What quality control covers on a luggage order
Quality control on a luggage programme is not one inspection at the end. It runs across four points: the materials and components arriving at the factory, the line where the case is assembled, the finished case before packing, and the packing itself. A problem caught at the first point costs a replacement component. The same problem caught in the container costs a shipment.
Around 300 production details are tracked across those stages, which is what makes a repeat order reproducible instead of a fresh negotiation every time. That tracking is part of how we run an OEM programme, not an optional extra on top of it.
Incoming inspection: materials and components
Quality starts before assembly. Incoming inspection covers material, colour, shell, stitching, zipper, lock, wheel and telescopic handle, so a component problem is caught while it can still be replaced rather than after it is built into a case.
Component testing is worth separating from case testing. Wheels, telescopic handles, locks and zips are tested and certified by their own manufacturers to their own standards. Those certificates belong to the component maker, not to the factory assembling the case, so a programme audit should ask for both sets of documents: the component certificates and the finished-case test reports.
In-line inspection during assembly
In-line checks follow the approved sample as the reference, not a written description. Shell fit, frame alignment, wheel mounting, handle function, lining and lock operation are checked on the line, which is where most defects are introduced.
The approved sample is the specification. Once it is signed off it defines the shell, the components, the lining, the branding position and the pack, and the line is measured against it rather than against a drawing. How that handoff is closed is set out in from sample to production.
Final inspection before packing
Before goods move to export preparation, the finished case and its packing are reviewed together: carton marks, labels, barcode placement, inserts and the dust bag. A case that passes on the line but fails in the carton still fails at the customer.
What we test, and to which standard
Structural testing follows our standardized physical luggage durability protocol, combining whole-case drop, wheel-drum, and static-stacking endurance rigs with ISO 9227 / ASTM B117 salt spray and ISO 6506 / ASTM E10 Brinell hardness testing. Because no single global ISO standard covers complete suitcases, if your retail programme calls for a specific buyer protocol or an SGS, Intertek, or Bureau Veritas test package, we run the exact parameters specified on your quotation.
| Test Item | Standard / Conditioning | Pass Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Room-temperature drop | 18–25 °C conditioning for ≥1h, dropped from 900 mm onto a solid steel impact plate | No cracking on Covestro PC, ABS+PC, PP, or 5052/6061 frame; lock opens normally |
| Low-temperature drop | −12 °C cold chamber for 4h, dropped from 90 cm (base ×5, faces ×1, edges ×1) | No shell fracture, corner splitting, or frame deformation |
| SilentMove wheel & trolley run | 8 km cement drum + 4 km cleated conveyor; 25 consecutive steps at 200 mm under load | Tread wear ≤ 2 mm; no axle cracking; free 360° rotation maintained |
| Static stacking load | 4 continuous hours static load (40 kg for 535–660 mm; 60 kg for 685–835 mm) | No permanent shell collapse or frame misalignment |
| Salt spray corrosion | ISO 9227 / ASTM B117 · 16 hours neutral salt spray on anodised frame and hardware | ≤ 3 corrosion points, each ≤ 1 mm² |
| Aluminium frame hardness | ISO 6506 / ASTM E10 Brinell hardness on 5052/6061 extruded case mouth | ≥ 40 HWB with 10–12 μm anodised oxide film |
One point specific to metal: the roller-drum impact and falling-ball tests written for plastic shells are not applicable to metal-bodied cases, so an aluminium-frame or full-aluminium programme is tested against the aluminium requirements rather than borrowing the plastic test list. The construction behind that distinction is set out in aluminium luggage explained.
Third-party testing: what the report does and does not mean
Finished cases are sent to SGS for testing. The report describes the samples that were submitted, against the protocol that was requested. It is not a product certification, it does not cover units that were not submitted, and it is not a factory audit.
Two consequences for a buyer. First, ask what was submitted and to which protocol, because a report is only as useful as its scope. Second, if the programme needs certification rather than a test report, raise it at the quotation stage so it can be answered plainly instead of being discovered at shipment. The packaging, chemical and testing requirements we build to by market are collected on the compliance page.
Supply chain quality control across a programme
Across a full order the checkpoints run in a fixed order, and each one gates the next:
- Sample approval closes the specification, including materials (Covestro PC, ABS+PC, PP, or 5052/6061 aluminium), components (YKK zippers, SilentMove wheels), branding position and pack.
- Incoming inspection clears the components and materials before they reach the line.
- First-article checks confirm the line is building to the approved sample, not to a description.
- In-line inspection continues through assembly, with shell fit, frame alignment, wheel mounting, handle function, lining and lock operation checked on the line.
- Final inspection reviews the finished case and its packing together.
- Pre-shipment review confirms carton marks, labels and packing details before the goods move to export preparation.
That sequence is the same for OEM and ODM programmes; what changes is how much of the specification the buyer supplies. Where each stage sits in the schedule is laid out in the production workflow.
What a buyer should ask for
- The inspection record, not just the outcome. Which checkpoints were run, on which order, and what was found.
- The test reports, with their scope. What was submitted, to which protocol, and on what date.
- Component certificates. SilentMove wheels, handles, locks and YKK zips carry their manufacturer's certification, which is a separate document from the case report.
- The approved sample, countersigned. It is the reference every later check is measured against.
Commercial terms
- Minimum order: 100 units per SKU
- Lead time: 25-55 days from deposit and approved sample
- Sample development: 7-15 working days
- Payment: 30% deposit, 70% balance
- Monthly capacity: 80,000 units, about 70% hard shell, with 100% in-house mould making across two 1,500-tonne injection machines
This page covers how an agreed standard is verified once production starts. For the commercial decision behind it, see OEM vs ODM for luggage brands and choosing the right luggage manufacturer.
Questions buyers ask about luggage quality control
Which protocol are your suitcase drop and wheel tests calibrated to? Our test rigs follow a standardized physical luggage durability protocol covering the 900 mm room-temperature drop onto a solid steel plate, −12 °C four-hour cold drop, 8 km + 4 km SilentMove wheel endurance run, 4-hour 40/60 kg static stacking load, ISO 6506 / ASTM E10 Brinell hardness (≥ 40 HWB on 5052/6061 aluminium frames), and 16-hour neutral salt spray (ISO 9227 / ASTM B117).
Are your SGS reports a blanket product certification? No. Finished suitcases are sent to SGS for sample testing, which produces a test report on the submitted samples against the specified protocol rather than a factory-wide certification.
Can our third-party inspector (SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas) conduct pre-shipment AQL inspection at your Bogor plant? Yes. Buyer-appointed third-party inspectors are welcome at our Bogor, West Java facility for in-line and final pre-shipment inspections against the signed golden sample.
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