A frame looks good on screen. Then the sample arrives with a stiff hinge and a bridge that pinches. You wouldn’t want a thousand of those sitting in your warehouse. Price matters, of course. So will the replacement bill if you’ve overlooked a quality problem.
Sourcing in China lets you start with an existing sunglass shape or commission your own optical frame. They involve very different budgets.
Give an eyewear factory in China your intended retail price early. Otherwise, you could spend days discussing materials your margin won’t cover.
Direct access can make sampling and production questions easier to resolve. Still, ask who actually makes the molds. An assembly workshop and a complete manufacturing operation aren’t the same thing.
With an agent, you may have one contact for several factories. Neither route wins automatically. Who authorizes replacements? You don’t want that question stuck in a chain of forwarded emails.
An experienced Chinese eyewear manufacturer should have something relevant to put on the table. A similar frame is more useful than a long company history. Find out who handles molds and engineering changes, then discuss equipment availability for reorders.
An acetate sample won’t tell you much about a factory’s titanium work. Want TR90 or stainless steel? Get that sample instead, with the construction and lenses you’re considering at your price.
OEM starts from your specifications. For design help, discuss ODM. Does the quote include changes to frame dimensions? What about colors and logos? Include packaging before paying for samples.
Where can a defect get caught: when materials arrive, during assembly or only before packing? Request dimensional checks and surface inspection records. A hinge also needs durability testing beyond a few openings by hand.
Read the model number on the test report. Does it match yours? The materials and product category must match too, with testing relevant to your destination.
Put the sample on. Open both temples. Check whether the logo sits where the drawing places it. Confirm lens specifications and packaging too.
Date the approved sample and keep it beside the measurements and finish notes. A corrected drawing isn’t proof that a fault has been fixed. You need to see the revised sample.
Does “300 pairs minimum” mean per style or per color? Get that straight. A quote should separate tooling from samples and show packaging and freight where included.
Work out the cost delivered to your warehouse, cases and all. Is it still the cheapest offer?
Write down payment stages and how changes affect the delivery date.
Discuss previous shipments to your market. Get a named contact for documents and updates. If you ask about a hinge and receive another catalogue, keep asking.
Your drawings need confidentiality terms. Tooling ownership and permitted file use need agreement as well. Defect claims deserve the same attention: who needs the photographs, and who decides on a remedy?
Your sketch doesn’t have to answer every production question. Explore OEM/ODM services with us while there’s still room to revise it.
Which company will sign your order? Match its registration to the contract and request relevant factory evidence.
A visit or independent inspection helps. On video, ask for a live tour. Which processes leave this building?
Check against your brief. A photograph with the scratch circled is more useful than “please improve quality.”
Write down materials and tolerances. Agree on inspection criteria for the finished frame and packaging; “good quality” is too vague.
Put dates against production stages in the contract, alongside quantities and payments. Leave no ambiguity about freight or defective goods.
Your reference frame is a useful starting point. Discuss your eyewear project with us and point out what you’d change.
Give everyone the same brief. Otherwise you’re comparing prices for different glasses. Start with these suggested weights:
| Evaluation Factor | Suggested Weight |
|---|---|
| Product quality and QC | 25% |
| Manufacturing and customization capabilities | 20% |
| Communication and service | 15% |
| Total landed cost | 15% |
| Sampling and production reliability | 15% |
| Export and logistics support | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Give each factor one to five points based on evidence, then total the weighted scores. Adjust for your business: missing an event could leave you holding unsold stock.
An unexplained MOQ change warrants a pause. So does a cheap quote with no specifications attached. Refusing factory evidence deserves scrutiny. So does pressure to approve production while sample defects remain unresolved.
Mismatched test reports and vague promises about replacements are reasons to investigate before paying a deposit. A quick reply isn’t necessarily a useful answer.
Perhaps you like a sunglass shape but need a different bridge. Or your optical-frame drawing is ready for sampling. We can discuss either through OEM/ODM customization, settling materials and dimensions with you before samples. Logos and packaging belong in that brief too.
Inspection accounts for approximately 15% of our factory workforce. Our quality control includes arriving materials and work in progress. Finished frames undergo dimension and surface checks too. After production and packing, we help arrange shipping.
I’d narrow the list using relevant samples and factory evidence. Then check references and work through the proposed quality terms and contract.
In OEM, the design brief comes from you. ODM gives the supplier a role in developing it. Ownership still needs agreement.
Don’t approve from photographs alone. Check the sample against your specifications, with inspection criteria and applicable testing agreed before production.
Send reference images and material preferences with quantities per model and color. Add branding and packaging needs. Tell us your market and delivery destination.
An order is easier to manage when nobody has to guess what was approved. Compare the evidence and settle the details. We’d be glad to work through your next collection with you at SUSON.
Request an eyewear quote with your design requirements and intended order quantity.
