On this page
“In-house” should mean the operations a supplier carries out itself. A garment manufacturer may do its own cutting and sewing while sourcing finished fabric, trims or specialist services elsewhere. A full-package offer is a commercial arrangement and does not necessarily mean a vertically integrated factory.
Ask about the route your own garment will take instead of assuming that every product follows the same arrangement. What matters is where the work happens, how it is controlled and who is responsible under the order agreement.
Map the operations for your garment
| Operation | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Fabric and trims | Who sources them, the approved references and any origin or traceability information you need |
| Pattern and sample development | Who prepares and revises the specification and samples |
| Cutting | Site, panel orientation and connection to the approved pattern |
| Sublimation | Where paper printing and heat transfer take place and whether panels or fabric are printed |
| Sewing | Which assembly operations are performed at each site |
| Applied decoration | Method, timing, site and material compatibility |
| Finishing and packing | Required labels, set assembly, cartons and records |
| Quality checks | Who checks each stage and against which reference |
On Voyager Sportswear's custom sublimation route, polyester is cut into panels, the artwork is printed onto transfer paper and transferred to the panels by heat, and the panels are then sewn. A repeating pattern can be printed on the fabric before cutting. Depending on the method and the design, decoration can also be applied to accessible panels or to assembled garments, so it is not always a step after assembly.
What an external operation changes
Work done by a partner can add a scheduling dependency, transport or handling, and one more hand-over of instructions. Ask how the approved material, artwork and construction requirements reach the people doing the work, and how their output is checked before the next stage.
An external specialist is not automatically a quality problem, and in-house work is not automatically free of errors. What counts is the supplier's controls and the evidence behind them. Confirm who is contractually responsible for the completed order and how defects are handled, rather than relying on what the word “subcontractor” is assumed to mean legally.
Agree changes and inspection access
Ask whether the proposed route may change with capacity or material availability. If your programme requires approval of sites or subcontractors, record how you will be notified and how consent is given. A later change can also affect certification scope, traceability or retailer requirements.
If you need inspection at a particular stage or site, agree access and timing before booking. Where direct access is not possible, discuss which records or checks can meet the requirement. Photographs are not a substitute for every form of independent inspection.
Control artwork and product information
Decide which teams or partners need the artwork, size breakdown or unreleased design. Agree permitted use, confidentiality and any restrictions on photography or sharing for the project, and share only what each task needs. If ownership, exclusivity or retention matters, state it explicitly rather than assuming that a short label such as OEM settles it.
Keep one responsibility sheet for the order
For each operation, note the party and site performing it, the input reference, the check required and the contact who resolves questions. Add any external service to the quoted scope and schedule. A short, complete sheet is more useful than a generic questionnaire full of operations the garment does not use.
Voyager Sportswear's confirmed in-house scope covers pattern making, sampling, cutting, sublimation, DTF, heat transfer, embroidery, sewing, finishing and quality control. Send us the product and your priorities, and we will establish the route for your order.
The inspection guide explains how to define checks, and the OEM/private-label guide separates production location from commercial scope.
Questions and answers
How can I find out whether a garment factory subcontracts part of my order?
The way to find out whether a garment factory subcontracts part of your order is to ask for the route of your garment, operation by operation. For fabric and trims, pattern and sample development, cutting, sublimation, sewing, applied decoration, finishing, packing and quality checks, record who performs the work and where, the input reference, the check required and the contact who resolves questions. Any external service should be added to the quoted scope and schedule.
Is subcontracted garment production lower quality than in-house work?
Subcontracted garment production is not automatically lower in quality, and in-house work is not automatically free of errors. Judge the supplier's controls and the evidence behind them. An external partner can add a scheduling dependency, transport or handling, and one more hand-over of instructions, so ask how approved materials, artwork and construction requirements reach the people doing the work and how their output is checked before the next stage.
How do I control subcontractor changes in a garment production agreement?
Before the order starts, ask whether the proposed production route may change with capacity or material availability. If your programme requires approval of sites or subcontractors, record the notification and consent process in the agreement, since a later change can affect certification scope, traceability or retailer requirements. Agree inspection access and timing for the stage or site concerned, and confirm who is contractually responsible for the completed order.