CS Focus ShoesCustom footwear, made in Vietnam

500 pairs per colour, per style. Under-MOQ trial orders can be discussed for existing customers with volume orders, or based on the price the customer is willing to pay.

Our Vietnam factory has 100,000 pairs per month available. For large customers we can increase capacity based on their demand.

We can take a sketch to a physical sample in 14–21 days (14 to 28 days depending on whether the customer and the construction are new). Bulk production is 55 days from sample approval for new orders and 35 days for repeat orders.

We provide 4 pairs of free samples to start. Additional samples requested without an order are charged as agreed. Once orders are placed, samples are not charged. New tooling is charged at cost, and sample shipping is charged to the customer until an order is placed.

FOB terms. We provide all shipment documentation and deliver to your forwarder, shipping from Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong or Cai Mep.

Womens

• Construction: Cementing, Vulcanized, Stitch and Turn
• Sub-categories: Sneakers (Vulcanized and Cup Sole), Ballets, Flats, Sandals, Loafers, Boots, Slippers, Wedges, Slides, EVA Wedges
• Ages: Young Women through to Seniors
• Sizes: US 6–12 | EU 36–43

Mens

• Construction: Cementing, Vulcanized, Stitch and Turn
• Sub-categories: Sneakers (Vulcanized and Cup Sole), Sandals, Loafers, Slippers, Slides
• Ages: Young Men through to Seniors
• Sizes: UK 7–13 | EU 41–48

Kids

• Construction: Cementing, Vulcanized, Stitch and Turn
• Sub-categories: Sneakers (Vulcanized and Cup Sole), Sandals, Loafers, Slippers, Slides, Boots
• Toddlers (UK 4–6): US 5–7 | EU 20–23
• Juniors (UK 6–12): US 7–13 | EU 23–31
• Youth (UK 13–6): US 1–7 | EU 32–39

Note: our most requested size grading is EU 6.66mm per size and UK 8.47mm per size. We are also flexible with sizing and can work to customer standards.

Our sample room and technical team can commercialise new lasts and patterns with accuracy and speed.

Cementing, Vulcanized, Stitch and Turn, Injection Moulding.

Sub-categories: Sneakers (Vulcanized and Cup Sole), Ballets, Flats, Sandals, Loafers, Boots, Slippers, Wedges, Slides, EVA Wedges, Moulded Sandals and Slides.

Vietnam: Dong Nai, 2 hours from Ho Chi Minh City. Joint stock company.

Vietnam: 100,000 pairs per month available.

For large customers we can increase capacity based on their demand. Our production planning team manages capacity using frontier AI systems and face-to-face discussions.

We work with public companies and small to medium enterprises.

Regions: Australia, USA and New Zealand.

Market tier: entry price to mid-level tiers.

Materials: approximately 80% synthetic (including cotton) and 20% leather.

Working with this team provides a comprehensive approach to sourcing, production, and quality control through balanced leadership, robust team infrastructure, and proven accountability.

Complementary Leadership Perspectives

• Global Expertise: Delivers international trend identification, sets high quality standards, manages cross-market communication with retailers, and shares commercial intelligence.
• Local Execution: Offers long-standing on-the-ground factory management, maintains a deep domestic supplier and compliance network, and provides direct oversight of production execution.

Dedicated Team Structure

• 30 Office Staff: Dedicated to design, merchandising, and sourcing.
• 20 Field & QC / Technical Staff: Focused strictly on on-the-ground production quality.
• In-House Design: Integrated in-house design capabilities to support product development.

Real Accountability and Continuity

• 8+ Years Minimum Team Tenure: Deep institutional knowledge ensures a stable team rather than a revolving door.
• 100% Independent QC: Quality control operates entirely independent of the factory and is present from the start to the end of every production cycle.
• 6+ Years Average Customer Relationship: High client retention demonstrates that quality and on-time performance standards earn long-term loyalty.
• Market Resilience: Keeping the same people on the ground season after season maintains steady quality and delivery, even through tariff shifts, cost pressures, and retail market volatility.

Yes — we can take a sketch and create a physical sample in 14–21 days.

We have in-house CAD artists who utilise frontier AI models to support rapid prototyping.

