Question 1

How do I stop my factory from swapping materials without telling me mid run?

Accepted Answer

You stop it by locking your BOM and requiring a lot photo against the locked swatch before cut. Swaps happen when there is no locked reference on file. In Factory Bouncer: upload the BOM as baseline (Your locked). Request the lot photo as factory proof. If they cannot show it, use Hold deposit. The lot photo on record is your dated proof for chargeback.

Question 2

My factory wants to start production but hasn't shown material proof, what should I do?

Accepted Answer

Do not release deposit. Ask for a 20 second video of material on the table with the lot card against your locked file before you clear deposit. Most bad runs start without that proof. In Factory Bouncer: keep the deposit on hold. Money at risk stays visible while proof is open, and a start without release is logged with a date.

Question 3

How do I prove my factory is building my tech pack before they cut fabric?

Accepted Answer

You need two files on record: your locked tech pack baseline and their factory proof photo dated before cut. That is baseline versus factory. In Factory Bouncer: each gate has Your locked (baseline) and Factory proof. When both match, status goes to Secured and $ at risk drops. That pack is your proof trail for retail compliance.

Question 4

What checklist do I need before paying factory deposit for footwear production?

Accepted Answer

Seven things before deposit: ownership signed, pattern locked, golden sample photo locked, BOM locked, kit list locked, plant photo locked, production video of material on the table. A $34k PO is not the full exposure when rebuild, wholesale, and retail reject stack on top. In Factory Bouncer: the protection checklist tracks how many of those proofs are secured and shows est. $ at risk per open gate so finance sees the full stack, not only PO value.

Question 5

Factory says material unavailable and wants to use equivalent, how to hold deposit?

Accepted Answer

Treat “equivalent” as a new approval, not a free swap. Require a photo of the proposed material against the locked swatch plus any cost change before you clear deposit. Script: “We cannot approve equivalent without lot proof. Holding deposit until we receive photo against locked BOM.” In Factory Bouncer: Hold deposit logs the ask and keeps $ at risk visible while the gate stays open.

Question 6

How do I protect my design so factory can't claim they own it?

Accepted Answer

Lock ownership proof before you share CAD. Put pattern files, dated design files, and a signed factory agreement that you own tooling and pattern on record. In Factory Bouncer: Ownership gate. Once secured, you have a timestamped file trail. If they claim ownership, you have dated proof you sent the design and they acknowledged the arrangement.

Question 7

Best software for cut and sew brands to lock tech pack and get factory proof?

Accepted Answer

PLM tools hold design intent. Final QC tools check after goods are made. Small cut-and-sew brands running 1k to 5k units need pre-cut factory proof against a locked tech pack. Factory Bouncer is built for that pre-cut path: upload locked files, collect factory photos, hold deposit with $ at risk, export Production Clearance when gates are secured.

Question 8

What does a bad factory run really cost?

Accepted Answer

Factory PO cost is only part of the stack. Real exposure can include lost deposit, rebuild elsewhere, wholesale at risk if retail rejects, and dead stock on top of the original PO. Example stack often cited for a mid-size style: PO about $34k can sit under total exposure around $214k when rebuild, wholesale, and reject risk are included. Factory Bouncer shows est. $ by open gate (BOM, pattern, production, and the rest) so finance can approve a hold with full numbers.

Question 9

How do I get a factory in Jinjiang to send lot photos against my locked swatch?

Accepted Answer

Do not ask only “send material photo” in chat. You will often get a stock shot. Ask specific: 20 second video, lot card visible, pan to your locked swatch file dated on the table. Factory Bouncer VIPs work Asian production hours and can request in factory language. Logging the ask creates a dated record. If they ghost, on-time proof stays empty and you still have the trail for the hold.

Question 10

What is tech pack factory proof and how do I get a production clearance record for finance?

Accepted Answer

Tech pack factory proof is dated evidence that the factory’s material, pattern, and plant match your locked files before cut. A Production Clearance record is the export of secured gates with timestamps, files, and remaining $ at risk for finance. In Factory Bouncer: when the protection checklist is secured, export the clearance PDF for finance with timestamps and proof on file so deposit release is documented.

Question 11

How do you calculate $ at risk on a factory run?

Accepted Answer

Factory cost on the PO is the blocking hero number when any protection is still open. Each open protection also carries its own exposure estimate so you can see which proof unlocks the most money first. In Factory Bouncer: the hero shows factory cost still exposed. Each open protection shows est. $ for that proof. When a gate secures, its chip drops and the hero falls to $0 only after the full pre-production clear.

Question 12

Who owns my design if the factory has no signed proof?

Accepted Answer

Without a signed ownership trail, the factory can claim tooling and pattern as theirs. You need agreement plus dated design files before you share CAD. In Factory Bouncer: Ownership sits on the tooling protection. Lock the signed agreement as baseline and keep factory acknowledgment as proof. That dated trail is what finance and counsel use if the plant claims ownership.

Question 13

What happens if I authorize production with open protections?

Accepted Answer

You start cut while material, sample, plant, or pack is still unproven. Fix cost jumps from a photo ask to a full rebuild, lost deposit, and wholesale rejection risk. In Factory Bouncer: open the authorize-now view against the same board numbers. Hold deposit and secure the open protections first so production starts only after baseline and factory match.

Question 14

Jinjiang plant pushed equivalent mesh mid run. What we did.

Accepted Answer

They said the locked Cordura was delayed and offered a mesh equivalent at the same price. We held deposit, demanded a lot photo against the locked swatch, and refused cut until the file matched. Lock the BOM and swatch as Baseline on Materials. Request factory lot photo as factory proof. If empty or mismatch, use Hold deposit so the ask and $ at risk stay on record.

Question 15

Factory asked for the next wire before material proof. How we held.

Accepted Answer

They wanted the second payment before lot photos. We did not clear the wire. We logged a dated hold, kept factory cost visible, and only moved cash when proof matched Baseline. Use Hold deposit on the open protection. Keep Baseline locked and factory proof empty or mismatched until they send the lot. The board shows $ at risk until that gate secures.

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