In a recent report by the Business Club on September 3rd, it was revealed that fines for non-compliance are significantly lower than the cost of quality inspections. As numerous garment companies strive to build their brand image and capture market attention, one must wonder whether they are overlooking the real concerns of the consumers behind these strategic plans.
China is a major player in textile production, yet only 45% of companies submit their clothing products to domestic commodity inspection and fiber testing systems annually. Additionally, only about 5% of private commercial or third-party fair testing is conducted, meaning that less than 50% of textiles in the domestic market undergo proper inspection. This alarming statistic highlights a widespread issue: many textile products enter the market without any authoritative verification.
Take Tianjin as an example—only 10% of garment companies send their products to the National Quality Inspection Center for evaluation. This means that 90% of local manufacturers bypass official quality checks. Many of them make verbal promises about product safety, but lack any written proof. These garments then end up being sold across various markets without proper assurance.
So why do so many garment manufacturers avoid national quality inspections? Tang Xiangtao, Deputy Director of the National Garment Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Tianjin) and Vice President of the Tianjin Textile and Apparel Research Institute, provided insight into this issue.
He explained that sending each batch of garments for testing could cost between 400,000 to 500,000 yuan annually. While large factories may find this acceptable, small manufacturers view it as a significant expense. To cut costs, many take risks by skipping inspections altogether. They hope to avoid penalties, believing that if they’re lucky, they can save money for the year. However, if they’re caught, the fine is typically between 5,000 to 10,000 yuan—far less than the inspection fee.
Well-known brands often still conduct tests, understanding that brand reputation is crucial. But smaller businesses tend to neglect brand maintenance, focusing more on short-term profits.
Quality monitoring involves self-control, mandatory sampling by the government, and industry inspections. Some large retailers require third-party test reports, but many smaller traders and foreign importers don’t have such strict requirements. A company representative from a new Beijing-based clothing brand admitted that the most basic step in quality control is internal testing, which is often limited to basic checks due to high costs.
Testing agencies in China fall into three categories: state-owned, private, and foreign-invested. State-run labs have transparent pricing, while private ones offer competitive rates. Foreign labs, however, charge higher fees because of their international certifications, which add perceived value.
For example, in Tianjin, testing a single piece of cashmere fabric can cost between 400-700 yuan, depending on colorfastness. A Japanese lab, on the other hand, charges 1,330 yuan with no discounts, citing global recognition as a justification.
These high costs deter many small and medium enterprises. In a fiercely competitive market, price is a key factor. To save money, many companies set up their own internal testing departments. However, these "first-party" tests are not always reliable, leading to questionable results and contributing to ongoing quality and safety issues in the apparel industry.
The process includes fabric inspection and garment submission. While external quality can be judged by consumers, intrinsic factors like fabric composition and color fastness are hard to assess. If fabric doesn't meet standards, it's often replaced, adding extra costs and pressure on SMEs.
Fast fashion brands, known for quick style turnover and frequent new collections, face additional challenges. Testing every new item would delay product launches and increase costs. Many fast fashion companies skip these steps, raising concerns about quality and safety. This may also explain why even well-known international brands sometimes face quality scandals.
According to Tang Xiangtao, the National Garment Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Tianjin) charges 10 yuan per piece for inspections under 500 items, and 15 yuan per piece for 500–1,000 items. The process usually takes 10–20 days, with the fastest option taking just 3 days. For fast-moving goods, delays can lead to lost revenue. Even if a product fails inspection, the cost of fines is often less than the cost of delaying the launch.
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