Our in-house sample room takes those designs and creates physical samples, which are cross-referenced by our sample team and technical teams.

Material sourcing is handled in-house, including market research, sample development, and chemical/physical testing.

• Existing customer, existing construction (last, heel, wedge, outsole etc.): 14 days
• New customer, existing construction: 21 days
• Existing customer, new construction: 21 days
• New customer, new construction: 28 days

Our development process is a carefully managed, 9-step journey designed to ensure total quality control from initial concept to final delivery.

• Design & Planning (Steps 1–2): Every design begins with a comprehensive internal Design Brief reflecting the customer's requirements. We immediately establish internal tracking and confirm timelines with our sample room to ensure total alignment from day one.
• Sourcing & Logistics (Steps 3–4): Our dedicated teams handle specialised material and component sourcing. Once materials are secured, they are consolidated and sent to our sample room together with the design brief.
• Technical Development (Steps 5–7): We generate detailed Technical Packs tailored to specific production methods (Cementing, Vulcanized, Stitch and Turn, Injection, etc.). We deliver these to our sample room via systemised reporting and person-to-person interaction to ensure clarity, after which sample trackers are updated with confirmed ready dates.
• Sampling & Quality Assurance (Step 8): We actively follow up on physical samples, culminating in a thorough review process, including live video call approvals with our lead merchandisers to confirm all comments and quality standards are met.
• Final Delivery (Step 9): Once final approval is granted, we arrange consolidated sample shipment to deliver the finished samples to our customers.

We provide 4 pairs of free samples to start the journey together. Any additional samples requested without an order are charged as agreed between CS Focus and the customer.

Once orders are placed, samples are not charged.

If new tooling is required — such as a new last, heel mould, or specialised trim — this is charged at cost.

Sample shipping is charged to the customer until an order is placed.

Our process leverages both our in-house design team and CAD/AI-assisted tools alongside a structured, data-driven research methodology to actively identify missing segments and opportunities in your specific market.

Omni-Channel Market Research

• Physical Retail Mapping: We conduct in-store walks across key retail locations and CBDs to see exactly what is on the floor — mapping trend-driven retailers to identify emerging materials and colours, then analysing middle-market and discount retailers to understand mass-adoption timelines.
• Digital Scraping & Analytics: We use digital tools to monitor e-commerce activity — tracking styles per category, dominant colours and materials, and flagging items that are sold out, back in stock, or marked as best sellers as immediate indicators of unmet demand. We also track trend data from comparable markets such as the UK and USA.

Cross-Category Trend Alignment

• Apparel to Footwear Context: Connecting footwear to overarching apparel trends is crucial, since shoes that tie back to current clothing styles convert far better. We photograph these trends, including apparel and footwear styled together, to ensure designs fit your customers' taste profile.
• Tailored Trend Documents: Our designers consolidate this work into seasonal trend presentations featuring images and finalised costs, targeted by category — for instance, a womens buyer only sees data and trends relevant to the womens category.

Analysing Sales Data for Opportunities

• Late-Season Full-Price Indicators: We pay special attention to styles that remain at full price late into the season while new inventory arrives or other items go on sale — a strong signal of demand and a potential gap for category expansion.
• Historical Context: Combining macro market patterns with historical, season-over-season data helps determine which styles or constructions consistently perform and warrant updates through material, trim, or pattern changes.
• Tracking Buying Shifts: We monitor category growth by style, noting sold-out and discounted items and average retail prices, to understand real-time shifts in buying strategy.

Collaborative Strategy

• Retail Walks with Buyers: We highly value walking retail floors alongside you to understand your perspective, observe what catches your eye, and discuss focus categories for future growth.
• Feedback Loops: Your sales data and feedback shape our focus — understanding what's selling well lets us build on those styles, and knowing what isn't helps us adapt or remove similar concepts. We seek your direct input on styles, colours and trends to align with your seasonal strategy, whether chasing price points or high fashion.

In order to answer this, it helps to understand our pricing philosophy and workflow — the approach that lets us match or beat competitor pricing without compromising quality.

