I have sat on both sides of this conversation - as a buyer auditing our own suppliers and as the factory being audited by 14 EU customers in three months. The checklist below is what I would actually use if I were placing a first PO with a Yiwu glove factory next Monday.
The 90% Who Don't Bother
Of the buyers we onboard each year, I would estimate fewer than 1 in 10 actually verify any of the below before sending a first PO. The other 9 trust the Alibaba "Verified Supplier" badge (which only proves a business licence exists, not that the factory delivers) and Google the founder's name. Most get away with it. Some lose USD 8-40k. The work below takes 2-4 weeks and tips the odds heavily.
1. Check Business License Validity
Request the original Chinese business license (营业执照). Verify on the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (www.gsxt.gov.cn). Confirm: registered capital, scope of business includes glove manufacturing, no legal disputes in the past 3 years.
2. Confirm Production Capacity
Don't take 'we can do 1 million pairs a month' at face value. Ask for: number of sewing machines, head-count per shift, daily output per SKU, and current order book. A factory that's 'too eager' usually has empty lines for a reason.
3. Demand Third-Party Audits
ISO 9001:2015 (quality management) is table stakes. BSCI/Sedex (social compliance) matters for retail buyers. WRAP for activewear. Don't accept 'audit in progress' - ask for the actual report PDF, signed and dated within 12 months.
4. Inspect Material Sourcing
Where does the leather come from? Which mill supplies the HPPE yarn? A reputable factory provides supplier mill certificates and can show traceability. Untraceable materials mean you can't certify your end product.
5. Sample - But the Right Way
Always pay for samples. Free samples come from sample-room stock - not your bulk line. A paid sample (typically $50 to $200) means your specs are run on real production equipment, giving an honest preview of bulk quality.
6. Visit (or Send an Agent)
If your order is above $20,000, fly in or hire a local inspection agency (SGS, Bureau Veritas, AsiaInspection, V-Trust). Camera-only video tours can be staged. A walking floor visit reveals housekeeping, worker conditions, and real machine count.
7. Test Communication Speed
Send a deliberately complex question on a Friday afternoon. The factory's response time and clarity predict how they'll handle real production hiccups. Avoid suppliers who only reply 'OK no problem' to everything - that's a future disaster.
8. Verify Banking Details
Match the bank account name to the business license name exactly. A mismatch is a fraud red flag. Never wire to a personal Hong Kong account on the first order. Use Alibaba Trade Assurance or LC/escrow for orders above $10,000.
9. Lock the Specification
Get a signed Product Specification Sheet covering: materials with mill names, weight (gsm), color (Pantone), stitching count (SPI), logo placement (mm tolerances), packaging artwork. Verbal agreements vanish when issues arise.
10. Build In Inspection
Schedule a pre-shipment inspection (PSI) at AQL 2.5 - paid by you, not the factory. Authorized to hold the container if critical defects exceed 2.5%. Most factories accept this; ones that refuse are hiding something.
11. Negotiate Payment Terms
Industry standard for new buyers: 30% deposit, 70% before shipment after PSI passes. Don't pay 100% in advance - ever. As trust builds over 5 to 10 orders, you can negotiate to 20%-80% or even open account terms.
12. Plan for the Long Game
The best China glove factories want repeat 5-year buyers, not one-shot deals. Share your forecast, give honest feedback, pay on time. In return, you get priority production, better pricing, and proactive problem-solving when issues arise.
Want a Second Opinion on Your Tech Pack?
We review around 8-12 tech packs a week from buyers comparing factories. Free, no obligation - we will flag construction issues, suggest fabric alternatives, and tell you if a quote you got elsewhere is realistic.
This guide is updated when industry conditions change - the last revision was based on Q1 2026 fabric pricing and CN-EU freight rates.