Questions to Ask When Visiting a Clothing Factory

2025-07-09

Visiting a clothing factory in China can be both exciting and overwhelming—especially for Amazon sellers, DTC startups, and boutique retailers who are trying to avoid the mistakes of sourcing through unverified online profiles.

Bei Asiatische Beschaffungsgruppe, we know your ultimate fear: getting burned by a factory that over-promises and under-delivers. That’s why we created this checklist of smart factory questions to ask during your first (or fifteenth) visit—backed by 10+ years of experience auditing garment factory names across the Greater Bay Area.

How to Find a Garment Manufacturer Worth Visiting

Before the factory tour even begins, the real work starts with vetting the right short list.

Avoid Alibaba guesswork

Gold Supplier status doesn’t guarantee legitimacy. Many subcontract production to unverified factories.

Ask for Fabrikaudit Berichte

Any serious sourcing partner should be able to show prior vetting results or offer to conduct one.

Use industry contacts or sourcing agents

If you’re scaling fast, partnering with a sourcing agency like ours gives you access to startup clothing manufacturers already vetted for MOQs, compliance, and turnaround speed.

Pro tip: Always verify that the factory specializes in your category—whether it’s activewear, loungewear, or outdoor apparel.

What Are Your Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs)?

This Question Reveals if They Work With Startups

Ask whether MOQs apply per style, per color, or total order.
Request if they offer lower MOQs for test orders or seasonal drops.
Clarify price breaks—at what quantity do unit costs drop?

Why this matters: Many startup clothing manufacturers are willing to negotiate lower MOQs if they believe your brand has long-term potential.

Can I See Samples of Similar Products You’ve Made?

Quality Shouldn’t Be a Mystery

Inspect stitch density, fabric weight, seam finishes, and trims.
Ask for references or garment factory names they’ve produced for—especially those in your niche.
Check for consistency across sizes or materials.

Red flag: If they only show showroom samples but not actual production pieces, it’s a sign they may outsource work without proper QC.

What’s Your Monthly Capacity?

Will This Factory Scale With You?

Ask about average monthly output and current load.
Inquire whether they’ve handled production for brands with sudden growth.
Check if they can handle FBA-ready packing and barcoding.

Amazon sellers often get burned when factories can’t meet Prime deadlines. Capacity isn’t just about machines—it’s about systems.

What Certifications Do You Hold?

Because Compliance Isn’t Optional

Ask if they’re BSCI, Sedex, WRAP, or ISO certified.
If you market sustainability, inquire about OEKO-TEX or GOTS standards.
Clarify if certifications are up to date and third-party verified.

Can I See the Entire Production Line?

Factory Tours Shouldn’t Be a Showroom Walkthrough

Observe cutting, sewing, ironing, QC, and packing zones.
Look at how fabric is stored—humidity and dust control are often overlooked.
Ask how long each product step takes and what tools are used to track progress.

Bonus tip: Snap photos (with permission). Reviewing them later helps with post-visit decision-making.

How Do You Handle Quality Control?

This Is Where Many Factories Fall Short

Ask what percentage of orders are randomly inspected.
Request to see an actual QC report, not just a template.
Inquire if they support third-party audits or live-streamed inspections.

Reminder: Your sourcing partner should take QC off your plate—not create more headaches. Our clients use our live project tracking system for 100% transparency.

What Are Your Payment Terms?

Prevent Surprises at Checkout

Clarify the deposit percentage and final balance due date.
Ask what payment methods are accepted (wire, PayPal, etc.).
If you’re placing large orders, see if payment milestones can be negotiated.

Time-strapped importers often overlook this until the last minute. But cash flow flexibility can make or break your launch.

What Makes You Different from Other Garment Factories?

Look for Answers Beyond “We Have Good Quality”

Do they offer full-package production (design, sampling, fulfillment)?
Are they focused on any niche (e.g., yoga wear, minimalist basics)?
Can they support seasonal volume surges or tight launch windows?

Collect a few garment factory names for comparison, but trust the one that answers this question with clarity and pride—not generalities.

Bonus: What If You Can’t Visit in Person?

Not every importer can fly to China for a site visit—especially startups or teams managing multiple SKUs.

Here’s how we solve that:

Live-streamed factory walkthroughs
Pre-audit factory reports with photos/videos
3-level QC inspections (Pre-production, Inline, and Final)

We help you eliminate the guesswork and still make smart sourcing decisions—remotely.

Final Thoughts: Ready to Visit a Clothing Factory?

When you visit a factory, you’re not just reviewing machines and materials. You’re building trust. You’re testing timelines. You’re protecting your brand’s reputation before the first stitch is ever sewn.

Whether you’re wondering how to find a garment manufacturer or refining your list of vetted garment factory names, asking the right factory questions gives you leverage, clarity, and peace of mind.

Ready to Skip the Factory Hunt?

Let Asian Sourcing Group match you with verified startup clothing manufacturers that meet your budget, brand vision, and compliance needs—without wasting weeks on trial and error.

👉 Book a Free 30-Minute Sourcing Strategy Call