How to Prepare a Bedding RFQ for Middle East and African Markets

What should a bedding RFQ include?

State the destination country and sales channel; product and set composition; finished dimensions and mattress depth; material, construction and weight; colours and artwork; workmanship and tolerances; labelling and packaging; order quantity by SKU; sample and inspection plan; target timing; delivery term; and destination-specific documents. Mark every point as confirmed, supplier to propose or requires sample approval.

Identify the destination, buyer and channel

“Middle East” and “Africa” are not single specifications. Name the country, importer or project type, retail channel and target price position. A hotel opening in Riyadh, a wholesale program in Lagos and an e-commerce collection in Casablanca can require different sizes, presentation and logistics.

Name the product and every component

Write the exact item: duvet cover, flat sheet, fitted sheet, quilt, comforter, bedspread, pillowcase or coordinated set. For a set, list the quantity and finished size of every component. Do not rely on “4-piece set” alone because the composition can vary by market.

Give finished measurements—not only size names

Terms such as Single, Queen, King and Super King are not universal. Provide centimetre measurements, acceptable tolerance and, for fitted sheets, mattress length, width, depth and elastic construction. If dimensions are not confirmed, ask the supplier to quote a development sample rather than treating a market name as a specification.

Define material and construction in measurable terms

List fibre composition, woven or knitted construction, yarn/count or fabric weight where relevant, finish, filling type and filling weight. Words such as “premium,” “cooling” and “hotel quality” are commercial directions—not testable specifications—until they are connected to agreed material and performance criteria.

Describe climate, room use and care route

State whether the product is intended for a hot climate, air-conditioned room, cool season, frequent commercial laundering or household use. This helps the development team discuss breathability, surface feel, filling level, colourfastness and care instructions without assuming one solution fits every destination.

Attach colour, artwork and style references

Provide Pantone references where exact colour matters, repeat dimensions for prints, placement notes for embroidery and clear visual references. Explain which elements are fixed and which the supplier may adapt. Approve colour and artwork on the agreed sample material because screens are not reliable production standards.

Write workmanship and tolerance requirements

Define seams, hems, closures, quilting pattern, stitch density where critical, thread colour, label position and acceptable finished-size tolerance. Separate critical, major and minor defects in the inspection brief so that both parties understand what can stop shipment.

Specify retail language, labels and packaging

List required package languages, fibre and care information, importer details, country-of-origin wording, barcode type, price label, insert, bag or box construction, carton marks and pack quantity. Confirm destination rules with the importer or an appointed compliance adviser. GS1 guidance treats different packaging levels as distinct trade items when they need to be ordered, priced or tracked separately.

Break quantity down by SKU and request price tiers

Give total quantity plus the split by design, colour, size and pack format. Ask for prices at realistic alternative volumes if your order is not fixed. MOQ depends on fabric, printing or dyeing route, component count and packaging—not only on the final product name.

Agree the sample and approval sequence

State whether you need a material swatch, lab dip, strike-off, size set, packaging mock-up, pre-production sample or shipment sample. Record who approves each stage and what evidence closes the approval. A signed specification and approved sample should point to the same revision.

Define inspection before production starts

Agree what will be checked, when, by whom and against which approved standard. If acceptance sampling is used, record the selected sampling plan and defect limits rather than writing “AQL inspection” without values. ISO 2859-1:2026 defines acceptance-sampling schemes indexed by an acceptance quality limit for lot-by-lot inspection.

State timing, delivery term and required documents

Separate sample timing, approval timing, production window and requested ship date. Name the proposed Incoterms® 2020 rule and named place because the term allocates costs, risk and obligations between buyer and seller. List only documents or certifications actually required for the product and destination, and confirm them before order approval.

Questions buyers ask before sending a bedding RFQ

Should I ask for a price before all specifications are confirmed?

You can request an indicative range, but label it as provisional. A comparable production quotation needs a defined product, quantity split, packaging route and delivery basis.

Can one size chart cover every Middle Eastern or African country?

No. Confirm the retailer, project or importer’s finished measurements for the actual destination. Size names alone are not sufficient.

What files should I attach?

Attach a SKU table, dimensions, reference images, artwork files, colour references, label copy, packaging brief and any buyer-mandated test or document list.

Who should confirm import and labelling rules?

The importer of record or its appointed compliance adviser should confirm current destination requirements. The factory can then prepare the agreed product, label and document set.