Can a third-party inspection company check my bulk order?
Yes. You can appoint any inspection company you like, and we will not restrict access. Most buyers book SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, TUV or QIMA for a during-production inspection or a pre-shipment inspection. The inspector sees the same order file, measurement chart and cartons that our own QC team works from, and any findings are reworked and re-checked before the shipment leaves.
When to book the inspection
The stage you choose changes what the inspector can still influence. A during-production inspection catches construction and measurement problems while the line is still running; a pre-shipment inspection confirms the packed goods but can only trigger rework, not correction of the pattern.
In practice most brands book one pre-shipment inspection on the first order and move to during-production checks once volumes grow, because a defect found at 40% completion costs a repair, while the same defect found after packing costs a shipment delay.
| Stage | What the inspector sees | What can still change |
|---|---|---|
| During production (DUPRO) | Cut and sewn work in progress, first finished pieces, in-line records | Pattern, construction, measurements, trim placement |
| Pre-shipment (PSI) | 100% packed cartons sampled to AQL, packed quantities | Rework, replacement, repacking — not the pattern |
| Container loading (CLS) | Carton count, marks, loading condition | Loading sequence only |
What we prepare for the inspector
An inspection only works if the inspector is measuring against the same document the factory used. Before the visit we hand over the signed spec, the approved sample, the measurement chart with tolerances, the approved artwork and trim card, the packing list and the carton marks.
Our QC team attends the inspection and signs the same report. If the inspector raises a defect we disagree with, we resolve it against the approved sample on the table rather than by email afterwards.
What happens to the findings
Findings are sorted into critical, major and minor. Critical defects — wrong fibre content, wrong label content, unsafe trims — are always refused. Major defects trigger a 100% sort of the affected colour or size, and minor defects are handled by repair or replacement.
Where the finding is our production error, the rework and any re-inspection we caused are at our cost. Where it comes from a change the buyer requested after approval, the cost sits with the change.
Field example
A German brand booked a Bureau Veritas pre-shipment inspection on 1,200 brushed fleece hoodies at AQL 2.5. The inspector found 8 major defects, all uneven embroidery placement on the chest logo, and the shipment was held. VANRD sorted 100% of the order, re-framed the embroidery on 34 pieces, replaced 6, and passed the re-inspection three working days later. The root cause was a hoop template that had been re-set between two lots.
Numbers that matter
- AQL sampling follows ISO 2859-1; the usual levels are 2.5 major, 4.0 minor and zero critical
- One inspection man-day covers roughly 3,000 pieces at a normal packing density
- Third-party inspection in China typically costs USD 300-500 per man-day, paid by the buyer
- Book 3-5 working days ahead; inspection reports are usually issued within 24 hours
- Service Process
- Fabrics & Techniques
- Sweater & Knitwear Manufacturer
- OEM/ODM Apparel Manufacturing by Brand Type
- Custom Headwear Manufacturer
- Streetwear Manufacturer
- Custom Clothing Quality Control
- Tracksuit Manufacturer
- T-Shirt & Jersey Manufacturer
- Pants & Bottoms Manufacturer
- Hoodie & Sweatshirt Manufacturer
- Jacket Manufacturer
