How we work
How We Vet Our Manufacturing Partners
We don’t own a factory. Our value depends on how well we choose and manage the ones we work with — here is the checklist we apply, the three quality gates on every order, and what happens when something goes wrong.
Since we don’t own a factory, everything depends on how well we choose and manage the ones we work with
That is not a weakness we are hiding — it is the whole business. Here is exactly how it works, so you can judge whether it fits how you buy.
1 · Qualification
What a facility has to pass before we place your order
We do not maintain a long list of suppliers. We maintain a short one — and we re-assess it. Before a facility is used for a customer project, we check six things.
Capability match
Can they actually make this product — the frame material, the lens type, the coating, the finishing — or are they learning on your order?
Capacity against your volume
A facility that is excellent at 5,000 pieces may be the wrong choice at 50,000. We match capacity to your requirement, not to our convenience.
Quality management
What does their internal QC actually consist of? Who signs off? What happens to a rejected batch?
Export experience
Have they shipped internationally before? Do they understand labelling, carton marking and documentation?
Business and compliance documents
Business licence, certifications and test reports — verified, not just received as a PDF.
Sample evaluation
Every new facility is evaluated on a physical sample against our reference standard before it is used for a customer project.
And qualification is not a one-time event. A facility that passed last year is re-assessed when we place a new project with them. If the sample or the inspection results slip, we do not quietly ship it and hope — we either escalate or we move the project.
2 · Quality gates
Three gates on every order
Gate 1 — Pre-production sample
A golden sample is produced against your specification. Nothing enters mass production until you approve it in writing.
Gate 2 — In-line inspection
Materials, construction and finishing are checked during production, while problems are still cheap to fix.
Gate 3 — Pre-shipment inspection
An AQL sampling inspection covering workmanship, function, labelling and packaging. You receive a photographic report before the goods leave.
3 · When something goes wrong
Our commitment is about the order of events
Something eventually will — that is true of every supply chain. What matters is what happens next, and in what order.
- We stop the shipment.
- We document the defect with photographs and measurements.
- We come to you with options — rework, replace, or a renegotiated price — before your goods leave, not after they arrive.
What we will not do is ship a known problem and let you discover it at the port.
4 · Limits
What we will not do at all
- We will not produce counterfeit or imitation products of any brand. We make your original designs and your own brand only.
- We will not claim a certification we cannot attach a document to — see what is actually on file and who holds it.
- We will not quote a lead time we cannot hold. If we are not sure, we will tell you we are not sure.
5 · Ask anyone
Four questions to ask any supplier — including us
If you take one thing from this page, take the questions:
- Which specific facility will produce my order, and can I see its details?
- What are the three quality gates, and what do I receive at each one?
- Which certifications apply to my product and market, and who is the certificate holder?
- If the inspection fails, what happens to my money and my timeline?
We answer all four in writing before you place an order. So should anyone else you talk to.
Let’s Work Together
Ready to put a brief together?
Send your specification, target market and volumes — we will come back with the facility match, the sample plan and the documents that apply.