog | The factory | 20 units per SKU | Fast fit-outs where a standard piece works |
| Custom specification | The factory’s design, changed to your size, finish or hardware | 10 units per SKU | Matching an existing property or a designer’s finish |
| OEM | You, from drawings or CAD | Scoped per project | Your own collection, or a design that doesn’t exist yet |
For context, an Alibaba.com seller guide on OEM vs ODM for garden furniture puts typical OEM minimums at 50 to 200 pieces per SKU and mass-production lead times at 45 to 90 days. Those are general marketplace figures, not teak-specific and not ours, but they explain why a 10-unit custom minimum is unusual and worth asking about.
A thin brief is the most common reason an OEM order slips. Send these in the first message and you’ll save a week of back-and-forth:
| Parameter | RecycleTeak |
|---|---|
| MOQ, catalog | 20 units per SKU |
| MOQ, custom specification | 10 units per SKU |
| MOQ, OEM from your drawings | Scoped per project |
| Lead time, stock items | 30 to 45 days ex-factory |
| Sample lead time | 15 to 30 days |
| Lead time, custom and OEM | 45 to 60 days from sample approval |
| Incoterms | FOB Semarang (Tanjung Emas Port) |
| Payment | 50% deposit on confirmation, 50% against Bill of Lading |
One trap worth knowing: suppliers count lead time from different starting points. “45 days” can mean from deposit, from sample approval, or from material arrival. Ask which, because the sample stage alone can add weeks that never appear in the headline figure. Our sample takes 15 to 30 days, and our production figure counts from sample approval.
We quote OEM pieces individually, but the cost drivers are consistent. In rough order of impact:
For how the timber itself is priced, see reclaimed teak price per cubic meter.
The sample is the only point where changes are cheap, so treat it as an inspection and not a formality. Check the overall dimensions against your drawing, the fit of every joint, the finish against your reference, the hardware grade and finish, and how the piece feels under load: sit on it, lean on it, and rock it. If you can’t inspect in person, ask for photos with a tape measure in frame and a short video of the load test.
Orders ship FOB Semarang under Incoterms, in full container loads with LCL consolidation available for smaller orders. Standard paperwork is the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, plus V-Legal documentation where the destination market requires it. Our SVLK number is VLHH-33-07-0834, and you can read what to verify in our buyer’s audit guide. Landed-cost detail by route is in importing teak furniture from Indonesia, and Asia-Pacific transit times are on our resort furniture supplier Asia page.
If the design is yours, handle that on paper before you share files. Keep a dated copy of everything you send, put the approved specification and signed sample photos in writing, and agree confidentiality and ownership terms in a contract your own lawyer has reviewed. This applies to any OEM supplier, not only us, and it’s easier to agree before the first drawing leaves your inbox.
At RecycleTeak, catalog items start at 20 units per SKU and custom specifications at 10 units per SKU. OEM orders built to your own drawings are scoped per project after a feasibility review. Marketplace guides often quote 50 to 200 pieces for OEM, so compare like with like.
Our custom and OEM orders take 45 to 60 days from sample approval, and stock items take 30 to 45 days ex-factory. Samples take 15 to 30 days. Always ask where a supplier starts the clock, since the sample stage can add weeks.
With OEM you supply the design and the factory builds it. With ODM the factory supplies a design that you adapt or put your brand on. ODM usually has lower minimums and a shorter path, and OEM gives you more control over the product.
No. Dimensioned sketches or reference photos are enough to start a feasibility review. CAD files help once you reach the sample stage because they remove ambiguity about joinery and tolerances.
FOB Semarang (Tanjung Emas Port) is our default, in full container loads with LCL consolidation available. CIF or DDP can be quoted on request.
For fully bespoke commissions, see our custom teak furniture Indonesia supplier page, and for how to audit any factory before you order, read the teak outdoor furniture manufacturer guide. Ready to brief a project? Send your drawings through the custom project page or our contact page.
Reclaimed Teak Furniture Manufacturer & Hospitality Furniture Supplier, Indonesia. Sustainably Crafted. Wholesale & Custom Orders Welcome.
