To judge the real factory, you cannot just look at the live broadcast room, brochure or a workshop video. The most reliable method is to establish an evidence chain: the business entity can be queried, the production address can be matched, the licensed project covers the planned category, the certificate can be verified, the site is consistent with the documents, and the samples and batch records can be traced. Any single piece of evidence may be borrowed, and judgment can only be made if multiple pieces of information are consistent with each other.
1. Evidence 01: The name of the enterprise entity must be complete and consistent
First obtain the full name of the company, unified social credit code, legal representative and registration status on the business license, and then query the national enterprise credit information publicity system. Don't just search for the brand name, store name, or English name, as these names may be completely different from the production entity.
The quotation, payment account, contract subject, invoice header, production license holder and entrusted production enterprise on the product label should be able to explain the relationship between each other. If the sales company contracts and another factory produces, the relationship between the two should be clear and who bears the manufacturing responsibility.
2. Evidence 02: Verbatim verification of production address and license address
The "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics Production and Operations" stipulate that the production license shall contain information such as the company name, residence, production address, unified social credit code, production license items, validity period, and issuing authority. Brands should check whether the actual visited address is a production address covered by the license.
Shared office addresses, showroom addresses, warehouse addresses, and sales company addresses do not automatically prove that production occurs at that location. When viewing the factory via video, it is required to continuously display the park logo, house number, workshop entrance and key equipment, and cross-check with the public address.
3. Evidence 03: License projects must cover planned products
A production license does not mean "you can do everything with a license." The licensed items are divided into general liquid units, cream and lotion units, powder units, aerosol and organic solvent units, wax-based units, toothpaste units, soap-based units and other units based on process, finished product status and use; children's skin care and eye care categories also involve special markings.
When making facial creams, you need to check the relevant licenses for creams and lotions; when making lipsticks, you need to pay attention to the wax base; when making powders, you need to pay attention to the powder unit; when making perfumes, you need to check the corresponding processes and license scopes. When it cannot be covered, even if the factory can make samples, it should not go directly to bulk goods.
4. Evidence 04: Check the validity period of both the license and the system certificate.
The cosmetics production license should check the serial number, issuing authority, validity period, production address and licensed items.ISO 22716, ISO 9001 or other system certificates, it is necessary to check the certification body, certificate number, certification scope, site address, first certification date, current status and supervision and audit status.
The National Certification and Accreditation Administration requires certification agencies to provide the public with a method to check the validity of certificates. There is no real-time status of the certificate image. Expiration, suspension, revocation, inconsistent address, or the scope does not include cosmetics production, which may affect its probative power.
5. Evidence 05: Whether the site layout matches product risks
Factory inspections not only look at "cleanliness", but also observe whether the flow of people, logistics, raw materials, semi-finished products, finished products and unqualified products are distinguished, whether the weighing, preparation, filling, packaging and inspection areas match the product type, and whether there are maintenance records for air purification and water treatment.
Brands can request random viewings of production areas for the day, rather than just a fixed sample room. If there are inconsistencies in on-site equipment, product type, and promotional capabilities, you should continue to check whether subcontracting exists.
6. Evidence 06 to 08: personnel, equipment and inspection capabilities
Regulations require production companies to have technical personnel, inspection personnel, facilities and equipment and quality and safety management systems that are suitable for the variety and quantity. The job responsibilities of the quality and safety manager, production manager, and inspection personnel can be verified, as well as personnel training and health management records.
The equipment list should correspond to the planned dosage form: whether the capacity of the emulsification pot matches the batch size, whether the filling line is suitable for the viscosity and packaging materials, and whether the perfume filling meets the corresponding conditions. The laboratory should be able to explain which inspections of raw materials, semi-finished products and finished products are self-inspected, which ones are outsourced, and how outsourced institutions are managed.
