How to choose a cooperative factory and complete cosmetics registration for a brand: a practical guide

When establishing cooperation with factories, cosmetic brands need to go through multiple stages such as screening, evaluation, adaptation, and filing. This article starts from a practical perspective and outlines the key issues for brand owners in selecting contract manufacturing enterprises and promoting product filing processes.

1、 Clarify one's own needs and define the scope of screening

Before starting the brand screening, the following information should be clarified: product dosage form (water, lotion, cream, powder, etc.), estimated order quantity, packaging process requirements (such as whether special packaging materials are involved), and target time to market. There are differences in the areas of expertise among different factories - some factories have more OEM experience in the skincare category, while others have accumulated more experience in the washing or makeup industry. Brands can narrow down their scope based on product categories and prioritize contacting factories that match their own product types.

2、 Assess the qualifications and quality management level of the factory

Brands can request the factory to provide a business license and a cosmetics production license, and pay attention to whether the license items on the copy of the license cover the required dosage form of the brand. In terms of quality management, attention can be paid to whether the factory has established processes such as raw material storage inspection, semi-finished product inspection, and finished product factory inspection; Classification of air cleanliness in production workshops; And whether to retain various records during the production process. Brands can arrange on-site visits to the factory to observe the zoning management of raw material warehouses, operational standards of production site personnel, and equipment configuration in inspection rooms, which can be used as evaluation criteria.

3、 Responsibility attribution and cooperation process for communication and filing

According to the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics, the registrant of cosmetics is responsible for product quality and safety in accordance with the law. If a brand serves as the registrant, it must have a quality and safety manager, establish a quality management system, and assume corresponding legal responsibilities. In the early stage of cooperation, the brand should clarify the division of labor between the two parties in the filing work with the factory: the factory can assist in providing basic information such as product formulas, production processes, and raw material safety information; Brands need to complete product safety assessments, organize and submit filing materials, and update and maintain relevant information after filing.

It is recommended that the brand request reference cases from the factory during the negotiation stage to understand the factory's response speed and level of cooperation in data preparation, system operation, correction response, and other aspects of cooperating with customers to complete filing in the past. Some factories have regulatory specialists who can assist brands in sorting out the list of filing materials, which is more practical for brands that are applying for filing for the first time.

4、 Confirm the compatibility of samples, materials, and packaging

Before placing an official order, the brand may request the factory to conduct small-scale trial production, provide material samples for stability testing, observe the compatibility between the contents and packaging materials, and collect consumer feedback on trial use. Any color, odor, skin texture deviation, or insufficient sealing of packaging materials discovered during the trial production stage can be adjusted before mass production to reduce subsequent risks.

5、 Sign the contract and clarify the dispute resolution method

The following terms can be emphasized in the cooperation agreement: processing fees and settlement methods, minimum order quantity and delivery cycle, loss rate standards for materials and packaging materials, product quality standards and inspection methods, as well as usage rights and confidentiality obligations for filing materials. Both parties may also form a written agreement on the division of responsibilities in case of failure to pass the filing, and the disposal process in case of product recall.

Selecting cooperative factories and completing the first batch of product registration is the fundamental link in the brand product launch chain. The brand maintains attention to regulatory requirements and smooth communication with partners during this process, which can accumulate experience for the continuous iteration of subsequent product lines.