With dried botanicals and handmade sola flowers, photographs only go so far. Screens shift colour, scale is hard to judge, and natural materials vary in ways a catalogue image cannot show. A well-managed sample stage turns “looks right online” into an agreed, documented specification that both buyer and supplier can work to. This guide explains when to request samples, how to evaluate them, and how to lock in approval so your bulk order arrives as expected.
Why samples matter more for natural products
Manufactured goods can be made to a drawing with tight tolerances. Dried flowers, pods, grasses and leaves are grown, harvested and dried, and sola flowers are shaped by hand. Size, tone, texture and shape will always vary within a range. The purpose of sampling is not to eliminate that variation but to agree what range is acceptable for your use.
Samples also let you test how a product performs in your own conditions: in your arrangement, your packaging, your diffuser oil or your climate. Those are questions no supplier can answer on your behalf.
When to request samples
- First order with a new supplier, to confirm quality and presentation before committing volume.
- Custom colours or dyed finishes, where shade matching is critical.
- New or developed products made through custom development.
- Private-label and retail programmes, where packaging, labels and fill must be approved together.
- Grade decisions, when you are choosing between Premium, Select and Economy.
- Repeat orders after a gap, particularly across seasons, when natural tones may have shifted.
Types of sample
| Sample type | Purpose | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue sample | Shows a standard item in its usual finish and grade | Early product selection |
| Development sample | Tests a new shape, colour, size or assortment | Custom and private-label projects |
| Approval sample | The version signed off as the reference for bulk | Immediately before the bulk order |
| Pre-shipment evidence | Photos or pieces from bulk production, checked against the approval sample | Before dispatch, where agreed |
Development samples may go through more than one round. Allow time for this in your planning, especially where a colour must match an existing collection.
How to request samples effectively
Use the sample request form and be as specific as you would be for a bulk enquiry. Include:
- Product codes from the catalogue, for example Sola Open Lotus (SO83).
- Finish (natural, bleached or dyed), colour and grade.
- Size and stem or stick requirements.
- Your intended use, so the supplier can suggest alternatives.
- A request for several pieces where possible, rather than a single piece, so you can see the natural range within the grade.
- Your delivery address and any courier account you prefer to use.
Sample availability and any charges are confirmed per request. Plant-material import rules can apply to samples as well as to commercial shipments, so check with your courier or plant-health authority if you are unsure.
How to evaluate a sample
Unpack samples in daylight or neutral lighting, photograph them on arrival, and assess them against a consistent checklist.
Appearance
- Size: measure several pieces and note the range, not just one reading.
- Colour and tone: compare against your reference swatch, product or palette in the same light.
- Shape and finish: for sola, look at petal definition, layering and the neatness of the back or mounting point.
- Natural marks: decide which are acceptable character and which you would reject.
Condition
- Breakage, crushing or loose fragments in the pack.
- Dryness: pieces should feel dry and crisp, with no damp or musty smell.
- Cleanliness: note excess dust or debris.
- Strength: check that stems, sticks and joints hold up to handling.
Performance in your use
- Arranging: build a real arrangement or product and see how the item behaves.
- Fragrance: sola absorbs fragrance oils, which is why it is used for diffuser flowers. Test with your own oil and reed set; our guide to sola flowers for reed diffusers explains what to look for.
- Light: if the product will sit in a bright shop window or sunny room, leave a piece in similar light and compare it later with one kept in the dark. Dyed and natural tones can soften over time.
- Packing: for retail programmes, check fit, visibility and protection in the intended pack.
Recording approval: build a specification sheet
An approval that exists only in an email thread is easy to misread months later. Create a simple specification sheet for each approved code and share it with your supplier. Include:
- Product code and name, for example Palm Spear Antique (LE07).
- Finish, colour and grade.
- Size range and, where relevant, stem length.
- Acceptable variation, described in plain terms (for example, “slight tone variation acceptable; no pieces with broken tips”).
- Photos of the approved sample, with a ruler for scale and a neutral background.
- Packing: units per pack, packs per carton, labels and barcodes.
- Date of approval and the name of the person approving.
Keep at least one physical piece from the approved sample, stored dry and out of light. Many buyers also ask the supplier to keep a matching counter sample, so both sides refer to the same reference when checking bulk production. Agree this at the approval stage.
From approved sample to bulk order
When you place the bulk order, reference the specification sheet and the approval date on your purchase order. This connects the order to the agreed standard.
- Order in one lot where you can. Natural tone can shift between harvests. For a project that needs colour consistency, ordering the full quantity together reduces the risk of visible differences.
- Ask for pre-shipment photos of finished goods and packed cartons if they are important to you, and agree this before production.
- Arrange inspection if required. Some buyers appoint an independent inspection service. If you plan to, include it in your enquiry so timing and access can be arranged.
- Record changes formally. If you change colour, size or packing after approval, update the specification sheet and confirm whether a new sample is needed.
For more on how quality is managed from sorting to packing, see our quality process page.
Worked examples
Bleached décor for a neutral collection
A homeware brand building an all-white range requests Lata Ball Bleached (HM07) alongside a white textile swatch. On arrival, it compares tone in daylight, confirms the ivory-cream shade works with its palette, and records “soft ivory, slight tone variation acceptable” on the specification sheet.
Diffuser flowers for a fragrance brand
A fragrance brand samples a sola flower head together with Bell Cup (MI07) as an alternative topper. It fits both to its reeds, tests them with its oil over several days, and approves the option that suits its bottle and scent.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Approving from a single piece rather than a representative handful.
- Judging colour on screen or under warm indoor lighting.
- Skipping performance tests for diffuser, outdoor or bright-light use.
- Changing the specification after approval without re-confirming it.
- Allowing no time for a second sample round on custom colours.
For grade definitions, see grades and natural variation in dried botanicals. When you are ready to price the bulk order, our wholesale quote checklist sets out what to include.
Floral Mongers supplies samples of sola flowers, dried flowers and natural botanicals for trade and export buyers. Request samples or request a quote, quoting product codes where you have them, and we will confirm availability and next steps.