Before placing a first order with a workwear manufacturer, ask ten questions: the real MOQ and what is negotiable; a recent third-party audit report; a lab test report for the actual production fabric; who handles your account day to day; sample cost and whether it is deductible; lead time confirmed in writing with late-delivery terms; a reference customer in your market; the quality-claim process after shipment; payment terms; and certification capability for your target market. Suppliers who answer all ten clearly in writing are the ones worth a trial order.
A catalog tells you what a supplier wants to sell. A price list tells you what they want to charge. Neither tells you how they will behave when something goes wrong at 11 p.m. before a vessel cutoff.
These ten questions do. Ask them before you sign anything — and pay as much attention to how a factory answers as to what it answers. Evasive, slow or copy-pasted answers are answers too.
The Money Questions
1. "What is your real MOQ — and what part of it is negotiable?"
Every factory quotes a standard MOQ. Few admit which parts of it are flexible.
A good answer sounds like: "500 pieces per color is our standard, but for a first trial order we can do 300 if you accept the stock fabric color. On repeat orders we can discuss lower."
Red flag: "MOQ 500" with no explanation, or instant agreement to any number you propose. A factory that bends on everything before you have ordered will bend on quality after you have.
The MOQ question is not really about the number. It is about whether the supplier treats you as a program to grow or a one-off to close.
2. "What does the sample cost — and is it deductible from the bulk order?"
Industry norm: samples cost 1.5–3× the unit price, and most factories deduct the sample fee from the first bulk order if you place it within an agreed window.
A good answer: exact sample cost, exact courier cost, exact deduction terms — in writing, on the proforma invoice.
Red flag: free samples with no conditions. Free samples are rarely free; the cost comes back inside the bulk price, or the sample is made with more care than production ever will be.
3. "What are your payment terms — and what do they say about your confidence?"
Standard export terms are 30% deposit, 70% against copy of bill of lading. A factory demanding 100% upfront is either cash-starved or does not plan to be accountable after shipment.
A good answer: "30/70 T/T. For established partners we discuss L/C or better."
Red flag: pressure for full payment before production "to secure fabric." Fabric booking needs 10–20%, not 100%.
The Proof Questions
4. "Can I see a recent third-party audit report?"
BSCI, SMETA or SCAN reports tell you who actually runs the building: working hours, fire exits, wages, subcontracting.
A good answer: "We have undergone BSCI, SMETA and SCAN audits. The latest report is available under NDA — send us your company details and we share it the same day."
Red flag: a certificate photo on the website with no date, no report number, and no offer of the full document. Audits expire; photos do not.
5. "Can I have a lab test report for the actual production fabric — not a sample fabric?"
This is the question that separates factories from traders. A trader emails you a PDF with another company's name blacked out. A factory has reports on the fabric it actually buys, from an ISO 17025-accredited lab, and can produce a fresh test on your order's fabric lot if the program requires it.
A good answer: a recent report naming the fabric construction (e.g., "300D oxford, PU microporous coating"), the test values, the lab, and the date.
Red flag: "All our fabrics pass EN 343" with no document. Claims are free. Reports cost money — which is exactly why they mean something.
6. "Can I speak to one current customer in my market?"
You will not always get a name — NDAs exist. But a manufacturer with real export history can always offer something: a reference call arranged under NDA, a redacted inspection report from a past program, or a verifiable shipping history.
A good answer: "We cannot share names publicly, but under NDA we can show you a recent program in your market and arrange a reference."
Red flag: "We have many famous customers" and nothing followable.
The Process Questions
7. "Who will I actually communicate with every day?"
At trade shows you meet the export manager. During production you deal with whoever answers email. Ask for the name and role of your daily contact before ordering — and notice whether that person joins the conversation early.
A good answer: "Your account is handled by our merchandiser [name], who has run EU hi-vis programs for six years. I stay copied on everything."
