Do You Need a Custom Project? Standard Product vs Bespoke

Choose a standard AtaNova product when the existing product, size, material and design structure already fit what you need; choose a bespoke project when the product concept itself must change or no existing listing fits the idea. This guide is only about making that decision before you start an order.

Start with one question: does an existing product already fit?

If the answer is yes and you only need the personalisation offered on the product page, such as a name, date, photo, message or listed option, you usually do not need a custom project.

For example, a DreamLight™ with one of the available shapes, light options and a child's name remains a standard product order.

Choose a standard product when

• the product already exists in the AtaNova shop;
• the available size, material and format suit the intended use;
• you only need the listed personalisation options;
• the product structure itself does not need to change.

Using the standard product route is simpler because the production format is already defined.

Choose a bespoke project when

• there is no existing product that matches the idea;
• you want a different shape, structure, layout, size or format outside the listed options;
• the request combines elements that are not offered together as a standard product;
• the material or production approach needs to be assessed first;
• the design must be developed around a specific space, use case or brief.

The important boundary is not whether the item is personalised. Many standard AtaNova products are personalised. A project becomes bespoke when the product or design framework itself needs to move beyond the standard listing.

Borderline cases

A larger quantity does not automatically make an order bespoke. Fifty units of a standard product with standard options can still be a standard product order. A single piece can be bespoke if its shape, dimensions or design fall outside the existing product structure.

A new graphic does not always mean a new product. If the existing product is designed to accept customer artwork, it may still be standard personalisation. If the artwork requires a new shape, construction or production method, it is more likely to be bespoke.

Three quick examples

• Standard: DreamLight with an available design and a child's name.
• Bespoke: a DreamLight-style lamp with a completely different silhouette or layout not offered on the product page.
• Bespoke: a product idea that is not currently part of the AtaNova collection at all.

What happens once you know it is bespoke?

This guide stops at the decision. The next steps are covered separately in How the AtaNova Bespoke Project Process Works, which explains the brief, feasibility review, proposal, Design Proof, production and delivery stages.

Frequently asked questions

Does a personalised product automatically count as bespoke?

No. Personalisation within an existing product's listed options is usually a standard order.

Can one single item be a custom project?

Yes. Quantity is not the deciding factor; the deciding factor is whether the product or design falls outside the standard structure.

Is a bulk order automatically custom?

No. A larger quantity of an existing product can still be a standard order if the product and options remain unchanged.

What if I am still unsure?

Send the idea through the Custom Projects & Bespoke Orders page and we can assess which route fits.