What is a custom mould, and when do I need one for a USB drive?
A custom mould is the tool we cut to form a USB drive in your own shape — a product silhouette, a logo in 3D, or a mascot. You need one when no standard body carries your brand the way you want, usually for a premium gift or a campaign where the shape itself is the message. The mould is a one-time cost amortised over your repeats, and it is your property. For most branded drives a standard metal, PVC or wood body with print is enough; the mould is the step up from "printed" to "shaped".
Printed vs moulded
Printed standard body: fastest and cheapest, the mark sits on a stock shape.
Custom mould: the shape is yours, used when the form is part of the brand.
When the mould pays off
A campaign or gift where the shape carries the message.
A shape that cannot be done by printing on a standard body.
Repeats over time, so the one-time tool cost spreads across many orders.
Sources
Figures quoted on this page are from the published reporting listed above. Where a number is an estimate rather than a published figure, it is described as approximate.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a mould take?
Longer than a printed run, because the tool is cut and sampled first. We confirm the tooling time in the quotation, separate from the production lead time.
Who pays for the mould?
You do, once; it is your asset and we hold it for reorders. We state the tooling cost in the quote so it is a known line, not buried in the unit price.
Working on a specification?
Send us the product type, capacity, quantity and target date. We reply to business enquiries within 1 business day.
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