| BM shoe construction experience | Examples of production in the relevant category: flexible, low-stack footwear; wide toe-box lasts; intended upper and outsole materials. | Compare products made with construction methods and materials similar to your design, rather than relying on general footwear experience alone. | Recent, inspectable reference samples and clear explanations of last development, sole attachment, and material choices. | Only unrelated footwear examples, or claims of specialist experience without samples or production details. |
| Product quality controls | Written inspection plan, defect classifications, in-line and final inspection records, and applicable test reports. | Check whether inspection criteria are defined before production and whether records can be traced to a style, batch, and date. | Documented checks for dimensions, stitching, bonding, appearance, sizing, and carton packing, with corrective-action records for failures. | Verbal quality assurances, undocumented pass rates, or no consistent method for recording defects. |
| Outsole and upper durability | Test results relevant to the actual material and shoe design. ISO 17708 describes a footwear method for upper-to-outsole adhesion; ISO 20871 describes an abrasion-resistance method for footwear outsoles. | Confirm the exact test method, specimen, result, and acceptance limit. Compare like-for-like materials and construction; these methods do not by themselves certify an entire shoe. | Reports identify the tested sample and method, and results are linked to the production specification or approved sample. | Generic reports for different materials, missing test conditions, or claims that one test proves overall product safety or durability. |
| Material and chemical compliance | Material composition details and test documentation matched to the destination market and product type. | For EU sales, review applicable REACH restrictions and relevant substance requirements. For US children’s products, assess applicable CPSIA requirements, including lead and phthalates where relevant. | Current, traceable reports for the actual materials or finished product, from a competent laboratory, with a clear link to the order’s bill of materials. | Undated certificates, reports for unrelated products, or a blanket “compliant worldwide” claim without market-specific evidence. |
| Management systems and audits | Current management-system certificates, if held, plus audit scope, site details, and corrective-action follow-up. | Check the issuing body, validity, covered facility, and scope. A management-system certificate is not a product certificate and does not replace product testing. | Certificates that can be independently verified and audit findings supported by documented corrective actions. | Certificates covering another site, expired documents, or treating a general factory certificate as proof that every shoe meets market requirements. |
| Production capacity and scalability | Monthly capacity by construction type, current utilization, minimum order quantity, production calendar, and peak-season plan. | Ask for capacity assumptions and recent output records for comparable products. Check whether capacity is in-house or depends on subcontractors. | A realistic production plan with identified bottlenecks, confirmed material lead times, and transparent disclosure of outsourced processes. | Large capacity figures without supporting records, unclear subcontracting, or schedules that ignore material sourcing and approval time. |
| Sampling and product development | Development workflow, sample stages, tooling responsibilities, revision tracking, and approval records. | Compare how accurately each supplier follows the technical pack and how changes are recorded between sample rounds. | Controlled sample versions, written fit and construction feedback, and a signed-off reference sample before bulk production. | Untracked revisions, unresolved fit issues, or production proposed before the final sample and specifications are approved. |
| Traceability and change control | Lot or batch identification, material supplier records, approved bill of materials, and a process for notifying buyers of changes. | Check whether a finished pair can be linked back to its production batch and whether material or process substitutions require approval. | Consistent production records and written buyer approval for changes to materials, components, or manufacturing location. | Unannounced substitutions, incomplete batch records, or inability to identify which materials were used for an order. |
| Commercial and delivery reliability | Quotation with clear Incoterms, payment terms, lead-time assumptions, packaging details, and responsibility for testing and rework. | Compare total landed-cost assumptions and the clarity of commitments, not just the quoted unit price. | Itemized quotation, realistic milestone dates, written acceptance criteria, and a defined process for delays or nonconforming goods. | Unclear cost exclusions, unsupported delivery promises, or refusal to document agreed specifications and remedies. |