A during-production inspection, often called a DUPRO or inline inspection, is a check carried out on the factory floor when roughly 20 to 40 percent of an order has been produced. Its purpose is to catch systematic faults, such as a wrong measurement, a shade variation or a mislabelled care instruction, while most of the order is still uncut or unsewn and can be corrected cheaply. A final inspection tells you whether the goods are acceptable, but a DUPRO tells you whether they are going to be, early enough to change the outcome. For a buyer sitting several time zones away, it is the most useful visit in the production cycle.
Why the timing is 20 to 40 percent
Below 20 percent there is usually too little finished output to judge, and the factory may still be running a pilot lot that does not reflect the main production lines. Above 40 percent the fault is already built into a large share of the order, and the cost of rework starts to approach the cost of remaking. The window in between gives a representative view of the real process, the real operators and the real material, with enough of the order left to fix.
The date should be fixed from the supplier's production schedule, not guessed. Ask for the cutting and sewing start dates by style and plan the visit accordingly. If the supplier splits the order across units or subcontractors, you may need more than one visit.
What a DUPRO covers
- Finished and semi-finished pieces are measured against the specification and compared with the sealed approved sample.
- Fabric and trims on the floor are checked against approved swatches, lab dips and the bill of materials, including lot and shade continuity.
- Workmanship is assessed on pieces taken from the line, with defects photographed and classified so the factory can trace the operation causing them.
- Production status is counted: pieces cut, sewn, finished and packed, which gives you an honest view of whether the shipment date is realistic.
- Packing materials, labels and hangtags are checked to confirm they have arrived and match the approved artwork, since late trims are a common cause of delay.
- Any corrective actions from previous visits or from the pre-production meeting are verified.
Acting on the findings
The report should reach you within a day or two, with photographs and a clear list of corrective actions and who owns each one. Faults found at this stage are typically settled by adjusting the pattern, re-sorting fabric or retraining an operation, and the supplier should confirm in writing when each change has been made. If the production count is well behind plan, this is the moment to agree a revised schedule or to split the shipment, rather than discovering the delay at final inspection.
A DUPRO is not a substitute for a final random inspection. The two serve different purposes, and the inline visit usually makes the final one go smoothly, because systematic problems have already been removed.
How we handle it
At Creston & Co we carry out inline inspections and the final random inspection on your behalf, with photographed reports and a short list of actions after each visit. Counter-samples are sealed on both sides at approval so that the inspector on the floor has the same reference you hold. We also send weekly production updates so you know where the order stands between visits, and we offer a free 20-minute sourcing review if you want to plan a schedule for an upcoming order.