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Sofa order verification
Longjiang, Foshan is where the first Chinese sofa was made, and it still produces most of the country's upholstered furniture. The question we answer is narrow: are the finished sofas in front of us the ones your PI describes, in the quantities and materials you agreed?
Six ways a sofa order goes wrong between PO and container
Your PI says <strong>240 units in 3:2:1 colour mix</strong>. The factory ships 200, and the mix is 5:3:2. Nobody notices until the container is opened.
<strong>Fabric composition differs.</strong> You agreed a cotton-linen blend; the label on the batch reads polyester. The label on the carton reads nothing at all.
<strong>Foam density below what you negotiated.</strong> You specified 35 kg/m³. Cutting a corner shows 25. It looks identical and collapses within a year of use.
<strong>Frame material substituted.</strong> You specified hardwood; mixed pine strips and particle board arrived. Invisible until the joints loosen.
<strong>Colour varies within one batch.</strong> The sofas are all correct individually and obviously from different batches when placed side by side.
<strong>Accessories missing.</strong> Legs, cushions or hardware packs short in a proportion of cartons. Found only by opening and counting.
Verification scope by level
What we check for this category at each level. Every row is a real difference in on-site work — not a shorter version of the same report.
| Check | Level 1 $149 |
Level 2 $199 |
Level 3 $299 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model and SKU against your PI | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carton count and opened-carton unit count | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ carton by carton |
| Colour and model mix ratio | sampled | ✓ sampled | ✓ counted in full |
| Carton marks and order numbers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comparison against your approved sample | — | ✓ | ✓ multiple angles |
| Fabric composition from the label | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fabric composition report verified (ISO 12947) | — | — | ✓ ISO 12947 |
| Foam density | — | ✓ 3 points | ✓ 6 points, tolerance judged |
| Leather vs synthetic cross-section | — | — | ✓ |
| Leather composition report verified | — | — | ✓ |
| Frame material | ✓ visual | ✓ visual | ✓ end grain + report |
| Wood species report verified | — | — | ✓ |
| Stitching and workmanship | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dimensions measured | ✓ | ✓ 3 points | ✓ 6 points |
| Wobble and stability | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seat load | — | ✓ 250 lbs | ✓ to your contract figure |
| Carton drop test | — | ✓ 2 cartons | ✓ 4 cartons |
| Odour check | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Assembly and disassembly by a non-skilled operator | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Container loading supervision | — | — | ✓ |
See the full level comparison across all categories →
What we verify against your documents
Judgement is made against your PI, your agreed specification and your approved sample — never against a generic standard. Bring those documents and the check is meaningful; without them, the report records which judgements rest on incomplete reference.
| Item | Checked against | How |
|---|---|---|
| Model and SKU ★ | Your PI / packing list | Every unit's label matched against the model codes on your PI |
| Unit and carton count ★ | Your PI and packing list | Cartons counted; sampled cartons opened and units counted individually |
| Colour mix ratio ★ | Your PI | Colour counted through the sample and checked against your stated ratio |
| Fabric composition ★ | Your agreed specification | Labels read on units and cartons; compared with your written specification |
| Foam density | Your agreed specification | Cube-cut from sampled seats, weighed, compared with your specified density (±10% method variance stated) |
| Frame material ★ | Your specification + sample | Exposed frame points inspected for species against your specification |
| Dimensions | Drawing or agreed tolerance | Overall L × W × H measured; seat height and depth measured against drawing |
| Colour and pattern | Your approved sample | Compared under daylight, not factory lighting; batch consistency checked across the sample |
| Seams and stitching | Your approved sample | Stitch density, skipped seams and loose threads compared against the sample |
| Frame stability | — | 50 kg force at four corners — displacement recorded |
| Seat load | — | 250 lbs centred, 60 minutes — permanent deformation recorded |
| Assembly | Your instructions | Two units assembled by a non-skilled operator following your instructions |
| Accessory packs | Your packing list | Legs, cushions, hardware and manuals counted against the packing list |
| Carton marks and labels ★ | Your PO and shipping marks | Model, quantity, carton number, order number, marks compared against your artwork |
| Carton drop test | — | Two cartons dropped per weight band — six faces, five edges, four corners |
★ = mismatch means the goods do not match the order, not merely a quality complaint.
