What can a factory stock sample prove?
A stock sample lets you assess the materials, finish, assembly and functions of the item supplied. It does not prove your requested changes, hidden material grades or repeatable bulk quality. Record what matches your brief and what still needs testing before commissioning a custom sample. Your findings can form a sampling brief for Cambridge China Bridge.
Establish what the sample actually represents
Send your proposed specification before asking for a stock sample. Ask the factory to identify the model, material, finish and components supplied, and explain why it is relevant to your product. Request a written list of differences from your brief. The closest-looking item may use a different construction or production process.
Ask whether it came from a production batch, the sample room or another supplier, and which processes the factory performed itself. Label it on arrival and keep its photographs and the supplier's description together. Our guide to verifying factory capability covers checking who can actually perform the work.
Separate visible quality from unverified claims
Inspect the item under suitable light and handle it as a customer would. Record observations rather than writing only “good quality”. A smooth coating demonstrates the finish on that piece; it does not identify the coating chemistry. Agree any cutting, dismantling or destructive checks before using the sample.
| Area | What you can assess | What still needs evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Feel, stiffness, apparent thickness, surface texture and visible construction | Exact grade, composition, hidden layers and the material proposed for your order |
| Workmanship | Seams, stitching, joints, edge finishing, alignment and visible blemishes | Consistency across production and workmanship after changing the design or material |
| Functions | Closure, movement, fit and operation under the conditions you actually checked | Untested loads, environments, service life and functions absent from the sample |
| Appearance and packing | The supplied colour, finish, print and packaging arrangement | Your colour match, branding, artwork, labels and packaging performance |
Test functions against your intended use
Write down the task, setup, accessories and conditions for each check. For a bag, try the closure and fit with representative contents. For an assembled product, check access, stability and mating parts. For powered equipment, arrange competent testing with a suitable supply and safe setup. Do not improvise hazardous tests.
Record the result and any limitation: “closure operated with these contents” is more useful than “function passed”. A brief demonstration cannot establish durability, weather resistance or performance under conditions you did not test. Manufacturers and importers placing products on the UK market must demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements; a satisfactory stock-sample trial alone does not establish that compliance.
Turn the gaps into a custom-sample brief
Against each requested feature, record whether it was demonstrated on the supplied item, described by the supplier but unverified, or absent. Include your dimensions, material grade, colour, branding, components and intended functions. Ask which changes need different tooling, assembly methods or subcontracted work. Use our product specification guide to describe the requirements.
Specify what the custom sample must resolve and how you will judge it. A different fabric may change seam behaviour; a different size may change fit or stability; a different component may change operation. If the factory proposes a substitute for the custom sample, record which checks that substitute leaves open. Ask for a revised sampling scope before paying.
Decide whether the custom sample is worth commissioning
Proceed when the stock sample demonstrates relevant workmanship and functions, its origin is explained, and the factory has a credible plan for the remaining gaps. Request a more relevant existing sample if the supplied item answers little of your brief. Resolve unexplained material substitutions or basic workmanship defects before spending on customisation.
Send a written decision that names the accepted observations and outstanding checks. Treat approval to develop a custom sample as a separate decision from production approval. Our guide to matching bulk production to the sample covers the later production controls. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can help turn your findings into questions for the factory.
Frequently asked questions
Is a stock sample the same as a custom sample?
A stock sample is an existing item. A custom sample is made or adapted to your brief. Ask the supplier to list every difference, including substitutions that remain in the custom sample.
Can I identify the material grade from a sample?
Appearance and feel can reveal useful differences, but do not establish an exact grade or composition. Ask for traceable material information and arrange suitable testing where the distinction matters.
Should I pay for a custom sample if the stock sample is poor?
Ask whether the defect comes from workmanship, damage or an irrelevant design. Resolve workmanship concerns first. A different design does not by itself explain poor stitching, rough edges or loose joints.
Does approving a stock sample approve my bulk order?
Keep the decisions separate. State which observations you accept and which requested features remain unproven. Approve the final specification and relevant production sample before authorising the run.