Supplier screening
Most buyers pick a supplier by taking the fastest reply. This is the checklist that separates a factory from a trader before you place an order.
The short answer: screen a lash manufacturer on six things — MOQ, physical sampling, packaging capability, production lead time measured from artwork approval, defect policy, and whether they quote a total landed cost. A supplier who answers all six precisely and in writing is worth a trial order. One who answers vaguely, or answers only the easy ones, is not.
Most buyers pick a supplier the same way: search, message five, take the fastest reply, order. That process produces the same outcome most of the time — a supplier who was fast because they were not busy, and cheap because something was left out of the quote.
Here is the checklist worth actually working through. Twelve points, in the order they tend to become problems.
| # | Check | What a good answer looks like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MOQ per style | A specific number, and whether colour or length splits are allowed | “Depends” or a number that changes when you push back |
| 2 | Physical samples | Can send the exact style, no minimum, in about a week | Photos only, or a sample fee that is three times the unit price |
| 3 | Production lead time | Measured from artwork approval, stated in days | Measured from deposit, so packaging delays are invisible |
| 4 | Packaging in-house | Prints or sources their own boxes and can quote die lines | “We can arrange it” with no box types mentioned |
| 5 | Style development | Will quote a style built from your reference or sketch | Only sells the catalogue as printed |
| 6 | Defect policy | A stated allowance, and what happens above it | “Our quality is very good” — not a policy |
| 7 | Photography | Supplies clean product shots you can use commercially | You must shoot everything yourself before launch |
| 8 | Consistency over time | Same fibre and curl across repeat orders, documented | Style drifts subtly between batches |
| 9 | Restock speed | Reorder lead time stated separately from first order | No answer, because they have not been asked before |
| 10 | Payment terms | Clear deposit and balance split, named method | Full payment upfront to a personal account |
| 11 | Communication | One named contact who answers in writing | A different salesperson each message |
| 12 | Total landed cost | Quotes unit + packaging + shipping to your door | A per-pair price only, with everything else “to be confirmed” |
“15 days production” sounds precise and is almost meaningless. If the clock starts at deposit, then the two weeks your packaging artwork spends in proofing are invisible and unaccounted for.
Ask the question directly: if I approve artwork on Monday, what date do the cartons leave your factory? A supplier who can answer that has a production schedule. One who cannot is estimating.
You can learn more from one physical sample than from a hundred messages. When it arrives, check four things:
Do not skip this because shipping a sample takes a week. A week is cheaper than a wrong production run.
A large share of “manufacturers” listed online are trading companies. That is not automatically bad — some traders are excellent at small orders and communication. But you should know which you are dealing with, because it changes what they can control.
A factory answers these with numbers. A trader answers with reassurances.
This happens more than people admit. The product is right and the communication is not.
Before you walk, test one thing: send a specific, slightly awkward request and see how it is handled. Ask for the die line of the box, or the fibre specification, or the defect rate from the last three batches. A supplier who is merely disorganised will still answer. One who is hiding something will deflect. The difference is usually obvious in a single exchange.
Want the checklist applied to your brief?
Send us your styles, quantities and destination. We will answer all twelve points in writing before you decide anything.
Ask for numbers a trader cannot produce: monthly capacity in pairs, how many style changeovers they run per day, where the fibre is bought, and the defect rate of the last three batches. A factory answers with figures; a trader answers with reassurance.
Four things: pair consistency (lay both lashes side by side), band behaviour (it should flex and return without creasing), tip taper (tips should thin to a point against a light), and weight relative to how light the lash looks.
A low single-digit percentage is normal for a well-run line. What matters more than the number is the policy: ask what happens above the allowance, whether replacements are issued, and whether the defect rate is documented per batch.
From artwork approval. If the clock starts at deposit, packaging proofing time disappears from the schedule and your launch date quietly slips by two weeks.
A factory gives you more control over production, packaging and lead time. A trading company can be better at small orders and English-language communication. The important thing is knowing which one you are dealing with, since it determines who can actually fix a problem.