Buying surplus garments from India or ready stock bedsheets from India can save weeks, because the goods already exist. The trade-off is that you accept what was made for someone else, so the checks you would normally do during production must be done on the finished lot.
Ask first why the goods are surplus. The honest answers are an order cancelled, an overrun, or an excess of cutting. The risky answers are rejected quality or a dispute with the original buyer.
Where surplus comes from
Surplus normally arises in three ways, and the risk differs:
- Overruns, where a factory made more than the order asked for. These are usually good quality but may be in odd size and colour splits.
- Cancelled orders, where goods were finished but the buyer walked away. Ask why, and whether the goods passed inspection.
- Rejected goods, where the buyer refused the lot. These may have real faults, so inspect closely.
Legal and label risks
Goods made with another company's label, logo or design can be unlawful to resell, even if the factory owns the stock. Check that labels are removed or that the seller has the right to sell them. Do not accept any suggestion that you can simply cut labels and sell the goods as your own without checking.
Textile labels also matter in your own market. Fibre content, country of origin and care wording must be correct for where you will sell. Surplus often arrives with labels for a different country. See care label requirements for home textiles by market.
How to inspect a surplus lot
Do not buy from photos alone. Ask for a full packing list showing styles, colours and sizes, and a defined count. Then check the lot itself:
- Draw a random sample from different cartons and inspect it to a stated AQL, as in AQL explained for garment inspection.
- Measure a few pieces against the original spec, since surplus can include off-size pieces.
- Check bedsheets for thread count, size, shrinkage and colour match to the lot description.
- Test fibre content if you will print it on a label.
- Check the actual carton count against the packing list before payment.
Repeat orders and supplier checks
A surplus lot is a one-time purchase. If it sells well, you cannot necessarily buy the same goods again, so do not build a range on it. If the seller is a trader rather than the factory, confirm who made the goods and ask for an export history; see how to check a textile supplier's export history and how to tell a trader from a manufacturer.
Finally, think about how you will sell the goods. Mixed sizes and colours are harder to list and to restock, so work out the sellable assortment before you agree to buy. A lot that looks inexpensive can turn into dead stock if you cannot build full size runs from it.
Next step
An independent check of the lot before you pay is the best protection you have. We check samples and documents, have lots tested and supervise loading. Book a free sourcing review and tell us what stock you are looking at.