Promotional Products Inspection

Tetra Inspection is an independent third-party inspection company. We inspect finished promotional goods on the factory floor, documenting every finding with on-site photographs, AQL defect classification per ISO 2859-1, and a clear pass or fail verdict within 24 hours. Where consumer-safety testing is required — for example for drinkware, children's giveaways, or electronics — we coordinate and witness testing through accredited third-party laboratories.

What We Check on Promotional and Branded Products

Branding accuracy is the heart of a promotional products inspection. Our inspectors verify logo placement, size, and orientation against your artwork, match printed and embroidered colors to your specified Pantone references, and check print durability through abrasion and adhesion spot checks appropriate to the decoration method — screen print, pad print, heat transfer, embroidery, laser engraving, or debossing. Beyond branding, we inspect the base product for the same quality parameters as any consumer good: material and construction quality, dimensional accuracy, function (for items like pens, USB drives, water bottles, and umbrellas), and finish. Packaging, individual polybagging, kitting, and carton markings are verified against your distribution requirements, which matters when promotional orders are drop-shipped to multiple event or office locations.

Safety, Compliance, and Common Findings

Promotional products are consumer goods, and the ones given to the public must meet the same safety rules as retail items. For drinkware and food-contact items we verify compliance with material safety requirements; for any item that could reach children we verify CPSIA requirements, and for products distributed in California we check Proposition 65 exposure through coordinated testing. Restricted substances under REACH apply to items distributed in the EU. The most common major findings we record are color mismatches against the brand Pantone, misaligned or smudged logos, weak print adhesion that rubs off, and seam or assembly failures on bags and soft goods — see our dedicated bags inspection for promotional totes and backpacks.

Our promotional products inspection services are available through pre-shipment inspection, during production inspection, and initial production check. We cover the major merchandise manufacturing regions including China, Vietnam, and India, with global inspection coverage across 45+ countries. Explore all of our quality control services to protect every branded shipment.