Manufacturing and Quality Control blog

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The Canton Fair is held twice every year, once in the spring and once in the fall. The fair takes place at the (aptly named) China Import and Export Fair Complex in the Haizhu district of Guangzhou. April 15^th marked the opening of this year’s spring fair, the 113^th session of the Canton Fair since it began in 1957.

Walmart released a statement to all its suppliers, dated Janunary 22nd, outlining a new Ethical Sourcing and Zero Tolerance policy regarding unauthorized sub-contracting that is in effect as of March 1st, 2013. This update to Walmart’s Ethical Sourcing initiative comes in the wake of a horrific fire that tore through a Walmart supplier’s facility in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, reportedly killing as many as 120 people. Tragically, the letter was released just days before another blaze would claim 7 more lives at a factory in the same city.

ctIf you’re planning on having your next order of made-in-China goods inspected by a 3^rd party QC company – and we strongly recommend that you do – you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most out of the inspection. The key to guaranteeing that your inspections are as effective as possible is to make sure that all parties involved – you, your supplier, and your QC team – understand your quality requirements.

International attention focused on unethical manufacturing practices when in 1996, Kathie Lee Gifford was rocked by a scandal. It was revealed that children as young as 12 years old in Honduras, El Salvador, and China were sewing “Kathie Lee” brand garments destined for Walmart shelves. These laborers worked 14 hours a day in very poor conditions, earning just 22 cents an hour.

Today it is easier than ever to find a Chinese supplier for just about any consumer or industrial product. Websites like Alibaba, MadeInChina, and GlobalSources connect buyers all over the world with factories in China and throughout Asia.

As experienced buyers have come to know, it's important to stay close with your Chinese suppliers. That means visiting your suppliers in China from time to time.