Why Does Mould Design Often Feel So Expensive?

Spend any time in product development, and you'll likely run into this feeling: “Why is moulding design so pricey?” 

If you've ever tried to bring a product to life—especially through injection moulding after industrial design —you're not alone in asking that. 

Tooling Cost So Much, Really?

It's a pretty common reaction. And yet, here's the twist: while mould costs can seem sky-high at first glance, developing your product in China may still be one of the smartest moves you can make.

Over the years, NYCD team has worked with countless clients in product design and manufacturing. and noticed something consistent—many people are caught off guard by how much mould+tooling can cost. It's not because they didn't plan carefully or didn’t do research. It’s just that, unless you’ve been behind the scenes, it’s easy to underestimate what’s involved.

Mould design isn't just cutting shapes into metal. It's engineering-grade precision equipment built to last through hundreds of thousands of cycles. Even with widely used materials like P20 steel, the cost of raw materials alone can run into several thousand dollars. Now imagine a larger, more complex tooling system or one built with higher-grade steel—just sourcing the materials can easily push the cost into five digits.

What Goes Into Mould Design Costs?

So, when you hear that tooling for your product might cost more than you expected, it’s not that someone’s trying to rip you off. It’s more likely that your mental model of what “should” be expensive just doesn’t match the real-world complexity. If you’re picturing something simple and lightweight, it’s easy to imagine moulds being cheap. But most injection tools are massive—hundreds of kilos of steel—and precision-crafted to an extreme level. That’s not pocket change.

Of course, not all reactions to mould pricing come from a place of misunderstanding. Plenty of people do know what goes into tooling—and still feel surprised at the numbers. And that’s usually tied to two other factors.

Lower Volume Means Higher Cost Per Unit

One: production volume. If your planned run is small, then tooling can feel hard to justify. Let’s say your mould costs $3,000. If you’re producing 300,000 units, the tooling cost per product drops below a cent. But if you only need 1,000 units? Now you’re looking at $3 per unit, just to pay off the mould. That adds up quickly, especially if the product itself isn't meant to carry a high retail price.

In that case, the tooling doesn't scale well—and yeah, it feels expensive.

Temptation of Cheaper Quotes (and the Real Trade-offs)

Another one is comparison shopping. 

In today’s global market, someone will always quote you a lower price. Sometimes dramatically lower. And while it’s natural to be tempted by those numbers, ultra-low tooling quotes can come with trade-offs. 

Maybe the shop cuts corners. Maybe the mould won’t last. Maybe the part tolerances just aren’t what you expected. It’s the classic quality triangle—fast, cheap, or good—pick two.

Here's the good news though: when you work with the right partners in China, high-quality product development is still remarkably cost-effective. You can build world-class tools at a fraction of the price you’d pay in many other countries, without sacrificing performance.

NYCD Agency has seen this firsthand—brands around the world are turning to Shenzhen not just for cost savings, but because the talent, speed, and results are on point.

Why China Is Still a Smart Choice for Product Development

So yes, mould design can feel expensive—but overall it's rarely overpriced. 

More often, it's just underappreciated. When you zoom out and think in terms of scale, lifetime value, and product-market fit, investing in solid tooling is one of the most impactful steps in your development journey.

And in China—especially in creative product manufacturing hubs like Shenzhen—that journey might be more within reach than you think.