Most "factories" exporting sanitary ware from China are not the building you picture. A large share are partner or affiliated workshops with a trading and QC layer on top. That is not a scam and it is not unusual — but it changes how you should verify. This guide gives you twelve questions you can paste straight into an email, what a solid answer looks like, and the answers that should end the conversation.
Start from the honest premise
If a supplier opens with "We are a real factory, not a trading company," treat it as a marketing line, not evidence. The real question is not "factory or trader." It is: do you control production and quality, can you prove it, and will you let a third party confirm it?
We will answer our own questions first, so you can see the standard applied:
- We do not own the casting plant. We hold dedicated casting capacity reserved for our orders at a partner facility in South China (Guangdong, China).
- Our own QC team is on site and inspects every unit before crating.
- Factory visits are welcome in person or by live video.
- We accept third-party inspection by SGS, BV, or TUV before shipment, and pre-loading inspection.
- Material is artificial stone / solid surface (non-ceramic sanitary ware, China standard JC/T 2116-2012).
- Certifications: cUPC and CE are in progress, test report available — we will not show you a number we do not have.
Now the twelve questions. Paste them. Read the answers against the pass/red-flag notes.
The 12 questions
1. Are you a factory or a trading company?
Why it matters: it sets expectations, not because one label is bad. A straight answer tells you who controls the mold and the line.
Good answer: "We work with a dedicated partner workshop; our own team runs QC on site. Here is the production address and who owns the tooling." Clear about the model.
Red flag: "We are 100% a real factory, not a trader" with no address, no video, no mold-ownership detail. Defensiveness where proof should be.
2. Can you do a live video factory tour this week?
Why it matters: a live walk-through beats a hundred photos. You see the casting area, the QC bench, and whether the "factory" is a floor or a warehouse.
Good answer: "Yes, book a 30-minute slot; we will show casting, finishing, and the QC station, live." Date set.
Red flag: "We can send photos" or "The factory is far, the manager is busy." If they cannot show the line live, you cannot verify the line.
3. What exactly does your QC team check, and how often?
Why it matters: QC is the difference between a 2% defect rate and a 20% one you discover at unboxing.
Good answer: "Our QC team is on site; we inspect every unit before crating against an AQL plan, and we record dimensional and finish checks per batch." Specific and per-unit.
Red flag: "We inspect quality" with no plan, no records, no sampling method. Vague inspection is no inspection.
4. Will you accept third-party inspection before shipment?
Why it matters: an independent SGS / BV / TUV check is the single strongest lever you have.
Good answer: "Yes. We arrange SGS, BV, or TUV pre-shipment inspection at your cost or shared; we book it with you." No hesitation.
Red flag: "We don't use third parties" or "It costs too much, trust us." Refusing independent verification is the clearest stop sign there is.
5. What is the exact material composition?
Why it matters: material drives price, durability, and repairability, and it must match your spec.
Good answer: "Solid surface / artificial stone, non-ceramic sanitary ware per JC/T 2116-2012. Here is the independent test report." Named standard, report attached.
Red flag: "Ceramic-like" or "stone material" with no composition. If they will not name it, it is not what you asked for. (Note: our basins are solid surface — never ceramic, and never any other non-solid-surface material.)
6. What certifications do you hold — cUPC, CE — and can you show the number?
Why it matters: certifications gate entry in North America and Europe. A fake number is a legal problem, not a paperwork problem.
Good answer: "cUPC and CE are in progress, test report available. We will share the current status and the report, not a certificate we have not earned." Honest.
Red flag: a certificate number produced instantly for a cert that normally takes months, or a number you cannot verify on the issuer's database. Fabricated compliance is grounds to walk.
7. Can you show independent test reports, and what do they actually cover?
Why it matters: a test report is only as good as what it tested. Read the scope line.
Good answer: "Our basins are independently tested to JC/T 2116-2012 (water absorption 0.1% versus 0.5% limit; Barcol hardness 46 versus 35 minimum). Raw material (unsaturated polyester resin 201B) compliant with EU RoHS per SGS report SZXEC23002470101." Exact, scoped.
Red flag: "RoHS certified" claimed for the finished product, or a report that actually covers raw material passed off as a finished-goods certificate. Watch the subject of the test.
8. What is your real production lead time, and what capacity is reserved for us?
Why it matters: "20 days" becomes "60 days" the moment a bigger order jumps the queue.
Good answer: "These models are in stock and we will confirm what is on the floor today; here is what is available now and what would need to be produced. We hold dedicated casting capacity reserved for our orders, so your slot is protected." Capacity is ring-fenced and stock is stated as a quantity, not an adjective.
Red flag: a flat number with no condition, no peak-season note, no mention of how your order is prioritized — or "in stock" used as a feeling rather than a count. Ask them to confirm available quantity in writing before you pay a deposit. Optimistic quotes hide the risk.
