Factory Audits

A factory audit is an on-site assessment of a supplier’s facility to evaluate their capabilities, reliability, and compliance before you place an order. 🏭🔍

As a third-party inspection company, we conduct these audits throughout China and Asia for clients based in Europe, the U.S., and beyond.

Here’s why factory audits are important:

🛡️ Reduce Risk

We help you verify that the factory is real, operational, and capable of meeting your expectations — before you commit.

📊 Evaluate Capabilities

We assess the supplier’s production capacity, equipment, workforce, quality control systems, and certifications.

🔍 Check Compliance

We can include checks for social compliance (e.g., working conditions), environmental practices, or adherence to specific brand or retailer standards.

✅ Make Informed Decisions

You’ll receive a detailed audit report with photos and professional observations so you can choose the right supplier with confidence.

Whether you’re developing a long-term relationship or placing your first order, a factory audit is a smart step to protect your brand and investment.

Let us know your product type or concerns — we’ll guide you on the best audit for your needs.

We offer different types of factory audits depending on your needs, timeline, and budget. All audits are conducted on-site across China and Asia, and tailored for clients in Europe, the U.S., and other regions.

Here are the main options:

---

🔍 1. Factory Verification Audit (FVA)

This is our most popular and cost-effective audit, ideal for verifying a supplier before placing your order.

It helps you:

• Confirm the existence and legitimacy of the factory
• Understand the relationship between the trading company and manufacturer
• Review their in-house production capabilities
• See if they subcontract any parts of production

Great for initial supplier assessment, especially when working with new vendors.

---

📋 2. Factory Technical Audit (FTA)

A more detailed audit, focused on evaluating the factory’s quality management system.

Includes all points from the Factory Verification Audit, plus:

• Review of quality control procedures and documentation
• Assessment of incoming, in-process, and final inspections
• Checks on training, maintenance, calibration, and more

Perfect for buyers who want deeper insight into the factory’s ability to meet high quality standards.

---

🛠️ 3. Customized Audits

Have your own audit format or checklist? No problem!

We perform custom audits based on your specific requirements — whether it’s a brand standard, retailer protocol, or internal compliance system.

We review each case individually and align our audit process accordingly.

---

A Social Compliance Audit is an assessment of a factory’s working conditions, labor practices, health & safety, and ethical standards.

It typically follows international frameworks like SEDEX (SMETA), BSCI, or SA8000.

These audits cover areas such as:

• Working hours and wages
• No child or forced labor
• Health and safety
• Freedom of association
• Ethical recruitment and more

🔔 Note: We’ve discontinued Social Compliance Audits due to low demand and to focus more on Quality Audits and Factory Technical Assessments, where most of our clients need support.

If you still require this service, we’re happy to refer you to trusted partners!

We don’t offer full environmental compliance audits anymore (e.g. based on ISO 14001) due to low demand, as we’ve chosen to focus on Quality and Technical Audits where most of our clients need support.

🔍 However, we do include a brief environmental assessment as part of our Factory Verification Audit (FVA) — such as checking:

• Basic waste management practices
• General cleanliness and factory organization
• Observations related to energy use and environmental awareness

For full environmental compliance audits, we can refer you to trusted specialist partners. Let us know your needs!

We verify a factory’s production capacity during our Factory Verification Audit (FVA) or Factory Technical Audit (FTA). 🏭✅

Here’s what we do:

🔧 1. On-Site Observation

We visit the production lines and observe the workflow, number of operators, and machines in use.

📊 2. Capacity Validation

We compare the supplier’s declared capacity with what we observe during the audit.

• We check how many pieces are produced in a set amount of time
• Then, we prepare a clear comparison table showing:
  • 📈 Declared capacity
  • 📉 Actual capacity observed on-site

🔁 3. Production Process Mapping

We also verify whether all production stages are handled in-house or subcontracted — giving you full visibility on how and where your product is made.

This helps you assess whether the factory can meet your order volume and lead time reliably.

We solely focus on Quality Control services to maintain full independence and avoid any conflict of interest. ✅

So, we do not offer sourcing services directly. However, we understand how important it is to work with reliable suppliers — and we can always suggest a few trusted sourcing partners or friends who specialize in that.

Let us know what type of product you’re looking for, and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction!

