A practical walkthrough for UK and Australian brands sourcing from India for the first time — without an in-house sourcing team.
Before contacting any manufacturer, write down: product type and construction (knit vs woven), target quantity, target FOB or landed price, quality benchmarks (fabric GSM, finishing standard), and your timeline. Vague briefs are the single biggest cause of mismatched quotes and wasted weeks.
Whether you find a manufacturer through a directory, a trade show, or a managed platform, verify independently: business registration (GST/IEC number in India), export track record, and — where possible — a factory visit or virtual audit. Never send full payment upfront to an unverified supplier, regardless of how professional the communication looks.
Before production starts, confirm in writing: MOQ, unit price and what it includes (fabric, trims, packaging), pricing basis (FOB/CIF/EXW), payment terms (advance + balance is standard), lead time, and the sampling process. This protects both sides and avoids disputes mid-order.
Ask for photo or video updates at key milestones — fabric cutting, mid-production, pre-shipment inspection. Catching an issue at the cutting stage is far cheaper to fix than discovering it after the container has shipped.
Sourcing directly gives you the lowest theoretical cost but puts all verification, coordination and problem-solving on you. A managed sourcing partner (a platform or buying agent) adds a commission but handles verification, communication and production tracking — often the better trade-off for brands without an in-house sourcing team. See our comparison of buying agents vs. managed platforms for the detailed trade-offs.
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