Where is clothing made in China, and how do I find a good apparel supplier? in detail

Dear friend,

Welcome! This letter sets out what you need to know, plainly and in order.

Covers: Adult and children's garments and fabrics. Not covered: footwear, children's sleepwear in detail, protective clothing.

1. Places to investigate (production or sourcing)

Leads not yet checked: Puning, Jieyang (shirts, T-shirts, underwear) and Kaiping, Jiangmen (denim), both named in the [Guangdong 2026 provincial SME characteristic cluster list (notice [2026] No. 49)](https://gdii.gd.gov.cn/gkmlpt/content/4/4916/post_4916091.html), attachment not yet checked; Shishi (Fujian) for casual wear; Caoxian (Shandong) for hanfu; Zhejiang knitwear and fabric areas. Jinjiang (Fujian) is mainly a footwear supply chain, which this page does not cover.

Cluster lists name places, not companies. Being in a cluster says nothing about any single factory.

2. Logistics questions to confirm with the supplier and your forwarder

• Confirm the exact handover point and compare feasible routes with your forwarder; the handover point alone does not determine the export port.
• Which Incoterm (for example EXW, FOB or DDP; see our glossary) and who books the freight?
• Are there battery, liquid or other dangerous-goods limits for this product?
• Will your goods be consolidated with others, and where?

3. Where buyers look

• Humen International Fashion Fair (website listed on our industrial-belts page)
• Canton Fair phase 3 ("Fashion", "Home textiles"). 140th session: 31 Oct–4 Nov 2026, per cantonfair.org.cn; phase themes per MOFCOM note on the 139th Canton Fair (March 5, 2026). We have not confirmed the spring 2027 session dates from the organiser in this review. Check the organiser's current programme before booking travel.
• Yiwu market for low-cost basics: Yiwu International Trade City, District 4 (market operator's site) says its 2nd floor sells daily goods, gloves, hats and knitwear
• B2B platforms such as Alibaba.com, Made-in-China.com and 1688

Fair and market arrangements change. Check the organiser before you travel.

4. How much China exports

Figures for this customs item are being checked against the original customs table and will be added after review.

5. How factories look for buyers

Channels to look at: trade fairs, B2B platforms, cross-border marketplaces, and the factory's own website and social media. We have not verified category-wide channel shares. For scale, China's government reported that the 138th Canton Fair (autumn 2025) drew over 310,000 overseas buyers and US$25.65 billion of intended export deals across all categories (gov.cn, November 4, 2025).

The same company can appear on several channels under different names, so always check the legal company name.

6. Official rules to check (by product type)

• US: fibre content, country of origin, business identity and care information are required on most textile products; see FTC: Textile and Wool Acts labelling. Flammability rules apply to clothing textiles in general, with stricter rules for children's sleepwear; see CPSC: Flammable Fabrics Act.
• EU, UK and others: fibre-name labelling and chemical limits apply; the exact list for your product is not checked on this page.
• Adult wear, children's wear and sleepwear are separate cases. Check the rules for the exact garment and age group.

This is a starting point, not a complete list or a compliance opinion.

7. How to choose a supplier (buying advice)

1. Check the company record on China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (gsxt.gov.cn), using the 18-character unified social credit code. The registered scope is a lead only; confirm separately who makes the goods and where.
2. Check test reports properly: is the report genuine (ask the lab), who issued it, how the applicant, manufacturer and factory relate, and whether the model, material and standard match your order.
3. Order samples, then a small trial order. Agree what you will check: size chart against the approved sample, colour fastness, fabric weight (GSM, grams per square metre) and stitch density as agreed in your order, loose threads, label content.
4. Inspection: use independent inspection suited to the order. Where your law requires testing, use a lab qualified and recognised for that test. An inspection report does not replace legal testing.
5. Payment: tie payment milestones to defined acceptance checks, and confirm independently who you contract with and who is authorised to receive payment. Inspection does not guarantee compliance or that you can recover money.

Triggers for a closer check

These are reasons to ask for an explanation and proof, not proof of fraud:

• The contract, invoice and bank account show different companies.
• Test reports are in another company's name.
• The price is far below others for the same specification.
• The supplier declines a live video call of the production line.

Still uncertain

• Export figures and top destination countries for this category.
• Production places listed as leads, and their figures.
• Channel shares (fairs, B2B, marketplaces, livestreams) across the category: not verified.
• Ownership of fair and market websites not run by a government.
• Company-level official lists (such as China Customs credit status): entry points not yet checked, so not listed.

Sources for this letter

1. Humen town economy page
2. Fujian Department of Industry and IT, December 22, 2025
3. cantonfair.org.cn
4. MOFCOM note on the 139th Canton Fair (March 5, 2026)
5. Yiwu International Trade City, District 4 (market operator's site)
6. gov.cn, November 4, 2025
7. FTC: Textile and Wool Acts labelling
8. CPSC: Flammable Fabrics Act
9. gsxt.gov.cn
10. Leads not yet checked: Puning, Jieyang (shirts, T-shirts, underwear) and Kaiping, Jiangmen (denim), both named in the [Guangdong 2026 provincial SME characteristic cluster list (notice [2026] No. 49)]