A custom furniture prototype in Indonesia moves through five stages: technical drawing, material and finish approval, a first sample build, one or two revision rounds, and final sign-off before production begins. Workshops in Jepara and Bali typically need three to six weeks for a first prototype from an approved drawing. Budget for the sample fee too: commonly 150–300% of the per-unit price, often partly credited back against production, plus air freight, which on a full-size piece can cost more than the sample. The loop exists because a container order commits thousands of dollars to a design that, until the prototype, exists only on paper: a seat height that looked right in CAD sits too low, or a stain that photographed well reads orange under showroom lighting. Below is how the loop runs through the group’s workshop partners, and what it costs.
Why the Prototype Comes First
Workshops price from a drawing, but material yield and finishing steps only firm up once the piece is built. A quote issued after prototyping holds through production; a quote from a sketch will move. Skipping sampling to save time usually costs more later, in renegotiation or a container that isn’t quite right. A documented approval gives both sides a physical reference, so “match the sample” is an enforceable standard.
Stage 1: Sketch to Working Drawing
Projects arrive as a CAD file, a reference photo, or a hand sketch, and all three work. A draftsman converts a sketch or photo into a dimensioned drawing, usually within a week, for your approval before anything is built. Changes cost nothing here; the same change after the prototype is built costs a revision round.
What to Include in Your Drawing Package
- Dimensions in millimetres, with critical ones flagged: seat height, clearance, drawer sizes.
- Timber species and grade, or material mix for rattan and rope pieces.
- A finish reference, hardware preferences, and destination market, since climates need different joinery allowances.
Designers sampling for client projects usually run this stage under our designer trade program, built around the same loop for small custom runs.
Stage 2: Material Boards and Finish Samples
Before a full build, approve the finish on a small board of the actual timber, since stain behaves differently across species. A finish board is typically an A4-sized panel showing stain, sheen and distressing; workshops produce two or three variations within days. Woven pieces get a weave swatch; upholstery gets a fabric cutting. Do not approve finishes from photos alone, since phone cameras shift warm tones badly. Boards are cheap to courier, usually US$40–80, and having the physical panel before the build starts removes the most common cause of sample rejection.
Stage 3: The First Prototype Build
With drawing and finish approved, the piece goes to the bench. Export timber is kiln-dried to roughly 8–12% moisture content before joinery, which stops panels splitting once the furniture lands in an air-conditioned interior. Then come milling, joinery, carving, assembly, sanding and finishing. Three to six weeks is realistic for most case goods and seating; heavy carving or metal-and-timber combinations push toward the long end. You should receive photo and video documentation at each key point, from the dry-fitted frame to the finished sample in daylight.
Stage 4: The Revision Round
Plan for one revision on a new design, two on a complex one; this is normal, not a sign the brief was misread. The gap between a two-week revision and a six-week one is mostly the quality of your feedback. Fast feedback is specific: “raise the seat 25mm,” “match board B, not A.” Slow feedback is vague: “make it feel lighter.” Cosmetic revisions, finish, hardware, minor dimensions, are usually made to the same sample; structural changes to proportions or joinery mean a partial or full rebuild.
What Sampling Actually Costs
Ranges below reflect what we typically see arranging samples through the group’s workshop partners. Confirm exact numbers in writing before the build starts.
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sample fee | 150–300% of unit price | Often credited to production; agree terms upfront. |
| Finish/material boards | US$40–80 couriered | Cheap insurance for colour-critical work. |
| Air courier, one chair-sized piece | US$200–500 | Priced on volumetric weight, not actual weight. |
| Sea freight consolidation | Cheaper, 4–8 weeks | Good when several samples travel together. |
| Holding sample for first container | No freight cost now | Sample arrives with the shipment. |
The fee surprises first-time buyers, since a one-off build carries full setup cost with none of the batch efficiency; the partial-credit convention exists because workshops expect buyers to proceed.
Timeline and Keeping the Loop Tight
Sketch to approved sample realistically runs six to ten weeks, start to finish; add courier time if the sample travels before approval. Several new designs can sample in parallel, compressing months out of a collection launch. The delays we see most often are avoidable: mid-build spec changes, finishes approved from screens, vague credit terms, and destination climate never mentioned. Fix those and the process runs close to its minimum timeline.
If you have a design ready to sample, or just a photo and a rough idea, our custom OEM and ODM furniture service covers this loop end to end, from drawing through prototype and into production. Send drawings or references via WhatsApp at +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com for a realistic timeline and cost estimate.