Worker interviews during a social compliance audit remain an important aspect of investigating if your supplier is compliant with international or brand/retailer standards. An auditor will ask questions about working hours, wages and conditions to uncover whether or not local laws or standards are being violated at the factory. But it’s important to understand that the efforts of worker interviewers can be thwarted by factory management. Still, a social compliance audit remains one of the best ways to investigate your supplier.
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Social Compliance
Importing from abroad can be stressful. But choosing a product inspector doesn't have to be. Here are five of the most important questions you should consider asking when selecting a product inspector.
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Product Inspection
Knowing these six common garment defects will help you be aware of issues that have plagued the garment industry for decades. While quality issues like untrimmed threads may seem commonplace and acceptable for lower-end retailers, open seams and dimension issues could result in unsellable product, product returns and damage to your brand.
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Product Inspection
Carrying out product inspection before shipping can tell you a lot about the status of your order and the quality of your products. But it’s important to understand what a product inspection report will not tell you. You should use the report to make more informed decisions regarding your product and shipment, as opposed to expecting the report to solve all of your problems on its own. If you have questions about what to expect from a product inspection report, don’t be afraid to ask your inspector directly.
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Product Inspection
A lot of buyers express frustration in getting accurate information from their supplier. Supplier miscommunication can lead to shipping delays, quality problems and a host of other issues. Communication by phone, email or even through a face-to-face meeting at the factory can leave a lot of room for interpretation. Maybe your supplier is unwittingly sending you the wrong message.
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Manufacturing Tips & Advice
Quality control inspectors do everything from weigh and measure products to check production samples and conduct on-site testing. They act as your eyes and ears, and their mission is a reflection of your expectations. There are certain characteristics to inspecting products that are inherent to effective QC inspectors.
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Product Inspection
No one likes product defects, including your supplier. How can you, as an importer, make sure you're addressing product quality issues directly?
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Manufacturing Tips & Advice
Beijing faced an air quality index of 250, that’s 10 times higher than what the WHO considers “healthy” levels. How has China's pollution come to this?
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Manufacturing Tips & Advice
How can you afford to spend a little extra on inspections to ensure the quality of the finished goods? With these five ways to cut inspection costs.
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Product Inspection
The soapy water tank leak test stands alone in its simplicity, low cost, and effectiveness. Make sure leak testing is performed on any imported tanks.
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Special Inspection Tests