Materials — what you agreed against what we look for
Material terms in a sofa order are usually settled verbally or in a WeChat message weeks before production. Factory paperwork is not always updated. So we look at the goods, not the documents.
| Item | What you agreed | What we check on site |
|---|---|---|
| Cover fabric | Your composition and Martindale figure | Label on each unit and on the carton; abrasion figure on the factory report if you supplied one |
| Seat foam | Density in kg/m³ | Cube-cut from three locations and weighed |
| Frame | Species or construction | Exposed points inspected; species compared against your sample |
| Fill | Down percentage or fill weight | Weight and volume of fill from an opened seam, if you supplied the figure |
| Legs and hardware | Material and finish | Markings, finish and material compared against your specification |
| Back cushion fill | Type and density | Cube-cut where accessible; otherwise fill type confirmed from the opened seam |
If the order is commercial rather than residential
Tell us the destination and the project type. Commercial orders are usually specified to tighter requirements, and the factory needs to know that before production, not after.
| Residential | Commercial / contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Foam density commonly specified | ≥35 kg/m³ | ≥45 kg/m³ |
| Martindale commonly specified | 20,000 rubs | 40,000 rubs |
| Dimensional tolerance | ±5 mm | ±3 mm |
| Batch colour consistency | General | Controlled — same batch per shipment |
| Documentation at handover | Packing list | Packing list + spec sheet + test reports we verify |
These figures come from your specification or your client's requirement. We verify what you specify — we do not decide it for you.
Outside our scope
These items need accredited testing that a verification company cannot perform.
| Item | Why it is outside our scope |
|---|---|
| Martindale abrasion | Requires an ISO 12947 testing rig at an accredited laboratory |
| Fire resistance (BS 5852 / CAL 117) | Requires an accredited flammability chamber and certification |
| Formaldehyde (CARB / EN 717) | Requires a climate chamber and CMA accreditation |
| Colour fastness rating | We check colour against your sample; we do not issue a certified fastness rating |
| Any certificate or test report | We are not accredited and cannot issue certificates |
Level 3 verifies documents; it does not replace them. Where your order needs accredited testing — fire resistance, formaldehyde emission, Martindale abrasion, salt spray — a CMA/CNAS laboratory is the only route. We are not accredited and cannot issue those reports. We can introduce you, and the fee goes to the laboratory directly.
Our report is an order verification statement. It has no legal standing and cannot be used for customs clearance, marketplace approval or litigation.
How we sample
ISO 2859-1 / ANSI ASQC Z1.4 general inspection level II, single sampling, normal inspection. Each defect class is counted separately against its own AQL.
Open the full AQL calculator →
What we photograph on every sofa verification
What we find most often on sofa orders
- <strong>Count short</strong> — cartons present, units inside fewer than declared
- <strong>Colour mix wrong</strong> — ratio differs from the PI
- <strong>Fabric label missing</strong> — no way to confirm composition
- <strong>Foam density below specification</strong> — measured on cube-cut sample
- <strong>Batch colour visible when placed together</strong> — different lots in one shipment
- <strong>Accessory packs short</strong> — hardware or manuals missing from a proportion of cartons
Each finding is recorded with a photograph, a location reference, and the document it was judged against.
What we need from you
Required for a meaningful check
- Your PI or PO — models, quantities, colours, dimensions
- Your agreed specification — materials and tolerances
- Your approved sample — physical or photographed
- Packing list — carton count and packing method
Helpful but not essential
- Technical drawings or dimension sheets
- Carton mark artwork
- Previous verification reports, if re-checking
- Known issues from earlier shipments
- Your client's specific requirements, if any
If you only have a product link, send that. We will build the check criteria for you and tell you what we will look at, before we arrive. That scoping conversation is free.
From $149 per man-day · All-inclusive travel in Guangdong · Report within 24 hours
Questions about sofa verification
1. Do I need to send you my PI?
For a meaningful check, yes. Your PI is what we compare against. Without it we can still inspect and report on internal consistency, but the report records that order conformity could not be verified — which significantly limits its usefulness to you.
2. What if I have no approved sample?
We can still inspect. Appearance judgements are then limited to general consistency within the batch, and the report records that the appearance reference was incomplete. We would rather you know that before booking.
3. How do you count 240 sofas in a day?
Cartons are counted and recorded. Then cartons across the stack are opened and units counted individually. A carton that holds 4 units is verified by opening, not by assuming. Where a sample of cartons reveals a discrepancy, we extend the count.
4. Can you check the foam density without destroying the sofa?
We cut a small cube from an edge seam — roughly 10 × 10 × 10 cm. It is visible and the affected unit is recorded as such. This is standard practice and the buyer is normally asked to approve it beforehand.
5. Do you tell the factory what you find?
No. Findings go to you first. You decide what to communicate. That separation is deliberate.
6. What if the goods don't match the order?
The report states the discrepancy with photographs and numbers, and recommends whether to release, request rework, or hold. The commercial decision and the conversation with the factory are yours.
7. Can you attend the loading as well?
Yes. Container loading supervision is available at the same day rate — checking carton count against the booking, conditions inside the container, and how the goods are stacked and secured.