Core Pricing Philosophy & Attributes

• Quality-to-Price Ratio: Governed by a 1 : 1.10 quality-to-price commitment — for every $1 of cost, CS Focus is committed to delivering at least $1.10 of quality value back into the product. This is a quality benchmark we hold ourselves to, not a pricing figure.
• Experience: Backed by 20+ years of direct collaboration with sample rooms and factory teams.
• Cost Amortisation: Our strategy focuses on total range balance rather than item-by-item margins, to build long-term partnerships.

• Collaborative Partnership: We create a transparent environment for discussing cost requirements and quantities — rather than negotiating item-by-item margins, we use cost amortisation to balance wins and losses across styles and support your total range over the long term. This approach is a primary reason our core customer relationships have lasted 6+ years.

Yes.

All of the below are valid, current certifications across our factories:

• BSCI
• SMETA
• FAMA
• GRS

Yes, we can supply current audit reports on request. Our factories are audited every 12 months.

We address and resolve audit findings through a rigorous Corrective Action Plan Report (CAPR) framework, actively managed by our dedicated in-house compliance specialist.

• Collaborative CAPR Development: We partner with the factory site manager and trusted third-party certifying bodies, such as Intertek, to generate a structured action plan that conforms to the ETI Base Code and local law.
• Root Cause Analysis: Before applying a fix, we identify the exact missing or flawed procedure that caused the non-compliance, allowing sustainable, permanent system changes rather than temporary fixes.
• Balanced Reporting: During the audit's closing meeting, we formally highlight positive observations and good practice alongside the non-compliances, to foster a constructive and cooperative relationship with the factory.
• Factory Training & Prevention: Our in-house specialist works on the ground to implement preventive measures, including direct training with factory workers so they understand their rights, operational obligations, and product standards.
• Active Monitoring & Closure: The CAPR acts as a live tracker — we continually monitor progress, record actions taken, and formally close out non-conformances once the root cause has been fully resolved.

Yes — we have our own Audit and Compliance Specialist in-house, who works face-to-face with the factory to ensure compliance with all ethical and technical standards before shipment.

Yes — we currently hold a Disney FAMA audit at our factory, and support brand-specific or licensed-character audits more broadly.

Yes. We arrange thorough chemical testing to ensure all merchandise complies with the strict regulatory and safety requirements of our global customers. All chemical testing is conducted exclusively by independent, third-party international testing authorities — including Intertek, SGS, Bureau Veritas (BV), or any other accredited laboratory nominated by the client.

Yes — we conduct a comprehensive range of physical tests to ensure every product meets our customers' exact structural and durability requirements. While we perform rigorous internal testing on the factory floor, the majority of our physical testing is validated through globally recognised, independent third-party laboratories such as Intertek, SGS and QIMA.

We don't wait for a final inspection to discover mistakes — we engineer quality into the product from day one, using our 20 years of shoemaking experience to anticipate and neutralise issues before they happen. Our entire risk management strategy is preventative.

• Pre-Production Risk Assessment: Before bulk production begins, our merchandisers, technical teams and QC complete a rigorous Risk Assessment. If a potential issue is identified, we instantly trigger a Risk Mitigation Plan, assigning a unique Risk ID and collaborating directly with the factory to confirm the safest course of action.
• 100% Independent Inline QC: We do not rely on factory-supplied inspectors. Our own independent QC teams are in the factories daily, sitting at the start of the production line to catch and correct anomalies instantly. For moderate-to-high-risk products, our QC is mandated to be on-site from the date bulk materials arrive.
• Strict AQL & Fault Criteria: We govern final output using strict AQL 2.50% and 4.00% charts, categorising faults as minor, major or critical — any critical fault (such as broken needle fragments or protruding nails) triggers an immediate failure to protect consumer safety and brand reputation.
• The Core 4 Inline Process: We track the entire lifecycle through a structured 'Core 4' process — starting with testing and inline assembly optimisation, and ending with a final truck-load check before anything ships.

