Questions to ask footwear manufacturers
Where brands usually get this wrong
- Asking “what is your MOQ?” once instead of per style, colour, and size curve.
- Skipping who pays tooling until cash is already out the door.
- Comparing quotes that assume different sole platforms or leather grades.
How to use this guide
- Copy each section into your supplier thread in order.
- Note which answers are numbers vs hand-waving; follow up only on gaps.
- Pair with the footwear MOQ guide when you need range benchmarks.
MOQ, tooling, and materials
What is your MOQ per style, per colour, and per size ratio?
Listen for pairs vs. pieces, whether each colourway stands alone, and how size curves affect the number. If they only give one number, ask what it includes.
Do you use stock lasts and soles, or will this job need new tooling?
New lasts or moulds change timeline and cost. Ask who pays tooling, who owns the moulds after production, and how that affects reorders.
Who sources leather, mesh, knit, or outsole rubber—and what are their typical minimums?
Footwear MOQ is often set by a tannery or compound supplier you never meet. Strong answers name the constraint (e.g. hide yield, roll width, rubber batch).
What is included in sampling vs. bulk (pairs, sizes, left/right)?
Clarify sample pairs, who pays courier, and whether sample soles differ from bulk compounds. Misalignment here causes nasty bulk surprises.
Construction, timeline, and capacity
What construction methods do you run in-house (cement, strobel, vulcanised, Goodyear)?
Match their strength to your tech pack. If they outsource a step, ask lead time impact and who holds quality liability.
What is the realistic calendar from approved sample to ex-factory bulk?
Ask for a week-by-week breakdown: material buy, cutting, lasting, assembly, finishing, QC, pack. Footwear rarely matches apparel timelines.
How do you handle peak season and line changes?
Factories juggling many SKUs may slip dates. Ask how they gate new projects and what confirmation they need to hold capacity.
Quality, compliance, and rework
What inline and final checks do you perform (bond pull, flex, symmetry, hardness)?
Good answers are specific to your construction. Vague “we check quality” is a red flag for footwear.
Which restricted substances and safety tests do you routinely support (REACH, CPSIA-relevant, etc.)?
Match to your market. Ask who books labs, typical cost, and whether failed tests trigger remake or chargeback.
What is your policy on bulk defects and root-cause analysis?
Clarify acceptance limits, who pays freight on returns, and how they document defects with photos and batch codes.
