The 12-Point Factory Audit Checklist Before You Wire a Deposit

Quality assurance · due diligence

1. 01
   Business licence scope covers manufacturing

   Trading companies legally can sell you anything — read the经营范围.

2. 02
   Address matches reality

   Satellite-view the address; ask for a live video walk from street sign to sewing floor.

3. 03
   Bank account name equals company name

   Third-party personal accounts are the classic exit scam signature.

4. 04
   Sample provenance

   Ask which machine made the sample, and request a photo of your sample beside the machine date sheet.

5. 05
   Inline QC documentation

   Real factories show checkpoint sheets filled mid-production, not printed fresh.

6. 06
   Final inspection method

   AQL levels named in writing, sampling tables attached to the PO.

7. 07
   Material traceability

   Fabric rolls tagged by lot; color-lot mixing between production runs is visible.

8. 08
   Payment structure sane

   30% deposit typical; demand for 100% upfront kills the conversation.

9. 09
   Lead time honesty

   Quotes far below industry bands mean skipped steps somewhere — find out where.

10. 10
    Audit tolerance

    Refusal to host SGS/BV/TÜV or customer QA visits before deposit is a hard signal.

11. 11
    Documentation package

    Certificates offered as scans with verifiable numbers, not badge images.

12. 12
    Reference check with teeth

    One reference buyer of similar volume, contacted directly by you.

We hold ourselves to this list publicly — review our factory capabilities and audit policy, or book a third-party audit of your choosing via the quote page.