Core Quality Protocols

• AQL Standards: Inspections follow strict AQL 2.50% and 4.00% charts, based on order quantity vs. inspection quantity.
• Fault Categorisation — Minor: Defect does not affect performance or point of sale (e.g. loose threads, minor inside marks).
• Fault Categorisation — Major: Goods cannot be sold; fault affects appearance at point of sale (e.g. torn lining, broken stitching, excessive glue).
• Fault Categorisation — Critical: Unsafe for the consumer or breaches safety standards (e.g. broken needle fragments, protruding nails).

QA001 Risk Assessment Flow

Business Process — Inline Core 4

• Prep: Check relevant approval materials (lock-tag samples, inline documents).
• 1. Update & Create: Create trackers.
• 2. Testing & Follow: Ensure testing is scheduled, completed and approved on time.
• 3. Inspect & Optimise: Monitor bulk material, grading patterns, inline stitching, assembly and packaging.
• 4. Ship & Review: Conduct truck-load checks, review factory grade books, and hold future improvement meetings with the factory.

Below are the core, most commonly requested tests across our customer base. This is a general guide only — actual testing is determined by:

• Risk level — for example, children's shoes are higher risk.
• Use case — for example, protective footwear requires specialised function testing.
• Product claims — any claim made about a product must be substantiated with testing.
• Customer requirements — tailored specifically to their market.
• Government policy — as directly linked to the sale of footwear in that market.

1. Safety & Stability

• Slip Resistance: A universal test across categories, measuring friction on wet and dry clay tile surfaces, requiring a minimum Coefficient of Friction (CoF) of 0.3.
• Shank Stiffness: Mandated for heeled footwear to ensure the steel shank provides sufficient structural and weight support. Some retailers require a minimum stiffness rating of 800–1200 kN·mm², depending on the height and design.

2. Whole Shoe Durability & Construction

• Sole Bond Adhesion: Measures the strength of the bond between the upper material and the outsole along the feather line. The standard threshold is generally a minimum of 2.0–2.5 N/mm, unless the material tears first.
• Flex Resistance: Simulates prolonged walking to detect cracking or bonding failure at room temperature with a 45° flexing angle, typically running for 50,000–75,000 cycles.
• Strap Attachment Strength: Ensures straps, vamps and buckle assemblies do not pull out. Requirements scale by user category — from a minimum force of 70–80N for children's sizes up to 150–240N for adult men's styles.

3. Heel Safety (Fashion & Stiletto Categories)

• Heel Attachment Strength: Determines the mechanical force required to pull a heel off the shoe base, requiring a minimum pull-off load of 600N.
• Top Piece Attachment & Torsional Strength: Validates that the heel tip remains secure under strain — attachment requires a minimum pull force of 140N, while torsional testing ensures the tip does not twist off.
• Heel Impact & Fatigue: Vital for slender heel styles, to test plastic structural integrity against repeated hammer strikes. The standard target is surviving 14,000 hits without cracking.

4. Materials & Chemical Compliance

• Abrasion Resistance: Quantifies outsole and top-piece volume wear loss over time, with maximum allowable limits varying by material density — e.g. PVC is tightly capped around 250–300 mm³, while EVA allows up to 700–1000 mm³ depending on the shoe's retail value.
• Metal Corrosion Resistance: Evaluates buckles, zippers, eyelets and hardware by placing them in a 1% salt water solution for 48 hours to check for surface rust or discolouration, requiring Grade 4 or 5 performance.
• Colour Fastness to Rub & Perspiration: Checks whether shoe linings bleed or discolour when subjected to friction, moisture or sweat.
• Chemical Bans: Strict chemical restrictions apply universally — especially for children's sizes 0–6 — banning Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF) and regulating heavy metal migration, free formaldehyde, and AZO dyestuffs.

The step-by-step PSI process is detailed below.

1. Preparation and Booking (5 days before)

• Self-Inspection Approval: CS Focus conducts the inspection using our internal QC team, or helps coordinate the customer's certifying body to arrange the PSI.
• Booking Requirement: For products requiring third-party testing, the inspection is booked directly with an approved certifying body at least 5 working days prior to the requested inspection date.
• Timeline: A minimum of 2 weeks is allowed between the inspection date and the shipping date, to account for potential re-work or adjustments.

