How China Quality Control Works?

China, although best known as a manufacturing giant, is also notorious for producing subpar products, earning them bad rep among businesses as well as consumers who expect higher quality goods. Just the same, the fact that manufacturing is dirt cheap in this side of the world cannot be denied, and while many factories feed the country’s notoriety for producing junk, more can bring you high-quality goods and products that are up to par with your world class standards. There is a reason why some of the biggest brands in the world still choose China manufacturers as production partners. Just the same, you need to be aware of how China quality control works so as not to fall into common traps that novice businesses stumble upon when manufacturing in China.

It is critical to make sure that your supplier/manufacturer understand your requirements before even going into production. Quality control should start with you, the buyer. The rule is to never make assumptions and to make sure that you prioritize clear communication with your supplier. The more information and specifications you provide right from the start of your partnership, the better. Always include details like materials, dimensions, approved components, logo artwork, color, finish, and even the smallest features so you won’t end up with a botched finished product. While it may seem common sense for a factory to clarify unclear instructions/specifications, this isn’t always the case when dealing with China manufacturers. If you fail to specify your expectations, your supplier will likely end up taking the lowest cost route, to make production more profitable.

When it comes to China manufacturing, you usually get what you ask for, so make sure that you present your design and product specifications in the clearest manner possible, so as not to end up with a sub-par quality or poorly executed product design. Assuming that poor quality is the responsibility of the factory is exactly what gave the "Made in China" tag a bad rep, when in fact poor quality isn’t always the result of their inability to produce good-quality products, but instead, the result of poor product design. More than anything, it is a Chinese factory’s goal to manufacture, to the best of their abilities, the design that you specified. Ultimately, the responsibility of a good design is in your hands because, as earlier pointed out, you only ever get what you ask for in these circumstances. Ask for sub-par materials and you will get sub-par materials; bring out a poor design, and you’ll get a well manufactured version of that design—plain and simple.

About the Author

This article is written by Nick Cunningham, who is a president at China2West. China 2 West is a western owned and managed Manufacturing & Vendor Management, Quality Control and Product Development Company based in mainland China. Established in 2005 as a manufacturing consultancy, we now have businesses in several countries and provide design, production, inspection, and testing and logistics service to companies that need a reliable supply of goods from China. Our dedicated and passionate team work tirelessly across our business sectors as we continue to grow and to seek out new investment opportunities.

China 2 West is a western owned and managed Manufacturing & Vendor Management, Quality Control and Product Development Company based in mainland China. Established in 2005 as a manufacturing consultancy,