Back-to-school programme for shops and chains
Back-to-school is the largest season in stationery, and it is decided early. Retailers and chains plan the range in autumn and winter, place orders from January to April and fill the shelves in July and August for the school start in September in most of Europe; in Germany and Austria the start varies by region.
We supply a back-to-school range for retail: school supplies, pencils and crayons, notebooks, pencil cases and backpacks, stationery sets on blister cards and display boxes, at the supplier’s minimum or under your own brand from about 300 pieces per model.
What a back-to-school order can include
School supplies
Rulers and geometry sets, erasers, sharpeners, correction tape, scissors and book covers.
Pencil cases and bags
Pencil cases, school and preschool backpacks, trolley backpacks and 3-in-1 sets with lunch bag.
Pencils and colouring
HB pencils, coloured and watercolour pencils, wax crayons and kids art sets in tins, boxes or blister packs.
Exercise books and notebooks
Lined, squared and blank notebooks with your cover print, plus covers and labels.
Retail packaging
Blister cards, hang tabs, display boxes and shelf-ready cartons with EAN and texts in your languages.
Documents for children’s items
For children’s items we request the manufacturer’s test reports, for example EN 71-3, and REACH declarations for PVC and inks where the material requires it.
Back-to-school minimums and deadlines
| Order type | Typical minimum | Order by |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue items as they are | Supplier MOQ, on each product page | January–April; later only while the factory can still deliver |
| Your logo on product or blister card | From about 300 pcs per model | About March |
| Own cover print, colours or packaging | Above 300 pcs, set per product | Early in the window: January–February |
| Mixed set or new product | Agreed per project | Plan in autumn; confirm in January |
Indicative. Exact minimums depend on the product and manufacturer and are confirmed in the offer. When ordered by these dates, goods typically arrive in June–July; we do not give fixed delivery guarantees for the season.
Planning the season with us
-
1
Range plan
In autumn or winter you send last season’s list, price points and the gaps you want to fill.
-
2
Offer and samples
Delivered prices, minimums and samples of the key items.
2 working days -
3
Order and artwork
Order placed January–April; packaging artwork and print proofs approved, private label by about March.
-
4
Production and inspection
Production, then our inspection against the approved sample. Factory holidays in late January–February pause production for 3–5 weeks.
25–45 days -
5
Delivery
To your warehouse or stores in June–July, cleared and ready for the shelf.
25–45 days
Products for a back-to-school range
A few of the 636 products you can order today — with supplier minimums or under your own brand.
Photos are supplied by the factories. Final colours, packaging and branding are agreed per order.
What you need to start
- Last season’s sell-through by item, or the price points you want to cover
- Quantities per item and per store or region
- Your school start dates by region, so we can work back from the shelf date
- Logo and packaging artwork in vector format, if you want your own brand
- EAN codes, or advice on where to obtain them
- Label languages for each country of sale
- Your order placed between January and April, private label by about March
Frequently asked questions
When is the latest I can order back-to-school stationery wholesale?
Catalogue items can be ordered until about April for delivery in June–July. Private label must be confirmed by about March. After that we offer stock items only, and each week of delay reduces the choice.
Why does the January–February factory holiday matter?
Factory holidays in late January–February stop production for 3–5 weeks, right in the back-to-school order window. Orders placed before the holiday go into production first; orders placed during it wait until the factories restart.
Are stationery sets for children toys?
Ordinary pens, pencils, crayons and rulers are generally not toys. Play-type items, such as figure-shaped erasers or kids craft sets, can fall under the Toy Safety Directive, and we tell you which items in your range need that check. For children’s items we request the manufacturer’s test reports, for example EN 71-3, available on request per product.
Can you pack sets on blister cards or in display boxes?
Yes. Blister cards with hang tabs, counter display boxes and shelf-ready cartons can be printed in your design with EAN and texts in your languages. Packaging changes are fixed before production, so artwork should be approved early.
Can I mix many school items in one order?
Yes. We consolidate products from several manufacturers into one shipment. Each item still has its own minimum, which is shown on the product page.
Do you guarantee delivery before the school start?
We do not give fixed date guarantees. When ordered by March–April, goods typically arrive in June–July. We report production and shipping dates as they are confirmed, so you can plan the shelf.
Send us your product list
Links, photos or a spreadsheet are enough. You get delivered prices, minimums, lead times and the documents available within 2 working days.
Request a quote
Send a product list, links or photos. We reply with prices delivered to your country, minimum quantities and lead times.
- Reply on working days, usually within a few hours
- Prices delivered to your door, customs and VAT included in the calculation
- Written offer within 2 working days