2. Mandatory Pre-Inspection Readiness Gate

Before an inspector can begin, CS Focus must meet these requirements or the inspection is aborted:

• Production Completion: The order must be 100% finished and a minimum of 80% packed.
• Environment: A clean, safe, low-noise workspace with sufficient lighting, and all measuring scales and tools holding active calibration records.
• Artifacts on Site: Access to the Purchase Order (PO), the Controlled Product Specification (CPS) or confirmation sample, product artwork, and physical shipment samples.

3. Sampling and Testing (During Inspection)

• AQL Standard: Sampling and testing plans strictly follow ISO 28590:2017 procedures — footwear evaluations typically default to General Inspection Level II.
• Random Carton Sampling: Cartons are selected at random using a strict formula: the square root of the total carton count, rounded up to the nearest whole integer.
• Field Tests & Controls: We verify shipment quantity, conduct standard carton drop tests, evaluate physical dimensions (e.g. insole lengths matching within a ±2mm tolerance), check 100% of the footwear through metal detection where applicable, and review broken-needle registers.
• Children's Additional Testing: For children's shoe sizes up to size 8, a specialised sample size undergoes mechanical pull-force testing, with minimum requirements applying to all small parts, zippers and attachments.

4. Classification of Defects

• Critical (AQL 0): Any sharp points, hand needles, staples, or dangerous objects found in the shoe or box instantly fail the entire inspection.
• Major (AQL 1.5–2.5): Structural or functional issues, e.g. loose heel attachments, failed stitching, or material cuts greater than 2mm.
• Minor (AQL 4.0): Cosmetic flaws that don't affect function, e.g. untrimmed loose threads over 1.5cm or minor glue marks.

If the number of defects found in the selected sample exceeds the permitted AQL limit, the entire shipment is rejected.

5. Report Upload and Self-Release (Post-Inspection)

• Report Delivery: CS Focus generates a PDF report (max 10MB) including product photography and structural summaries, emailed to the customer 24–48 hours after inspection.
• Accountability: Accountability rests entirely with CS Focus to authorise transport, provided the metrics fall within the AQL boundaries.
• Notification Loop: Once ready to release to the forwarder, CS Focus distributes a formal alert using a consistent title template, to keep customer teams in the loop.

Full Size Fitting Checking and Testing

The Pattern and Full Size Approval phase is a critical quality gate executed prior to bulk manufacturing, to verify that graded patterns match physical lasts consistently across the entire size spectrum.

The Size Set Trial: factories produce a trial pair of shoes for every size in the ordered range, rather than testing a single base sample.

• Fit Model Validation: Physical samples are tested using a live fit model or calibrated size stick to ensure anatomical accuracy — a standard sample-size model must fall strictly within specific boundaries.
• Inside Measurement Protocol: Physical shoe measurements are always verified from the inside of the shoe, directly on top of the insock padding, to account for real-world volume.
• Consistency Inspections: Technicians cross-check graded components across all sizes to prevent structural distortions — verifying that pattern facings don't sit too far apart on the foot, confirming heel widths scale proportionally without altering the designated heel shape or height, and conducting X-ray evaluations to ensure internal structural elements (such as the heel counter and toe puff) remain properly positioned. Each last is checked to ensure grading is according to the approved standard.

We actively verify the issue, conduct a full root-cause analysis, and work collaboratively with the customer to first remove any safety concern, and second remove any commercial risk, such as poor sales as a result of the issue.

Our rigorous pre-production and production quality control systems leave little room for error, and our average 6+ year customer tenure is testament to our partnership mindset and accountability when things go wrong.

MOQ: 500 pairs per colour, per style.

We make exceptions to this on occasion for existing customers with volume orders, to support under-MOQ trial orders.

We can also make an exception based on the price the customer is willing to pay — below MOQ, the cost to produce is considerably higher, and this is something we're willing to discuss.

FOB terms — we provide all shipment documentation and deliver to your forwarder.

Pricing improves based on quantity ordered per style, and per order — for example, shipping multiple styles at high volume is factored into pricing negotiations, as we can balance profit across the total number of styles and quantity.

Negotiable. We support Letters of Credit and TT payments.

We are transparent with our customers — if materials are nominated and a price impact is unavoidable, we inform the customer before taking the next steps, and provide alternative options that better align with original pricing where possible.

