How to Write a Purchase Specification for Himalayan Salt Orders

Published 2026-11-07 · 6 minute read · by Al Goher Trader

Why a Written Spec Beats a Product Name

Most problems between salt importers and factories start with a product name that meant one thing to the buyer and something else to the supplier. “Pink salt, coarse” can describe a dozen different products depending on the shade, the screen size, the moisture of the lot and how it is packed. A purchase specification is a short written document that turns those words into checkable facts. It protects both sides: the factory knows exactly what to produce, and the buyer has something concrete to inspect against when the container arrives. It also makes reorders far easier, because the second order can simply reference the spec from the first rather than starting the conversation again.

A spec does not need to be long. One or two pages per product line is usually enough. What matters is that every line is specific enough that two different people reading it would expect the same product.

Start With the Product Line and the Code

Begin each line of the spec with the supplier’s own product code where one exists. Our 2025 catalogue gives every standard item a code: natural lamps run from AGNSL-0014 (1.5–2 kg) through AGNSL-0019 (7–10 kg) and on to the big lamps AGNSL-0020 to AGNSL-0029; edible grades carry AGPES, AGWES and AGBES codes for pink, white and black salt; tiles carry AGSL codes and cooking slabs AGST codes. Quoting the code removes most ambiguity in one step. Where you want something outside the catalogue — a custom carving, a non-standard tile size, a special blend — describe it in full and attach a drawing or reference photo, then ask the factory to assign it a reference you both use from then on.

Edible Salt: Grade, Grind and Tolerance

For edible salt, the spec should state three things clearly. First, the colour grade: dark pink, light pink, white or black. Shades vary naturally from seam to seam, so if colour consistency matters to your brand, say so and agree a retained reference sample that future lots are compared against. Second, the grind: coarse 2–5 mm, granular 1–2 mm, refined (suji) or powder, or the 4–8 mm white coarse crystal used for foot baths. If your equipment is sensitive — a grinder mechanism, a dosing line, a shaker cap — add an acceptable tolerance, for example the share of fines you can live with in a coarse grade. Third, the intended use, because a salt destined for a grinder bottle, a seasoning blend or a bakery topping may be screened and checked differently.

State that the salt must be unrefined and free of additives if that is part of your product claim. Our edible salt is non-iodised rock salt with no anti-caking agents, and saying so in your spec makes it a contractual point rather than an assumption.

Lamps and Carved Pieces: Weight Bands, Bases and Electrics

For natural lamps, specify quantities per weight band rather than a total number of lamps. A carton labelled 3–5 kg should average near the middle of the band, and writing that expectation into the spec gives you something to weigh on arrival. Add the crystal grade (pink, white AGNSL-0015 or gray AGNSL-0016), the base type, and the cord, plug and bulb standard for your market — CE for the EU, UL for the US, SAA for Australia. For fancy and carved lamps, list each design code and the quantity of each, and note whether mixed-shape master cartons are acceptable. For candle holders, specify the design codes (AGCH-001 to AGCH-019) and whether you want single designs per carton or assortments.

Tiles, Bricks and Slabs: Dimensions and Finish

Tiles and bricks are the products where tolerances matter most, because they are installed next to each other. Give nominal dimensions using the catalogue formats where possible — 8×4×1, 8×4×2, natural-face 8×4×2, 2×8×12, 20×20×2, round pillar and 8 corner (6×6×2) — and state the face finish you expect: sawn, smooth or natural. For a construction project, attach the wall or floor plan so the factory can quote tile count and allow for breakage and cutting on site. For cooking slabs, specify food-grade use and the format, such as AGST-115 (2×8×12) or the round AGST-111, so they are cut and packed accordingly.

Packaging: Unit, Master, Bulk or Private Label

Packaging is often where a spec is weakest, and it is where most arrival disputes happen. For each product, write down the unit pack (printed unit box, gift box, jar, pouch, grinder bottle, or none), the master carton and how many units it holds, and how cartons are palletised. For bulk salt, state the bag size — 25 kg or 50 kg bags, or jumbo bags — and whether bags should be lined. Smaller lamps from 1.5 kg to 7 kg normally pack in unit boxes inside master cartons, while heavier lamps are individually wrapped, so say if you want something different. If you are using private-label packaging, list who supplies the artwork, who prints the boxes, the barcode format, and the proof approval step before production starts.

Labeling and Market Compliance

Your destination market decides what must appear on the label, and you know your market better than any exporter. Put the required label content in the spec: product name, net weight in the right units, country of origin, lot or batch number, best-before or packing date if your regulator expects it, importer details, and any language requirements. If you plan to put certification marks on retail packs, confirm with the supplier that their certificates cover the product and the use. Also list anything that must not appear. Many importers add a line stating that no health or therapeutic claims may be printed on packaging or inserts, which avoids a costly reprint later.

Documents and Testing to Request

List the shipping documents you need with every order. For our exports the standard set is the commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and phytosanitary certificate, with destination-specific paperwork added on request. For food-grade salt, ask for the laboratory report to ship with the order; our edible lots are tested by the National Metrology Institute of Pakistan and the National Physical and Standards Laboratory. If your regulator or retail customer requires a specific test — a particular contaminant panel, a microbiology check, a moisture figure — write it into the spec before production, because adding a test after the goods are packed costs time. Note any certification you need to see current copies of, such as Halal (PS 3733:2019), Kosher (IDA-342:2020) or ISO 9001:2015.

Commercial Terms Belong in the Spec Too

The technical spec and the commercial terms should be attached to the same purchase order. Include the Incoterm and port — we quote FOB Karachi or CIF to your destination port, in US dollars — the payment method (T/T with a deposit and balance against documents, or an irrevocable letter of credit for larger contracts), the target shipment date, and how the container is to be loaded if you are mixing product lines. Production typically runs two to four weeks, so a spec that is agreed early protects your delivery date more than any reminder email will.

Sampling and the Reference Standard

A written spec works best alongside a physical reference. Before a first order, request samples, approve them against your spec, and keep one set sealed and labelled as the reference standard. The factory should keep a matching set. When a later lot looks different, both sides can compare it with the same physical sample rather than arguing from memory or photographs taken in different light. For natural products like salt, where shade and crystal structure vary by seam, this single step prevents more disagreements than any amount of wording.

A Simple Spec Template You Can Reuse

A workable template has one block per product line with these headings: product code and name; grade or colour; size, grind or weight band, with tolerance; quantity; unit pack; master carton and units per carton; palletisation; labeling content; documents and tests required; and approval reference (the sample or proof the order must match). Add a short header with your company details, destination port, Incoterm, payment terms and target ship date, and a footer listing who signs off on samples and artwork.

Once the template exists, keep it under version control. Every time something changes — a new carton count, a different label layout, a new market standard for cords — update the spec and date it. Over a few orders, the spec becomes the most valuable document in the supplier relationship, because it records everything you have learned about what your customers actually need. When you are ready to put one together, send it with your quote request and we will confirm each line or flag anything we would do differently before production begins.