Red flag: your only contact is a salesperson who forwards your technical questions to "our engineer" and returns with answers three days later, slightly wrong.
8. "What is the lead time — in writing — and what happens if you miss it?"
Standard workwear lead time is 45–60 days after sample approval and deposit. The number matters less than the paperwork: a delivery date on the purchase contract, plus agreed consequences.
A good answer: a written schedule — sample date, production window, inspection date, vessel cutoff — and an honest discussion of peak-season risk.
Red flag: "About 45 days" said out loud but never written down.
9. "What happens if the goods fail inspection?"
Every factory says "quality first." The claim process is where you find out what that means. Ask: who pays for re-inspection if AQL fails? Who pays rework? What is the claim window after arrival?
A good answer: "We inspect every order at AQL 2.5 and share the report before shipment. If our goods fail your third-party inspection, rework and re-inspection are on us."
Red flag: "We have never had a quality problem." Every factory has had quality problems. The honest ones have a process; the others have a slogan.
The Capability Question
10. "Can you produce to my market's standard — and show me the paperwork path?"
EN ISO 20471 for the EU, ANSI/ISEA 107 for the US, CSA Z96 for Canada, AS/NZS 4602.1 for Australia. The answer you want is not "yes" — it is a description of how: which lab, which test items, who compiles the Declaration of Conformity, who keeps the technical file.
A good answer: "We produce to order and certify to order. For EN ISO 20471 we test with SGS or Intertek, class and wash cycles confirmed against your spec, documentation compiled before shipment."
Red flag: "We can do any certificate." Factories that certify to any standard usually certify to none.
Scoring the Answers
Print this table. Score each shortlisted supplier honestly.
| Area | Question | Weight |
| ------ | ---------- | -------- |
| Money | MOQ flexibility, sample terms, payment structure | 25% |
| Proof | Audit report, fabric test report, reference | 35% |
| Process | Daily contact, written lead time, claim process | 25% |
A supplier who scores well on proof and process but is average on price is usually the cheapest choice over three years. The reverse is never true.
One more thing: the factory you want is the one that asks you questions back — about your market, your wearers, your wash cycles, your tender clauses. Curiosity about your program is the surest sign they intend to still be producing it in five years.
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Fujian Rising Outdoor Products Co., Ltd. is a BSCI, SMETA and SCAN-audited manufacturer of outdoor workwear and PPE, serving brands in the EU, US, Canada and Australia since 2012. Bring these ten questions to us — [we answer all ten in writing](/#contact), usually within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I visit the factory before placing a first order?+
A video call that walks the production floor live is usually enough for a first order under US$50,000. Ask to see the cutting tables, the sewing lines running your product type, and the warehouse. Save the flight for the second or third order, when volumes justify it. A supplier who refuses a live video walk-through is telling you something.
Is the lowest quote usually the best option?+
Rarely. When three quotes for the same spec differ by more than 15%, the lowest one has usually changed something you did not specify: lighter fabric, narrower tape, untaped seams, or a shorter wash-life. Always compare quotes against the same written spec sheet, and ask the cheapest supplier to confirm every material and test value in writing.
How many suppliers should I shortlist before deciding?+
Three to five. Fewer than three and you have no price or capability benchmark; more than five and the evaluation drags for months while samples pile up. Score each on the same ten questions, order samples from the top two, and place the trial order with the one whose sample matches the spec — not the one whose quote was lowest.
What is the biggest red flag in a supplier's first reply?+
A price with no questions. A manufacturer who quotes your RFQ without asking about fabric weight, tape spec, certification target or packaging has not read it — they are quoting a generic product and hoping. Serious factories reply with clarifying questions before they reply with numbers.
About Fujian Rising Outdoor Products
BSCI, SMETA and SCAN-audited manufacturer of outdoor workwear & PPE since 2012. 865 workers, 250 computerized sewing machines. Serving brands in the EU, US, Canada and Australia.
Contact us for a quote →