If the price of a nominated material is cheaper, we adjust our price to reflect the cost reduction. Fair and transparent, both ways.

Yes.

55 days from sample approval for new orders.

35 days from sample approval for repeat orders.

Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Cai Mep.

We work closely with customers to ensure sample approval is prioritised, so lead times ahead of Lunar New Year are met.

We provide a critical path each season, showing when orders and sample approvals need to be finalised around key blackout dates, and our merchandising team plans ahead to manage supply chain blackouts with early visibility.

Yes — this includes specific barcode labels and technology such as RFID.

If a shortage falls outside the customer's tolerance, CS Focus raises this directly with the customer's team, or through their system, whichever the agreed protocol is.

We currently hold valid GRS certification and are actively shipping recycled content in our shoes. We also hold BCI membership for cotton.

Environmental Strategy & Legal Compliance

• Zero-Tolerance Policy: Falsifying environmental data, improper waste treatment, or non-compliance triggers critical alerts, which can lead to immediate order cancellation or a downgraded supplier scorecard.
• Regulated Monitoring: Based on active permits and local environmental impact assessments, our factories hold clean records showing no industrial wastewater generation from shoe production, with zero pending environmental fines or prosecutions over the past 12 months.
• Third-Party Alignment: Production facilities operate under global frameworks such as the Global Recycled Standard (GRS 4.0). Our certifications cover shoes using pre- and post-consumer recycled cotton and polyethylene, to minimise raw resource extraction.

Hazardous and Solid Waste Management

• Strict Material Segregation: Hazardous and non-hazardous waste storage areas and containers are fully designated, well-designed, and clearly marked with visual signage, in line with standard legal protocols.
• Secondary Containment: Liquid chemicals and maintenance materials (such as machine oils) are never placed directly on storage floors — they're housed in designated chemical warehouses using compliant secondary containment to catch leaks or spills.
• Employee Instruction: Our factories run documented training on waste segregation, storage, and safe hazardous-material handling for all workers managing physical waste streams, with appropriate PPE provided.

Facility-Level Verification (Scope Certificates)

To prove that CS Focus and our manufacturing facilities are capable of processing sustainable materials, we maintain valid Scope Certificates (SC), renewed every 11 months.

• CS Focus Pty Ltd: Holds a valid Global Recycled Standard (GRS) V4.0 Scope Certificate.

Product-Level Verification (Transaction Certificates)

While Scope Certificates prove facility capability, they don't prove a specific shipment is sustainable. To back up actual volume data, we collect product-level Transaction Certificates (TC) issued by approved third-party certification bodies, such as Intertek.

• Supply Chain Tracking: TCs map the exact movement of certified raw material from the yarn/fabric mill to the final product manufacturer, detailing the percentage of recycled fibres and the specific waste input (pre- or post-consumer).
• Buyer/Brand Mapping: For finished products, CS Focus ensures the TC explicitly names the retail brand or vendor, to validate ownership of the sustainable claim.

Financial & Shipping Traceability (Invoices & Logistics)

To bridge the gap between production and delivery, documentation includes a matching paper trail, provided via customer portals or direct email.

• Invoice Cross-Matching: We cross-reference invoices from the mill to the manufacturer, and from the manufacturer to the brand.
• Required Data Points: Every invoice is audited to ensure it includes business names, quantities, product descriptions, and official certification/licence numbers (e.g. GRS credentials or FSC licence codes for packaging).

We communicate production progress, delays and tracking updates through a structured, multi-tiered framework tailored to the customer and product category — combining shared trackers, clear data-entry deadlines, and automated status alerts, to keep timelines transparent without drowning teams in manual email follow-ups.

• Every Day: Factories update which production stages are complete and flag any upcoming blockers or delays in the remarks column.
• Escalation & Delay Management: If an order passes its confirmed factory exit date (EX-FTY), or a stage deadline is missed, its status automatically updates to Delayed. We immediately contact the factory for a revised timeline, update the tracker, and notify the relevant customer merchandiser with the order details, original vs. revised EX-FTY dates, the reason for the delay, and the factory's recovery plan.

