A factory that looks great on Alibaba, replies to emails in perfect English, and sends beautiful sample photos can still destroy your first production run — and your brand reputation along with it. This checklist exists so that never happens to you.
✅ Each question has a traffic-light score: 🟢 Green = good sign, 🟡 Yellow = proceed with caution, 🔴 Red = serious risk
✅ Score your factory at the end. 18+ greens = safe to proceed. 10-17 = negotiate hard and verify extra. Under 10 = walk away.
✅ You do not need a factory visit. Most of these can be verified remotely — we will show you how.
Section 1: Company Basics — Is This a Real Factory or a Trading Company?
The first thing to establish: are you talking to an actual factory, or a middleman who will add 15-30% to your cost and have no control over quality?
| # | Question | What to Look For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Can you send me a photo of your production line — with today’s date written on a piece of paper in the frame?” | 🟢 Sends it within hours — has nothing to hide 🟡 Sends a photo but it is clearly old or generic 🔴 Refuses or makes excuses — likely a trading company | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 2 | “What is your business license number? Can I see your export license?” | 🟢 Provides both immediately — standard practice 🟡 Provides only one or says “we will send later” 🔴 Cannot provide either — major red flag | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 3 | “How many workers are on your production floor right now? Can you show me on a video call?” | 🟢 Agrees to a live video walk-through — real factory 🟡 Says “later” or “we need to schedule” and keeps delaying 🔴 Refuses video calls entirely | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 4 | “What brands have you produced for in the last 12 months? Can you share a reference contact?” | 🟢 Names specific brands, offers a reference email 🟡 Names brands vaguely — “many European brands” without specifics 🔴 Refuses to share references — “confidential” | 🟢🟡🔴 |
Section 2: Production Capability — Can They Actually Make Your Product?
| # | Question | What to Look For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | “What is your monthly production capacity, and what percentage is currently booked?” | 🟢 Gives exact number + current utilization %. Can fit your order. 🟡 Vague answer like “we have capacity” without numbers 🔴 Already at 90%+ capacity — your order will be deprioritized | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 6 | “Do you have in-house fabric cutting, or do you outsource it? Show me the cutting room.” | 🟢 In-house automated cutting — quality is controlled internally 🟡 In-house manual cutting — acceptable for small orders 🔴 Outsourced cutting — you lose quality control at step one | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 7 | “What types of sewing machines do you have? Show me your specialty machines.” | 🟢 Has flatlock, coverstitch, and overlock — the activewear trifecta 🟡 Has basic machines only — may struggle with technical activewear 🔴 Cannot name specific machines — they do not own the production | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 8 | “What is the smallest and largest order you have completed in the last 3 months?” | 🟢 Range includes orders near your size — they handle your scale 🟡 Only large orders — your 200-piece test may be deprioritized 🔴 Cannot recall — they are not tracking production data | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 9 | “Do you have in-house digital pattern making and 3D sampling capability?” | 🟢 Uses CLO 3D or Browzwear — faster sampling, fewer errors 🟡 Manual pattern making only — slower but functional 🔴 No pattern making at all — they outsource development | 🟢🟡🔴 |
Section 3: Quality Control — Will the Bulk Order Match the Sample?
| # | Question | What to Look For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | “Describe your QC process step by step — from fabric inspection to final audit.” | 🟢 Can describe 4+ checkpoints: incoming fabric → inline → end-of-line → final AQL 🟡 Has a QC person but no documented process 🔴 “We check everything” with no specifics — there is no real QC | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 11 | “What AQL standard do you inspect to? Can I hire my own third-party inspector?” | 🟢 Standard AQL 2.5 for major defects, welcomes third-party inspection 🟡 Uses own standard, hesitant about external inspectors 🔴 Refuses third-party inspection — this is a dealbreaker | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 12 | “Show me a QC report from your last shipment — with the defects found and how you resolved them.” | 🟢 Shares a real report with defects, corrections, and final approval 🟡 Shares a report with zero defects — either perfect (unlikely) or fake 🔴 Has no reports at all — no QC documentation exists | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 13 | “What happens if the bulk order does not match the approved sample? What is your liability?” | 🟢 Clear policy: rework at their cost, or discount/refund for unsellable goods 🟡 Vague “we will solve it” — get this in writing before ordering 🔴 “That never happens” — it absolutely does, and they have no plan | 🟢🟡🔴 |
Section 4: Materials & Supply Chain — Do They Control Their Inputs?
