Can two factories use the same approved sample?
Yes. An approved sample can define the shared target, but each factory needs a verified reference and approval of its own production sample. Keep the master protected, issue matching written criteria and resolve disagreements before production. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate this with its own staff in China.
Share the target, approve each factory separately
Approval of the original sample does not show that another factory can reproduce it. Give each factory the same target, then review its own production sample against that target. Record approval by factory and product configuration. The second supplier qualification guide covers capability checks and pilot approval.
Separate what the sample demonstrates from what needs written evidence. Appearance and feel may be useful physical references; hidden materials, component grades and performance need specified checks. UK government guidance says manufacturers and importers placing products on the UK market need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. Treat visual matching as a quality check, rather than proof of that compliance.
Keep a master and distribute verified references
Protect the buyer-approved master with the buyer or an agreed custodian. Before sending working references to factories and inspectors, compare each against the master for the features it will govern. Record differences explicitly. A factory's reproduction becomes an authorised reference only after this comparison and written approval.
Keep a distribution register recording the sample identifier, product, specification revision, approved purpose, condition, custodian, location and receipt acknowledgement. Ask recipients to confirm that the identifier and condition match the issue record. Mark photographs as supporting records. If the original is unique, arrange supervised access and agree feature-specific substitutes; do not silently treat photographs as equivalent.
Agree which reference governs each feature
Issue the same acceptance pack to every factory and inspector. State which document or physical reference governs each feature: the drawing for dimensions, the material specification for composition, the approved swatch for colour, and the test method for performance. Define viewing conditions, measurement points and defect descriptions. If sources conflict, require buyer clarification before the affected work continues.
Have the factories and inspector assess the same borderline examples independently, then compare their reasons. Resolve different judgements in a shared clarification record, with photographs and written limits where useful. Send the approved clarification to all recipients and obtain acknowledgement. The bulk matching guide covers the underlying sample, specification and inspection process.
Stop local exceptions becoming shared approval
Name the buyer's approval owner and agree how queries reach them. A factory or inspector should report ambiguity with the affected feature, sample identifier, specification revision and supporting evidence. Hold affected production or release pending a written decision. Translate approved clarifications consistently and identify which language version governs if wording differs.
Make every concession specific to the factory, batch, feature and permitted deviation. Say whether it is temporary or changes the shared target. Approval of a deviation at a factory should not automatically authorise it elsewhere. For batch-only appearance concessions, use approving cosmetic defects.
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Control replacement, use and withdrawal
Keep reference samples away from destructive testing and unnecessary handling. Check for fading, wear, deformation or contamination before use. If a reference is damaged or missing, pause decisions that depend on it and compare a proposed replacement against the protected master before authorising it.
When the target changes, issue the revised acceptance pack and approved references to every affected recipient. Record receipt, withdraw obsolete versions and retain their history separately. Each inspection report should identify the factory, batch, reference sample and specification revision used. Keep production retention samples distinct from approval references; see keeping batch reference samples.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send the same approved sample to both factories?
Yes, but avoid relying on a travelling original for routine decisions. Protect the master and give each factory verified working references, or arrange controlled access when copies are unavailable.
Can factories inspect against photos only?
Photos can support identification and defect descriptions. They are a poor sole reference for colour, texture or fit. Agree physical references and measurement methods for features that photos cannot reliably show.
What if the sample and drawing disagree?
Hold the affected decision and ask the buyer's approval owner to clarify it in writing. Record which reference governs that feature and send the same clarification to every factory and inspector.
Does approval at a factory apply to the other?
Only if the buyer explicitly makes it a shared approval. Keep factory production approvals and batch concessions separate, with their scope recorded, so a local exception does not change the common target.