Ask for a written specification before a price
A specification names origin, collection category, cuticle and direction status, processing history, colour protocol, construction detail and length tolerance. A supplier who can produce it in an hour is running production. A supplier who sends photos instead is running a shop.
Price without specification is meaningless. You cannot compare $60 and $95 per 100g until you know whether both are cuticle-intact and aligned.
Test the reorder, not the sample
First samples are almost always good — everyone sends their best. The information is in order three. Ask directly: do you keep a lot record, and can you match this shade in four months against it? If the answer is vague, plan for shade drift.
Where possible, run the same shade twice a few weeks apart before committing to a bulk programme.
Check what they refuse to sell you
A manufacturer with real material knowledge will tell you when a different origin fits your client better, or when your budget does not support the specification you are asking for. A pure reseller agrees with everything.
The willingness to lose a sale is the cheapest honesty signal available to you, and it costs nothing to test.
Buyer Questions
Should I visit the factory before ordering?
A visit is useful but not proof — see our article on why factory visits alone do not prove quality. Combine a visit with a wash-cycle test and a repeat order.
Does RemyPatra provide written specifications?
Yes, with every order, alongside a lot record so reorders can be matched to the original run.