| # | Question | What to Look For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | “Who are your fabric suppliers? Can you name them and show me a recent fabric invoice?” | 🟢 Names specific mills, shares invoices — supply chain is transparent 🟡 Vague about suppliers — “we have many partners” 🔴 Will not disclose — fabric source is unknown, quality is uncontrolled | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 15 | “Do you stock commonly used fabrics, or is everything ordered per production run?” | 🟢 Stocks core fabrics — faster turnaround, better pricing on repeats 🟡 Orders everything per run — longer lead times but manageable 🔴 Cannot answer — they do not manage fabric procurement directly | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 16 | “Can you provide OEKO-TEX or GRS certificates for the fabrics you use?” | 🟢 Yes — has current certificates for core fabrics 🟡 Can obtain them but does not have them on file — factor in extra time 🔴 Does not know what these certifications are — major compliance risk | 🟢🟡🔴 |
Section 5: Communication & Business Practices — Will They Be Easy to Work With?
| # | Question | What to Look For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | “Who will be my day-to-day contact? Can I speak with them directly?” | 🟢 Introduces you to a specific person who speaks your language 🟡 Only the salesperson — you never meet the production team 🔴 No single point of contact — messages go into a group chat void | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 18 | “What is your typical response time if I message you about an urgent production issue?” | 🟢 Commits to a specific timeframe — under 4 hours during business hours 🟡 “We reply quickly” — no specific commitment 🔴 Takes 24+ hours to reply to routine messages — red flag | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 19 | “What are your payment terms? Do you accept 30/70 or Letter of Credit?” | 🟢 Accepts 30% deposit + 70% before shipment, or L/C — standard practice 🟡 Requires 50%+ deposit — not unusual but reduces your leverage 🔴 Demands 100% upfront — you have zero protection if things go wrong | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 20 | “What happens if you miss the delivery deadline? Is there a penalty clause?” | 🟢 Accepts a reasonable penalty clause — 2-5% per week of delay 🟡 Hesitant but open to discussion — negotiate this before signing 🔴 Refuses any deadline accountability — your timeline means nothing to them | 🟢🟡🔴 |
Section 6: Compliance & Ethics — The Questions That Protect Your Brand
| # | Question | What to Look For | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | “Do you have BSCI, SMETA, or WRAP social compliance certification?” | 🟢 Has current, valid certification — ask to see the report grade (A or B is good) 🟡 In the process of getting certified — ask for timeline and interim measures 🔴 No certification, no plans — ethical risk for EU/US brand compliance | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 22 | “Do you subcontract any part of production to other factories? If so, how do you manage their quality?” | 🟢 Does not subcontract, or subcontracts only specific processes with full disclosure and QC oversight 🟡 Subcontracts and is transparent — but adds complexity to your supply chain 🔴 Subcontracts without disclosure — you may never know where your product is actually made | 🟢🟡🔴 |
| 23 | “Can you provide a copy of your factory’s environmental discharge permit and waste management records?” | 🟢 Provides current permits — environmental compliance is documented 🟡 Has permits but they are outdated — factor in renewal time 🔴 No environmental permits — risk of factory shutdown by local authorities | 🟢🟡🔴 |
Your Factory Scorecard: How to Calculate the Results
Scoring method:
| Score | Points | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Green | 3 | Factory meets or exceeds expectations on this dimension |
| 🟡 Yellow | 1 | Concerning but not a dealbreaker — negotiate and verify |
| 🔴 Red | 0 | Serious risk — this is a warning sign you should not ignore |
Maximum possible score: 69 points (23 greens × 3)
The Most Important Rule in Factory Auditing
The purpose of these 23 questions is not to find a perfect factory. Perfect factories do not exist. The purpose is to find a factory whose weaknesses you can live with — and whose strengths align with what you need.
A factory that scored 🟡 on “do you have 3D sampling” but 🟢 on “QC process” and “delivery reliability” is a better partner than one with perfect technology and no quality systems. Prioritize the sections that matter most for your specific product and market. For EU-bound activewear, Sections 3 (QC) and 6 (Compliance) are non-negotiable. For trend-driven fast fashion, Sections 2 (Production) and 5 (Communication) carry the most weight.
Use this checklist with every factory you evaluate. Keep the scores. Compare them. And never, ever place a deposit without running through all 23 questions. The 30 minutes it takes could save you $10,000 and six months of stress.
When you are ready to put a factory through this audit, our team at Kingben is happy to be the first one you test. We will answer all 23 questions — in writing, with evidence — before you spend a dollar. Send us an inquiry. Ask us the hard questions. We have been doing this long enough to welcome them.
Also see: gym clothes manufacturer · fitness clothes manufacturer · sport wear manufacturer · active wear manufacturers · tracksuit manufacturer