I have produced a chair design which I think is suitable for mass production. What sort of documentation should I have in place before I contact manufacturers in the Far East for production quotes?

Ensure you have an agreement in place before sharing any design details for quotes. For example, the ACID Intellectual Property Agreement could be useful. This is a short agreement that you would give to the manufacturer and ask them to sign before sending them any prototype, or sample of your designs. Signed agreements provide clarity of ownership should you ever need to rely on them in any dispute.

Before you begin manufacturing, ensure you have a robust manufacturing agreement in place. A legal affiliate can advise and the IP attache network may also be able to assist – find their details in your member hub.

Taking these steps doesn’t guarantee that things will not go wrong but it is far better to have deterrent measures in place.