Compare the work, not just the supplier label
A direct factory, development partner or trading company can offer different combinations of product development, production coordination and export support. Ask who performs each stage and who is accountable under your agreement. Neither the label nor a video call alone proves the quality, price or timing of a particular project.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Who interprets the reference and decides the yarn and construction route?
- Who makes the swatch and sample, and where will bulk knitting and finishing take place?
- Which independent partners are involved and who coordinates them?
- Who checks measurements and quality against the approved sample?
- What do the quotation, inspection terms and delivery scope include?
Compare the same brief and scope
Provide the same reference, quantities, colour and size plan, quality expectations and delivery terms to each potential partner. Record material assumptions, sample fees, revisions, inspections and shipping separately. An intermediary may add coordination services; a direct factory may have different technical or production capabilities. Compare the complete proposal rather than assuming that either route is always cheaper or faster.
How DALANG approaches a project
DALANG SMART KNITTING coordinates knitwear development and works with independent production partners according to project needs. Ask us which team or partner will handle the proposed sample, knitting, finishing and quality checks for your particular brief. Production responsibilities, terms and capacity should be confirmed for each project.
See the questions to ask before commissioning a sample or discuss your project.
A customer question: who does the work?
A brand commissioning a standalone knitwear prototype asked which development steps would be handled internally and which would use outside partners, as well as where production would take place. This is a useful question for any proposed route: request a written breakdown for the actual project, from yarn sourcing and sampling through finishing and inspection. The enquiry alone does not establish who ultimately performed the work.