9. What are your MOQ and tier prices?
Why it matters: margin lives in the tier sheet, and MOQ decides whether a small pilot is even possible.
Good answer: "Here is the full tier sheet — entry quantity, every price break, and the unit price at each, by model and destination." Transparent tiers, quoted per order rather than one flat number.
Red flag: a single price, or an MOQ that silently doubles for the finish you actually want. Ask for the whole sheet, not one number.
10. Do you sell from stock, or do you make to order — and can you prove it?
Why it matters: "In stock" is the most abused phrase in sanitary ware sourcing. It often means the factory can make it, not that it exists. Ask for a count, and ask what happens when your order is larger than the stock.
Good answer: "We are a stock-led program: 14 catalogue models, existing moulds, published dimensions and finishes. Here is the available quantity per model as of today, and here is what the balance would take to produce. We do not take custom dimensions or open new moulds, but we can recolour any existing model to your specification on its current mould with a per-project colour uplift of $60 (size unchanged), and if your spec needs a size we do not list, we will tell you on day one." Limits stated up front, and stock stated as a number.
Red flag: "Any size, any colour, no problem." A supplier who says yes to everything is usually quoting a development project they have not costed — and you discover that after the deposit.
11. How do you pack, and what is the load per container?
Why it matters: a basin is fragile; packing failure shows up as claims, not as a discount.
Good answer: "Foam-wrapped, crated, corner-protected; we provide pieces-per-40HQ and packing data with the quote so your freight forwarder can plan." Data attached.
Red flag: "Safe packing" with no spec, no load count, no claims history. If they cannot tell you how many fit a container, they have not shipped many.
12. Can you name comparable projects or provide references?
Why it matters: past commercial work is the best predictor of commercial reliability.
Good answer: "We have supplied hotel FF&E and distributor orders; here are references you can contact (with their OK)." Real names, real contact path.
Red flag: "Many big hotels, cannot disclose" with zero verifiable detail. A reference you cannot check is not a reference.
Put the answers in a table before you decide
| # | Question | Pass signal | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Factory or trader | Names the model, shows the line | "Real factory" with no proof |
| 2 | Live tour | Books a slot this week | Sends only photos |
| 3 | QC | Per-unit, AQL, records | "We inspect quality" |
| 4 | 3rd-party inspect | Accepts SGS/BV/TUV | Refuses independent check |
| 5 | Material | Names the standard | "Ceramic-like" |
| 6 | Certs | "In progress, report available" | Fake cert number |
| 7 | Test reports | Scoped to what was tested | Finished-goods RoHS claim |
| 8 | Lead time | Reserved capacity stated | Flat number, no condition |
| 9 | MOQ/tiers | Full tier sheet | One price only |
| 10 | Stock vs made-to-order | Available quantity per model, in writing | "Any size, any colour, no problem" |
| 11 | Packing | Load count + data | "Safe packing" only |
| 12 | References | Contactable names | "Cannot disclose" |
What we will commit to, in writing
Because the model is the point, here is what we will put in the email reply and the contract:
- Live or in-person factory visit — Guangdong, China, scheduled with you.
- SGS, BV, or TUV pre-shipment inspection at your option.
- Pre-loading inspection by our on-site QC team, with records.
- Material in writing: artificial stone / solid surface, non-ceramic sanitary ware, JC/T 2116-2012.
- Honest certification status: cUPC and CE in progress, test report available — no invented numbers.
That is the whole game: verifiable claims, accepted verification, and no pretending to be something we are not.
Frequently asked questions
Is it bad if a supplier is not the factory owner? No. The common structure is a partner workshop plus a dedicated QC and trading layer. What matters is whether they control quality and let you verify it.
What is the one question that filters most suppliers? "Will you accept SGS, BV, or TUV inspection before shipment?" A supplier who refuses independent inspection is one you should not ship with.
Can a test report for raw material count as product certification? No, and do not let one stand in for the other. A raw-material RoHS report (like our SGS SZXEC23002470101 on unsaturated polyester resin 201B) is real but covers the material, not the finished basin.
How do I read a cUPC or CE claim? Ask for the certificate number and verify it on the issuer's database. If the supplier says "in progress," ask for the test report and the expected completion date, not a number.
Do you claim ADA compliance for full pedestal sinks? No. A full pedestal obstructs the roughly 700 mm (27 in) knee clearance an accessible stall needs, so it does not meet ADA requirements. For accessible rooms, specify a wall-hung or half-pedestal basin.
See the line and the verification for yourself
If the twelve answers above are the standard you want applied to your order, the next step is to look at the product and book the verification.
Browse the collection → Request project pricing →
The twelve questions are written to paste into a supplier email as-is. Pass/red-flag notes reflect common patterns in China sanitary ware sourcing; always confirm specifics against your own contract and local requirements.