Each customer is assigned a dedicated human merchandiser who knows their business inside and out, and is available to discuss any problematic or strategic matters — across multiple channels including email, phone and messaging.

Management is also directly involved in outcomes, working closely with the merchandising team to keep customer satisfaction front and centre.

To handle recurring process issues and quality failures, our operations follow a structured Corrective Action Plan (CAP) framework that moves away from temporary fixes in favour of deep-dive root-cause analysis and permanent system updates — standardising the problem-solving mindset across all factories and suppliers.

The Risk Grading Scale (0–10)

Before any problem is escalated, the issue is self-assessed and graded on a 0–10 scale based on severity and potential downside impact:

• Grade 0–5: Operational issues and delays — resolved directly at the team level via open discussion.
• Grade 6–7: Internal loss and relationship risk — involves the relevant manager and third-party considerations; flagged clearly in escalation communications.
• Grade 8–9: Reputation loss and loss to a third party — requires immediate consultation with all stakeholders.
• Grade 10: Financial and business loss — escalated directly to CS Focus directors immediately.

The Core Thinking Framework

To prevent assumptions from driving conclusions, all inputs brought to a problem-solving session are categorised by their factual weight:

• Facts (Strong Premise): Indisputable truths, including verifiable data, written agreements, and exact measurements — the mandatory foundation of any argument.
• Observations (Medium Premise): Information gathered from emails, audit reports, or verbal statements — the source is always verified before relying on it.
• Experience (Weak Premise): Personal judgement and pattern recognition — treated as weak unless corroborated by hard facts or written observations.

Step-by-Step CAP Investigation Process

When a recurring defect or audit non-conformance is identified, the factory site manager and CS Focus management team run a collaborative Corrective Action Plan Report (CAPR) process: identify the problem and risk, apply root-cause analysis, draft an SOP or system fix, deliver worker training, then actively monitor.

• 1. Identify the Problem & Risk: Map out exactly what happened and why it's relevant.
• 2. Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Use a systematic '5 Whys' approach to dig beneath visible symptoms — for example, if an audit reveals an untied sharp tool or an uncalibrated metal detector, the investigation focuses on why the recordkeeping failed, not just on collecting the tool.
• 3. Revise or Implement SOPs: Rather than a verbal warning, a permanent system change is drafted — standardised forms, daily update logbooks, or designated physical areas (such as locked boxes for metal contamination, or tool-tracking registers).
• 4. Conduct Direct Staff Training: Management delivers practical instruction to responsible factory personnel, operators and QC inspectors, so they understand customer requirements and operational obligations. All training is documented for internal audit and customer verification.
• 5. Active Monitoring & Live Tracking: The CAP acts as a live tracker — dedicated personnel check, update and review metrics daily, with compliance verified through periodic internal audits and management review meetings before the issue is officially closed.

We adhere to strict commercial agreements and uphold ethical trading practices that deem a customer's business as confidential at all times.

• Physically segregated storage: Separate, controlled storage areas in our office, so one customer's samples, artwork and documentation are never held alongside another's.
• Strict sample control in the factories: Samples are logged, tagged and controlled on site, and are not displayed, copied or offered to other customers.
• Account ownership: Each account is owned by named team members, which limits access and avoids data leakage across accounts.

We stand by our customers, our supply chain and our team. That is the reason our customer relationships average 6+ years and our team tenure is 8+ years minimum.

When a problem hits, we are physically present to resolve it. We attend the factory, verify the issue at the source, develop a corrective action plan, and drive the real change that stops the same issue repeating.

That transparency is visible both to our customers and through our supply chain. Factories see the same reporting our customers do.

Yes.

• Material specification.
• Photos of the product, with any unique properties pointed out.
• Quantity to purchase.

Onboarding a new retail customer — from the very first commercial conversation to the departure of their first shipment — is governed by a highly synchronised, multi-departmental lifecycle. We break this into six strategic phases, so our factories, compliance systems and quality gates align with the new customer's brand standards.

1. Compliance Vetting & Factory Alignment

Before commercial sampling begins, we establish the foundation of the relationship by ensuring our supply chain matches the customer's corporate social responsibility and legal standards.