If a factory fails an audit, don’t worry — it doesn’t mean the end of the road. 🚫➡️🔧

Here’s what happens next:

📝 1. We share a detailed audit report

You’ll receive a clear report outlining all non-conformities or weaknesses, with photos and notes for full transparency.

🤝 2. We help define a Corrective Action Plan (CAP)

We can work with you and the supplier to review the findings and agree on a CAP — a step-by-step plan to fix the issues.

📅 3. We follow up with the factory

We stay in touch with the factory to monitor their progress and ensure the CAP is being implemented properly.

🔍 4. We can arrange a re-audit

Once the corrective actions are complete, we can perform a re-audit to verify improvements and confirm the factory is now compliant.

The goal is to turn audit failures into opportunities for improvement — and we’re here to support you through the entire process.

The duration depends on the type of audit and the scope of work, but here’s a general guide:

🕐 Factory Verification Audit (FVA):

✅ Usually completed in 1 man-day — ideal for a basic supplier assessment.

🕑 Factory Technical Audit (FTA):

✅ Typically takes 2 man-days, as it includes a deeper review of the factory’s quality management system and processes.

📝 Customized Audit:

The duration varies depending on your checklist, requirements, and factory size.

We’ll review the scope and let you know the exact time needed.

Let us know your needs — we’ll advise the best format and timeframe!

We do not conduct surprise audits. 🚫

We believe it’s important to have the audit agreed upon by all parties, including the factory.

This ensures smooth access to the premises, availability of key staff, and full cooperation — which results in a more effective and transparent audit process.

That said, we can schedule audits on short notice if needed, while still keeping things professional and respectful with the supplier.

Yes, absolutely! 📝✅

After every audit, we provide a comprehensive and easy-to-understand report that includes:

• 🏭 Supplier & factory overview
• 📊 Audit summary and overall result (Pass/Fail or Score)
• 📸 Photos and Videos of key areas, processes, and any issues found
• 🔍 Detailed findings by section (e.g. production, quality control, documentation)
• ❗ Non-conformities and observations
• 🔧 Recommendations and suggested corrective actions
• 📅 Follow-up suggestions, if applicable (e.g. CAP, re-audit)

Our reports are designed to help you make informed decisions about your suppliers with full transparency. Let us know if you’d like to see a sample!

We don’t provide consulting services or create corrective action plans (CAPs) ourselves. 🛑

However, we can support the follow-up process by:

• ✅ Providing a clear audit report outlining the issues found
• 📄 Letting the factory prepare their own Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
• 🔄 Scheduling a follow-up audit to verify whether the corrective actions have been properly implemented

This way, we stay fully independent while helping you ensure that the factory takes real steps toward improvement.

We recommend the following approach:

🆕 For new suppliers:

Always conduct a factory audit before placing your first order. This helps you verify their legitimacy, production capabilities, and overall reliability.

🔁 For existing suppliers:

It’s advisable to audit them at least once a year — especially if:

• There are changes in management or production
• You’ve had quality issues
• You’re placing high-value or high-volume orders

Regular audits help you maintain visibility, reduce risks, and ensure your supplier continues to meet your standards over time.

Yes, of course! 🌍✅

We conduct factory audits not only in China but also across Asia, Europe, and other key sourcing regions through our experienced team and trusted local partners.

🌏 We cover Countries/Regions including:

• Asia: Vietnam, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
• Europe & North Africa: Turkey, Morocco, Portugal, Bulgaria, Greece, France
• South America: Peru

If your supplier is located in any of these regions, we’ll be happy to arrange a reliable and professional audit. Just let us know the factory location!

Yes, absolutely! 🔄✅

If a factory receives non-conformities during an audit, we can schedule a follow-up audit to verify whether the corrective actions have been properly implemented.

This helps you ensure that real improvements are made and that the factory is back on track before you proceed with further orders.

We don’t perform official certification audits for organizations like BSCI or Sedex, as those must be done by accredited certification bodies and/or by these organizations directly. 🏢✅

However, we can conduct audits based on the scope and requirements of these standards.

For example, we can perform an audit using a BSCI or Sedex-style checklist to help you evaluate a factory’s readiness or monitor ongoing compliance.

This is a great way to assess risk before a formal audit or to maintain oversight between certifications. Let us know your preferred framework, and we’ll tailor the audit accordingly.