- Personnel: positions, qualifications, training and replacement arrangements
- Equipment: Numbering, Capacity, Cleaning, Calibration and Maintenance
- Inspection: items, methods, instruments, standards and outsourcing agreements
7. Evidence 09: Randomly select a batch of products to see the traceability chain
Let the factory randomly select a completed batch and demonstrate the traceability from the finished product batch number to the formula version, raw material batch number, weighing record, production record, semi-finished product inspection, filling and packaging, finished product inspection and release. Just showing a blank form does not mean the system is running.
It is also necessary to trace back: from a batch of key raw materials, whether we can find the product batches that use it and the whereabouts of the inventory. Traceability of real operations can usually give a complete chain within a reasonable time.
8. Evidence 10: Samples, recipes and version management
Check whether the sample has serial number, date, formula version, adjustment record and retained sample. Whether the final sample signature is related to the mass production formula, whether substitution of raw materials, changes in flavor versions, and changes in packaging materials require brand approval.
If samples are brought in by sales staff from unknown sources, the R&D record and version chain will be broken, and it will be difficult to ensure mass production consistency.
9. Evidence 11: Customer cases must have display authorization
Photos of big-name products, lists of well-known customers and the number of exporting countries are all marketing clues, not direct evidence. Ask the factory to explain the display permissions, and provide desensitized contract pages, order information, delivery records or customer verifiable contacts if necessary.
Don’t ask to reveal other customers’ formulas and trade secrets. Compliant factories will provide desensitization certificates for dosage forms, batch sizes, processes and delivery capabilities while protecting customer information.
10. Evidence 12: Closed loop of contract, collection and invoice
The final contract entity, payment entity and invoicing entity should be consistent, or provide reasonable group relationships, authorization and tripartite arrangements. Payments to personal accounts or businesses unrelated to the contract can increase quality claims and delivery disputes.
The contract attachment should list product specifications, formula version, packaging material list, inspection standards, delivery date, loss, remaining materials and exception handling. The purpose of the factory inspection is not to take photos, but to confirm that the other party can continue to perform according to the contract.
11. How to combine remote factory inspection and on-site factory inspection
For the first screening, public information inquiry, license verification, video connection, sample testing and document list review can be completed first; on-site review can be done before entering molds, exclusive formulas or large orders. Remote audits are suitable for excluding suppliers with obvious mismatches and cannot completely replace on-site verification of key production lines and records.
It is recommended to form a dated audit record, classify problems into three categories: must be closed, can be improved within a time limit, and only for observation, and keep evidence of rectification.
FAQ
Does having a cosmetics production license mean it is a good factory?
A license is the basis for legal production and does not mean that the price, R&D, quality stability and delivery capabilities are in line with your project.
Can seeing many products in the exhibition hall prove that they are produced by yourself?
No. The judgment should be based on the license scope, batch records, production site, retained samples and delivery evidence.
What should I do if the factory is unwilling to provide a complete customer contract?
Evidence of desensitization is acceptable but should demonstrate true dosage form, batch size and delivery capabilities while protecting third party trade secrets.
What is the most important thing to look at in a video factory inspection?
Continuously display the address, workshop, equipment, production status of the day and random records to avoid just watching the edited promotional video.
How to check the status of the certification certificate?
Priority is given to using the public inquiry portal of the issuing agency and checking the relevant information, scope, address and validity status of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration.
Authoritative information and academic references
- [1] National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System
- [2] "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics Production and Operations" of the State Administration for Market Regulation
- [3] Announcement of "Good Manufacturing Practice for Cosmetics" issued by the State Food and Drug Administration
- [4] State Food and Drug Administration government service window and inquiry portal
- [5] National Certification and Accreditation Administration: Standardizing Management System Certification Activities and Certificate Validity Inquiry Requirements
- [6]ISO 22716:2007 Cosmetics — Good Manufacturing Practices
- [7] "Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics" of the State Council
Note: This article is for cosmetics OEM Project planning and general information does not constitute medical advice, legal advice, or an endorsement of any facility. Regulations, licenses, certifications and platform rules will be updated, and they should be reviewed by regulatory agencies, licensing agencies and responsible entities in the target market before formal cooperation or listing. The examples in this article are used to explain project methods and do not represent fixed quotations, fixed MOQ or fixed delivery date.