A wholesale quotation for dry flowers is only as accurate as the enquiry behind it. Price, packing, freight and paperwork all depend on details that are easy to leave out: the exact finish, how each item is sold, where the goods are going and on which delivery terms. This checklist sets out what to include when you request a quote for sola flowers, dried botanicals or handmade natural décor, so you receive a like-for-like quotation first time and avoid weeks of back-and-forth.
You do not need every answer before you make contact. Approximate figures are fine at the first stage, and it is better to say “not sure yet” than to leave a field blank. The aim is simply to give your supplier enough to price the right product, in the right pack, delivered on the right terms.
1. Tell the supplier who you are and where you sell
A short introduction shapes the whole quotation. An importer supplying garden centres needs different packing and grades from a wedding stylist or a reed diffuser brand. Include:
- Buyer type: importer, wholesaler, distributor, florist, retailer, décor or fragrance brand, event or hospitality buyer, or craft business.
- Your market: the country or countries where the goods will be sold or used.
- End use: resale in retail packs, use in arrangements, event installations, product manufacture and so on.
- Order pattern: a one-off project, a trial order or a planned repeat programme.
If you are still deciding what suits your customers, our guide to choosing dried botanicals for retail, events, hospitality and craft is a useful starting point.
2. Identify every product clearly
Every item in the Floral Mongers range has a product code, such as SO31 or GR04. Quoting codes removes ambiguity, because many dried botanicals share similar trade names. Browse the catalogue or go straight to a category, for example sola flowers, dried grasses or potpourri.
On this website you can add products to an RFQ list as you browse and send the whole list together from the Request a Quote page. For items that are not in the catalogue, attach clear photos, a description and any reference dimensions, and mention that it is a new development. Bespoke shapes, colours and assortments are handled through custom development.
3. Specify each line in full
For every product code, state the details below. Where you have no preference, say so and ask for the supplier’s recommendation.
| Field | What to state | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Finish | Natural, bleached or dyed, and the colour for dyed items | Processing steps and colour matching affect cost and timing |
| Size | Target size or size range, if you have one | Many items are graded in several sizes |
| Grade | Premium, Select, Economy or a custom grade | Grade reflects sorting for uniformity and breakage |
| Stem or stick | Stemless, with stem or stick, and length where relevant | Fitting sticks is an extra handwork step |
| Unit of sale | Pieces, bunches, sets or weight | Some items are counted, others sold loose by weight |
| Quantity | Quantity per code, even if approximate | Volume affects price, packing and freight |
Units of sale differ across the range. Sola Rose (SO31) is a handmade, stemless flower head counted by the piece; Pampas Natural (GR04) is supplied in bunches; and Cedar Rose (PO03) is supplied loose by weight. Quoting quantities in the right unit avoids a mismatch between what you expect and what is priced.
On finish, remember that a bleached item such as Palm Spear Bleached (LE08) is a different product from its natural counterpart. If you are unsure which finish suits your application, read Natural, Bleached or Dyed? Choosing the Right Finish for Dried Botanicals.
4. Be clear about grade and acceptable variation
Dried botanicals are natural materials, so size, tone and shape vary from piece to piece and from harvest to harvest. Floral Mongers uses three grades:
- Premium: superior quality, uniform size and colour, minimal breakage.
- Select: good quality with slight natural variation, suited to décor and crafts.
- Economy: natural and cost-effective, with more variation in size, suited to bulk use.
Custom grading is available on request. If your customers expect tight uniformity, say so at the enquiry stage. Our guide to grades and natural variation in dried botanicals explains how to match grade to use.
5. Packing, labelling and private label
Packing affects unit cost, carton count and freight, so include it in the first enquiry:
- Bulk or retail-ready: bulk cartons for re-packing, or finished consumer packs.
- Pack configuration: pieces, bunches or weight per inner pack, and inner packs per carton, if you have a preference.
- Labelling: your own labels, barcodes, language requirements or care wording.
- Private label: branded packaging and whether you will supply artwork or materials.
- Palletisation: whether you want goods palletised. If wooden pallets or crates are used for export, they must meet ISPM 15.
For branded programmes, see private label and retail packaging for imported dried botanicals.
6. Destination, shipping mode and Incoterms
A price means little until you know what it includes. State:
- Destination country, city and the port or airport you prefer.
- Preferred shipping mode, sea or air, or ask for both. Our guide to sea freight or air freight for dried flowers compares the two.
- Your preferred Incoterm, or a request for options.
Incoterms® 2020 define who pays for and bears the risk of each stage of delivery. The terms most often requested are:
| Term | In short | Points to note |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | You collect from the seller’s premises and handle everything after that | Export clearance falls to the buyer, which can be impractical for overseas buyers |
| FCA | Seller hands export-cleared goods to your carrier at an agreed place | Suits containerised and air shipments |
| FOB | Seller delivers goods on board the vessel at the port of shipment | For sea and inland waterway transport only |
| CIF | Seller pays cost, insurance and freight to the destination port | Sea and inland waterway only; risk passes at loading; minimum insurance cover |
| CIP | Seller pays carriage and insurance to a named destination | Any mode; higher default insurance cover than CIF |
| DAP / DDP | Seller delivers to a named place, without or with import duties paid | DDP makes the seller responsible for import clearance and duties |
If you already work with a freight forwarder, give their details. Otherwise, ask for guidance on the options that suit your destination. More detail is on our export page.
7. Import requirements in your country
Plant-based goods can be subject to plant-health controls on arrival, and requirements differ by country and by product. Before you order, ask your customs broker or national plant-health authority:
- Whether a phytosanitary certificate is required. Where it is, it is issued by the exporting country’s plant protection authority.
- Whether any treatment, declaration or import permit applies.
- How the goods classify. Dried flowers and buds generally fall under HS heading 0603, and dried foliage, branches and grasses under 0604, but handcrafted items may classify differently. Your broker confirms the final code.
Share any known requirements in your enquiry so they are built into the quotation. Australia and New Zealand, for example, apply strict biosecurity checks to plant material. Our guide to importing dry flowers: documentation and packing covers this in more depth.
8. Samples and timeline
Samples are strongly recommended for new buyers, custom colours, new products and private-label programmes. Request them through the sample request form; availability and any charges are confirmed per request. Our guide to samples and specification approval explains how to use an approved sample as the reference for bulk production.
Also give your target delivery date or the season you are buying for, and whether the date is fixed (a launch or event) or flexible. Lead times are confirmed in the quotation.
Copy-and-paste enquiry checklist
- Company name, buyer type, market and end use
- Product codes, or photos and descriptions for new items
- Finish, colour, size, grade and stem requirement per code
- Unit of sale and quantity per code
- Packing, labelling and private-label needs
- Destination, port or airport, shipping mode and Incoterm
- Known import requirements
- Sample requirement
- Target delivery date and whether it is fixed
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing items by trade name only, without codes or photos.
- Comparing quotations on different Incoterms or grades as if they were equal.
- Forgetting that dyed and bleached items are separate specifications.
- Leaving import checks until the goods are already on the water.
What happens next
We review your list, confirm specifications or ask questions where something is unclear, and reply with a written quotation. Prices, minimum quantities and lead times are confirmed in the quotation, because they depend on the products, finishes, quantities, packing and destination. Questions can also go to dryflower@internationalmongers.com or WhatsApp +91 70031 92092, and our FAQ answers many common points.
Floral Mongers supplies dry flowers, sola flowers and natural botanicals wholesale and for export. Request a quote with your completed checklist, or ask for samples first, quoting product codes wherever you have them.