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If you are launching a light therapy product, one of the first decisions is how much of the product you want to control versus how fast you want to reach the market. That decision is usually framed as OEM versus ODM — but in practice there are three levels, and most successful brands use more than one.
The three sourcing models
Private label
You take an existing, proven device and apply your brand: logo, manual and retail box. Investment is minimal and timelines are the shortest — products can ship from stock in 3–7 days. The trade-off is differentiation: another brand can sell the same hardware.
OEM
You specify changes to a base platform: custom color, wavelength mix, size, power configuration or controls. The device stays recognizably related to a proven design, but the specification is yours. This is the most common model for brands that want differentiation without funding new tooling.
Full custom (ODM)
A new industrial design and mold developed for your brand. This is the highest investment and takes the longest — tooling typically runs 30–60 days before production even starts. It makes sense when your product needs a proprietary form factor or feature set that is central to your positioning.
How to choose
Three questions usually decide it:
- How differentiated must the product be? If the channel rewards brand and marketing more than hardware, private label is enough. If the format itself is the innovation, you need full custom.
- What volume can you commit? Tooling costs are amortized across the order. Full custom at low volume produces a high unit cost; it becomes efficient at scale.
- What is your launch timeline? In-stock products ship in days; OEM bulk production runs 20–30 days after sample sign-off; new tooling adds 30–60 days before that. Work backward from your launch date.
The cost structure behind a quote
Unit price is built from tooling (custom only), wavelength count and LED power, battery and power design, materials, packaging, certifications and order volume. This is why the same product at 100 units and 1,000 units are different quotes — and why comparing two suppliers on unit price alone is misleading unless the specification and volume are identical.
Intellectual property: what to settle in the contract
- Molds and tooling: who owns them, and can they be transferred to another manufacturer?
- Industrial design: for full custom projects, ownership of the design files should be explicit
- Exclusivity: if you are funding tooling for a new design, discuss whether the design can be sold to other buyers and in which markets
- Brand assets: packaging and logo files remain yours; confirm they are not reused
For private label and OEM projects, the base platform is typically shared by design — exclusivity usually applies to your tooling and branding, not the platform itself.
A common sequencing that works
Many brands start with private label or a light OEM configuration to validate the market, then invest in tooling once demand is proven — and later extend the range with additional formats from the same supplier. It spreads the investment and keeps time-to-market short at every stage.
At HSY, the three levels are structured as: private label (silk-screen or laser logo, custom manual and box), OEM (custom color, wavelength mix, size and power), and full custom (new mold and industrial design, tooling 30–60 days). Sample programs start at 1–2 units, market trials at 10–50, and bulk programs at 100+ units. See how these play out in practice on our case studies page, or explore the product platforms: panels, face masks, pet therapy belts.
Tell us your target market, volume and product format, and we will come back with pricing, lead time and a sample plan. Contact HSY or email annie-chow@hsy-lighting.com.
