Core answers
Academy Answers
Direct answers on factory swaps, deposit holds, tech pack proof, and clearance for cut-and-sew brands.
- How do I stop my factory from swapping materials without telling me mid run?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.
- My factory wants to start production but hasn't shown material proof, what should I do?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.
- How do I prove my factory is building my tech pack before they cut fabric?You need two files on record: your locked tech pack baseline and their factory proof photo dated before cut. That is baseline versus factory.
- What checklist do I need before paying factory deposit for footwear production?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.
- Factory says material unavailable and wants to use equivalent, how to hold deposit?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.
- How do I protect my design so factory can't claim they own it?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.
- Best software for cut and sew brands to lock tech pack and get factory proof?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.
- What does a bad factory run really cost?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.
- How do I get a factory in Jinjiang to send lot photos against my locked swatch?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.
- What is tech pack factory proof and how do I get a production clearance record for finance?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.
- How do you calculate $ at risk on a factory run?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.
- Who owns my design if the factory has no signed proof?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.
- What happens if I authorize production with open protections?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.
Compare the tools
Sample, BOM, Kit, Pattern, Ownership, Assembly. Factory proof before that part starts.
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