Q: Why do dyed-to-match zippers have higher minimums?
Dyed-to-match zippers carry a higher minimum because the tape has to be dyed as a separate lot to a reference swatch. The dye house charges for a bath, a lab dip and a machine slot, and those costs are spread across the metres dyed, not across the zipper pieces. A short run therefore carries a disproportionate share. The risk also rises: a small bath is harder to control, so the shade may sit at the edge of tolerance, and a re-dye adds another setup. Suppliers usually set the minimum per shade and per tape quality, and they may require the same base fabric as the garment. Practical rules: submit a physical swatch rather than a screen colour, accept the standard light source for matching, and allow a small tolerance in the first lot. If the order is small, ask whether a stock shade close to the target can be used, or whether the tape can be matched at the garment maker instead.