Delivered Project · Designer Mahjong OEM
Designer Mahjong OEM: A Two-Collection Production Run
A promotional-products brand brought us two coordinated designer mahjong collections as vector artwork.
We turned them into one production-controlled program: shared tile geometry, a physical color reference and golden tile for each collection, and one bill of materials. Production was released only after the tile manifest, artwork revision, color reference, golden tile, accessories and packing were approved. Project profile: Two artwork collections · shared tile geometry · separate approved color references · one revision-controlled set bill of materials.
- artwork collections
- 2
- shared tile geometry
- 1
- physical color references
- 2
- face routes compared
- 3
Key Takeaways
- We ran two designer collections on one approved tile geometry, with separate artwork and separate physical color references.
- A physical tile check, not the screen palette, was the color gate for each collection.
- Tile dimensions, face manifest, engraving, color process, accessories and packing shared one revision-controlled bill of materials.
- Every later change to artwork, color, count or packaging went through a written price and timing review before release.
The Challenge
The brief held two coordinated collections, separate palettes and one retail deadline, but those inputs were not yet a production specification. Before quoting we needed a playable face manifest, finished tile dimensions, approved artwork revisions, accessory scope, packaging level, quantity and delivery destination.
The artwork carried Pantone references, and a Pantone reference in a vector file is not a physical material approval. Pigmented acrylic and surface print respond differently to light, thickness and finish, so each collection needed a physical reference approved under named viewing conditions, kept with the signed artwork and bill of materials.
The two collections could share geometry and inspection logic while keeping separate artwork and color references. We planned the launch date backward through freight, quantity-based production time, sample review and file corrections, and confirmed the dates in writing after reviewing the final brief. Stock sheet codes avoided custom-sheet preparation time.
Our Approach
We made three decisions early: approve color physically before production, assign each visible feature to a named process, and treat tile geometry, accessories and packaging as one controlled system.
Physical color-swatch matching before production
The licensed artwork was handled under our standing artwork practice: used only for the owning brand's production, never published, never reused. We logged the vector revision and color references, then made the full custom tile sample and the separately priced accessory samples needed for approval.
Artwork intake: we logged the face manifest, vector revision and color references. Physical reference: we produced the full custom tile sample. Golden tile: the brand approved finished dimensions, artwork position, engraving, color and edge feel. Production release: the bill of materials, packing plan and inspection criteria were signed.
The brand did not ask for a numerical color tolerance, so the signed physical tile governed color. When a buyer does require one, the approval has to name the formula, instrument, illuminant, physical master and sampling frequency.
Cast-in pigment bodies vs UV-printed faces
Body color and face artwork needed different processes. The quote named the construction, the print or engraving method and the approval check for each surface.
| Method | Durability | Color fidelity | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigmented construction | Buyer approves the physical tile | Solid body or layer color | Sheet-lot and colorway dependent | Tile bodies and backs |
| UV print | Sample validates adhesion and handling | Detailed artwork and gradients | Print area and pass count dependent | Face artwork and licensed graphics |
| Engraving + UV color | Sample validates depth and color placement | Solid characters and indices | Engraving time and color count dependent | Suit characters and markings |
We compared engraving with paint fill, engraving with UV color and surface printing against the artwork, and confirmed the chosen route on the sample. The mahjong tile size guide explains how face dimensions constrain artwork, and the custom mahjong tile sets page compares construction options.
Tile geometry and packaging as one system
Sharing one tile geometry across both collections reduced revision risk; the quote stated the exact construction and setup. The sample proved tile dimensions, edge feel, rack compatibility and the complete face manifest before either collection entered production.
The packing plan immobilized the tiles and listed every accessory, insert and carton mark before production release. The quote kept each commercial layer visible: tile price, color work, accessories, packaging, sample fees and freight were separate lines, and each design was costed on its own quantity.
Approval ownership mattered as much as the file list. The brand named who approved artwork, color, the golden tile and packing, and we recorded the approved revision on the production document. Any later artwork, color, count or packaging change went through a written review of price and timing before release.
Results
Both collections ran from the same signed documents: the golden tile for dimensions, edge feel, color and artwork placement, and the approved face manifest and packing bill for count and contents.
Release decision: a color that looks right on screen can shift in acrylic, so we held both collections until the physical swatches and golden tiles were signed.
What This Means for Your Project
Start with the complete set manifest, not only the artwork. Name the tile count, jokers, blanks, dimensions, racks, pushers, dice, mat, bag, packaging and carton marks. That list becomes the basis for sampling and inspection.
Use the full tile sample to review count, faces, body, color and finish, and add separately priced accessory samples when fit and packout must be checked together. Reasonable NDA terms can be reviewed before you share confidential files.
Use the current price book to cost each design separately; the quote confirms the exact dimensions, tile count and construction. Send the quantities and open decisions through the mahjong quote form.
