Free Template
Free Factory Vetting Scorecard
Score up to three factories on 22 weighted criteria, check them against ten red flags, and work through the 27 questions worth asking before you pay anyone.
The cheapest quote is not the comparison
Price is one criterion out of twenty-two, and it is not the one that predicts whether your order arrives on time and on spec. Capability, capacity, how they handle your tech pack and whether they will sign anything matter considerably more.
What you are actually assessing
Not whether they can make your garment — most can. Whether they communicate clearly when things are normal, because that is the only reliable predictor of how they will communicate when something goes wrong.
A high score with a red flag is not a pass
Any single red flag — patterns that “stay with the factory”, no willingness to sign a production agreement, minimums that move depending on how keen you sound, pressure for a large deposit before any sample — outranks the total. The scorecard tells you who is best; the red flags tell you who to walk away from.
Inside
What Is In the Workbook
| Sheet | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| How to use | How to score, and what you are really assessing |
| Scorecard | 22 criteria across capability, capacity, quality, commercial terms, compliance, communication, references and contract terms — weighted totals calculate automatically |
| Red flags | Ten patterns that should stop the process regardless of the total score, and why each one matters |
| Questions | 27 questions grouped by area, with space to record the answers |
Go Deeper
Related Guides
Questions to Ask a Clothing Manufacturer
The checklist to run before you pay anyone — factory, price, calendar, quality and the ones people forget.
Read guideHow to Find a Clothing Manufacturer
A practical, step-by-step process for finding and vetting a factory that actually fits your product and quantities.
Read guide
Domestic vs. Overseas Manufacturing
An honest comparison on cost, minimums, lead time, control and risk — and the hybrid most brands end up with.
Read guideNext Step
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