• Sourcing Screening: We review the client's material mandates (e.g. sustainable fibre thresholds or country-of-origin policies) and screen candidate Tier 1 and Tier 2 factories using our internal sourcing forms.
• Compliance Alignment: We collect and verify valid third-party ethical audit reports (such as SMETA 4-Pillar, BSCI, or WRAP) and share facility documentation via client portals or email.
• Pre-Onboarding Visits: A virtual or physical site preview is conducted with factory management to evaluate site conditions, close out any immediate corrective action plans, and verify quality controls such as broken-needle registers and metal detection zones.

2. Product Development, CADs & Quoting

Once compliance is approved, the relationship moves into its first collaborative development loop.

• Design Screening: The customer submits a design or development brief; we screen the details within 24 hours to clarify specifications, order volumes and target colours.
• Sample Tracker Logging: The style is assigned a custom Design ID and logged into our centralised database.
• CAD and Proto Creation: We coordinate with fabric mills and our factories to secure nominated materials, generate technical CAD layouts, and assemble the physical prototype/development sample.
• Commercial Quotation: Based on the product specification sheet, we build a detailed quote — accounting for packaging components, volumetric weights and FOB terms — before presenting it to the client's buyers.

3. Order Placement & Pre-Production Gates

Receipt of the customer's first official Purchase Order (PO) triggers the production initialisation sequence.

• PO Screening: We audit the PO within 24 hours, checking price consistency, ordered quantities, delivery windows, and sample approval deadlines.
• Factory PO & BOM Initialisation: We log the order into the active production tracker and issue a corresponding factory PO, locking in the Bill of Materials and alerting the factory to prioritise confirmation samples.
• The Confirmation Sample Loop: The factory produces confirmation samples using bulk materials; we evaluate inside measurements and fit against client briefs, dispatch them to the buyer, and secure formal written approval.
• Lock Tag & Risk Assessment: Once approved, samples are lock-tagged and distributed to the factory and our QC team, who immediately run a physical Risk Assessment on the line to mitigate structural issues before bulk production begins.

4. Bulk Production & Quality Controls

With pre-production gates cleared, the factory moves into raw material procurement and bulk assembly.

• Component & Label Preparation: At least 30 days before shipment, we submit structural layouts for approval, including care labels, customised polybags, shipping cartons and retail swing tags.
• Bulk Material Inspection: When bulk fabric or components land at the factory, our inspectors audit the materials and log a continuity card entry to track batch uniformity.
• Inline Inspection: As stitching and assembly begin, our quality team runs daily inline inspections using live shared documents to identify and correct deviations before final packing.

5. Final Testing, Inspection & Shipment Handover

The final phase ensures the product matches the lock-tagged standard and complies with logistics requirements.

• Chemical & Physical Testing: Production samples are sent to authorised third-party laboratories (such as Intertek or BV) to verify compliance with heavy metal regulations, physical tear limits and colourfastness thresholds.
• Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI): Once production is 100% finished and at least 80% packed, our inspectors run a formal final inspection using standard AQL sampling — photo records and fault metrics are compiled and shared with the client.
• Forwarder Booking & Handover: We submit a draft shipping booking to the customer's designated freight forwarder via their routing portal. Once the portal confirms 'OK to Ship', cargo is released to the port or consolidation warehouse.
• Documentation Finalisation: We compile the commercial invoice, packing list and final Certificate of Origin, and ensure local FOB port charges are settled to avoid release delays.

6. Financial Closure & Post-Season Evaluation

Onboarding formally concludes with financial finalisation and a review to optimise future programs.

• Payment Request & Reconciliation: We submit formalised shipping paperwork to the client's accounts team or payment systems, tracking maturity dates.
• Stakeholder Review: At the close of the season, management hosts a review meeting — looking at future improvement points, updating our factory grade book performance scores, and archiving style data to streamline future reorders.

Yes — a formal vendor onboarding process or signed commercial agreement is required before development work begins. This ensures all intellectual property, sustainable material traceability (such as GRS standards), and commercial quoting terms are legally bound before we allocate factory resources, source raw materials, or create technical CADs.

Via email, phone, or social media.