If you are planning to launch a private-label tofu cat litter line under your own retail brand, this is the operational playbook. Cat Global runs OEM/ODM programs daily at our Aisha-Pet factory in Dalian — including the 2.0mm strip-shape custom pellet, custom fragrance load, retail-pack artwork and free design service. Here is the exact 5-step process from RFQ to FOB Dalian.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) programs for cat litter work differently than for most consumer products, because the substrate, the production line, and the dust-extraction stage all constrain what is and isn’t customisable. This guide explains what you can customise, what you can’t, and the exact process we use at PY-PET’s Aisha-Pet factory.

What you can customise in an OEM tofu cat litter program

• Retail pack artwork — your brand name, logo, colour palette, back-panel translation, QR code, lot number, batch coding. Free design service included for OEM programs above 1 × 20FT.
• Pack size — 6 L / 8 L / 10 L / 15 L / 25 L / custom. Cat Global produces PE inner bag + Kraft paper / woven bag outer; alternate materials (recyclable mono-material, compostable film) available on request.
• Granule shape and diameter — standard is round-stick pellet 1.5–3.0 mm. Custom 2.0mm strip-shape tofu cat litter is our most-requested OEM variant, optimised for tracked cat litter boxes with smaller slots. Other shapes (irregular crumbles, mixed granule sizes) available above 5 MT per SKU.
• Fragrance options — 7 stock scents (Unscented, Original, Peach, Green Tea, Lavender, Activated Charcoal, Corn) plus custom fragrance profiling above 5 MT per SKU.
• Fragrance load — from light fragrance (0.3% load) to heavy throw (1.2% load). Cat-safe limits respected.
• Dust level target — standard post-extraction dust is ≤ 0.3%. Premium-grade programs can target ≤ 0.1% with extended dust extraction.
• Back-panel compliance copy — translated into the destination market’s required language(s). ANVISA (Brazil) · GSO (Gulf) · FDA Philippines · MERCOSUR · GCC · SMETA / Sedex documentation prepared on request.
• SKU coding — your own SKU scheme replaces the Cat Global CG-TF-001 default. GTIN / EAN-13 barcode added if requested.

What you can’t customise (and why)

• The substrate recipe — the soy residue base, the corn-starch / guar-gum binder ratio, and the dust-extraction process are locked. This is what keeps clumping strength, biodegradability and dust level consistent across every batch.
• Production line assignment — all cat-litter OEM runs are produced on the dedicated tofu line at Aisha-Pet. We do not outsource production to a third party.
• Below-MOQ programs — OEM production runs require a minimum of 1 × 20FT container per SKU. Custom artwork below that threshold is uneconomic for both sides.

The exact 5-step OEM process at Cat Global

This is the workflow we run for every OEM/ODM inquiry. Total timeline from first RFQ to FOB Dalian: 32–40 days for standard programs; longer for fully custom SKUs.

Custom pellet shapes — the 2.0mm strip-shape variant

The single most-requested OEM customisation is the 2.0mm strip-shape tofu cat litter — a narrower round stick that fits through the slots of tracked cat litter boxes (the auto-rake cleaning systems now installed in 15–20% of European and Japanese households). Stock round sticks at 1.5–3.0 mm work fine for standard litter boxes, but the narrower 2.0 mm variant reduces tracked-granule jams.

The 2.0 mm variant requires a dedicated mini-line at Aisha-Pet with adjustable pelletiser dies. MOQ for the 2.0 mm variant is 1 × 20FT per SKU, with a per-MT price uplift of USD 50–90 over the standard round pellet. Lead time on the first 2.0 mm run is 35–40 days (sample + die changeover + production); repeat orders drop back to the standard ≤ 20 day cadence.

Pricing economics of an OEM program

Compared to stocking the Cat Global stock SKU, an OEM program carries three cost layers:

• Per-MT premium: USD 50–120 / MT uplift for custom granule shape, fragrance load, or dust target.
• One-time artwork fee: waived for programs above 1 × 20FT. Below that, a USD 200–500 artwork set-up fee applies.
• First-run lead time: 35–40 days for the first OEM SKU (vs ≤ 20 days repeat). Subsequent OEM production runs follow the standard ≤ 20 day cadence.

👉 Read the full 2026 tofu cat litter pricing guide for worked FOB / CIF / DDP examples.

Documents an OEM program typically needs

• Your retail artwork (AI / PDF / CDR)
• Your retail back-panel copy (translated into target-market language)
• Your SKU code + barcode (GTIN / EAN-13 if applicable)
• Destination-market compliance briefing (ANVISA, GSO, FDA Philippines, MERCOSUR, GCC, etc.)
• Letter of authorisation to manufacture your brand (template provided)
• Deposit (T/T 30%) to lock the production slot

3 common OEM mistakes to avoid

1. Spec’ing a dust level the production line can’t hold. We can target ≤ 0.1% premium dust on a standard line for the first 2–3 batches and then drift up to ≤ 0.3% as the pelletiser dies wear. Build tolerance into your spec.
2. Back-panel translation done late. Translated back-panels are the most common reason OEM shipments miss their loading window. Hand us the back-panel copy in your destination-market language by day 10.
3. Treating OEM and ODM as the same. OEM = you provide artwork, we manufacture under your brand. ODM = we design the pack from scratch (formulation + artwork + back-panel) and you sell it under your brand. ODM runs slightly more expensive but saves you 4–6 weeks of pre-launch work.

Ready to start an OEM tofu cat litter program?

Send us your brief — substrate, target SKU, pack size, scent, destination market — and we will reply within 24 hours with a written quote and a sample-shipping confirmation. Free design consultation included. Standard OEM MOQ 1 × 20FT; 1-ton trial available for buyers who want to validate the market first.

👉 Start your OEM brief →