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What is Social Compliance, and How Do You Audit Your Suppliers?
Are your manufacturers treating workers fairly, compensating them enough, and prioritizing their health and safety? Do you have clear visibility into their practices, and are you taking steps to ensure they are in line with all labor laws? Social compliance is a...
5 Things You Need to Understand About Final Random Inspections
If you’ve hired a factory to produce consumer products — especially an overseas factory — you might want to verify product quality before they ship your order. That way, you can get a clear picture of how well-made the goods are before they make their long journey to...
Product Inspection vs. Testing: What is the Difference?
If you’ve developed a product and want to get it into the hands of consumers, you need to learn how to manage product quality and compliance. You may have heard the terms ‘product inspection’ and ‘product testing’ thrown around and been unsure whether they were the...
AQL General Inspection Levels: What are They, and How do They Work?
AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) is an important sampling method you’ll use when conducting product inspections at your factory. So if you’re making consumer goods and learning about AQL, you’ve probably seen the various inspection levels along the top of the AQL chart....
Manufacturing in Vietnam: Is it the Best Choice for Your Business?
The Vietnamese manufacturing industry has boomed in recent years, and the country has continually grown its exports. In 2012, Vietnam exported just over $114 trillion worth of goods — items ranging from textiles to electronics. By 2022, exports ballooned over $370...
What is a Children’s Product Certificate, and How Do You Get One?
Are you planning to import or sell a children’s product in the United States? Did you know that if it’s intended for kids aged 12 or younger, a law called CPSIA requires you to produce a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC)? We often get emails from people who’ve...
Quality vs. Compliance: What They Are and How to Manage Them Effectively
Product quality and compliance are vital concerns for companies manufacturing consumer products. While quality is generally about meeting customer expectations, compliance is about meeting regulatory requirements. If you want to manufacture competitive products,...
Welcome to 2023. Here are 3 Things Importers Should Keep an Eye On
Happy New Year! The last several years have been challenging for companies managing international supply chains. As such, you’re probably trying to discern the direction of things as we dive into 2023. If there’s anything we’ve learned from the last half-decade, it’s...
Farewell to 2022, and Our Top 5 Articles of the Year
2022 is drawing to a close, and it’s time to reflect on the past year and prepare for a new one. It was another roller coaster of a year for supply chains, particularly with lockdowns and port closures in China. Thankfully, the country has decided to reopen, but with...
5 Types of Supplier Audits That Will Help You Assess Your Manufacturer
Assessing manufacturers is a vital aspect of supply chain management for many consumer product brands. As such, you may be thinking about conducting a supplier audit to help uncover hidden manufacturing issues or aid you in supplier development. In general, audits...
What is Quality Fade, and How Can You Avoid It?
Imagine you’ve been working with a manufacturer in Vietnam to produce a line of laptop bags for the last two years, and the relationship has gone well. You have reasonable quality standards for your product, and you feel like the factory has met them. Then, one day,...
Is China Finally Exiting Zero-Covid, and How Will it Affect Your Orders?
The last few years have been tumultuous for businesses with international supply chains. And for those importing from China, the pandemic has only added to complications like tariffs and strained relations with the US. China’s strict pandemic controls have led to...
What is AQL Sampling, and How is it Used in Quality Inspections?
AQL stands for ‘Acceptance Quality Limit,’ and it’s an essential sampling method used in quality control. It’s defined in ISO 2859-1 as “The quality level that is the worst tolerable” over the course of many inspections. When an inspector goes to your manufacturer to...
What is the Difference Between Quality Inspection and Quality Control?
To succeed in the marketplace, consumer product companies must ensure that their products meet customer standards. As such, you may be thinking about measures you can take to achieve high product quality and get great reviews. If you want to do an excellent job of...
What Makes a Good Product “Good,” and How Do You Improve Quality?
Making good products is fundamental to establishing trust with consumers, and companies that accomplish this reap great rewards. According to data from Salsify, 46% of US consumers say they are willing to pay more for a brand name they trust, and 54% research a...
How to Get a Product Lab Tested for Safety, Compliance, or Performance
When you’re selling consumer goods, regulatory compliance is a vital concern. Imagine you begin importing your product only to discover that a government agency has found harmful chemicals in it, and you are required to pay an enormous fine. Or perhaps you’ve made...
5 Things You Need to Know About China Factory Audits
China makes up a remarkable 28.7% of total global manufacturing output, according to UN statistics. And despite the push to diversify sourcing locations in recent years, the country’s manufacturing dominance leads countless companies to take advantage of its...
What is Quality Control (QC), and How Does it Work?
Many leading consumer goods companies today focus intently on product quality — and for good reasons. Selling high-quality products can significantly impact customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. It can also prevent customer returns and one-star reviews, which lead...