Canton Fair Phase 2 Document Checklist for Daily-Chemical Buyers

Why a Document Checklist Matters at Phase 2

Canton Fair Phase 2 covers daily chemicals, personal care, and household consumables — exactly the categories where supplier vetting, formulation details, and packaging specs determine whether a deal is workable. Buyers who arrive without a structured document pack spend the first day re-explaining their requirements and the second day chasing missing information. A prepared checklist keeps conversations specific and makes follow-up sampling faster.

This is not about collecting brochures. It is about bringing the right questions, templates, and reference files so that every supplier meeting produces comparable answers you can act on after the show.

Supplier Vetting Documents to Request

At the booth, ask each candidate supplier for a consistent set of documents. You do not need to accept them on the spot — request digital copies to review later — but asking in person signals that you are a professional buyer, not a tourist.

Company and facility information

• Business license copy showing the registered entity name, scope, and address. Match this against the name on the booth and the name on any quotation.
• Factory address and a simple facility layout if available. If the supplier is a trading company, ask which factory they represent and whether you can visit.
• Production process overview — mixing, filling, labeling, and packing steps — so you can spot bottlenecks or outsourced stages.
• List of product categories they manufacture in-house versus items they source from other factories.

Quality and compliance documentation

Do not rely on verbal claims. Ask for the latest test documentation during sampling, and confirm which tests are routine versus project-specific. Typical requests include heavy-metal and microbial testing for personal care, stability data, and packaging compatibility reports. If the supplier mentions certifications, ask for the certificate number and issuing body so you can verify independently. Avoid treating a booth poster as proof.

Product and Formulation Brief Template

Bring a one-page brief for each product family you are sourcing — shampoo, shower gel, body scrub, conditioner, body oil, disposable face towels, or laundry detergent. The brief should be specific enough that two suppliers would quote comparable products.

What to include in the brief

• Product type and target market — for example, a daily-use shampoo for a supermarket private label in a specific climate.
• Key performance claims you want to make, such as gentle cleansing, moisturizing, or fragrance longevity. Avoid claims that require clinical substantiation unless you are prepared to fund testing.
• Ingredient preferences or exclusions — sulfate-free, silicone-free, paraben-free, or specific surfactant systems. State these clearly; reformulation later is costly.
• Fragrance direction — describe the scent family, intensity, and any reference products. Bring two or three physical reference samples if possible.
• Viscosity, pH range, and color targets where relevant.
• Packaging format — bottle type, cap style, label substrate, and whether you want stock or custom molds.

Ask the supplier to confirm which parts of the brief they can meet with existing formulas and which would require development. This separates ready-to-quote suppliers from those who need a longer sampling cycle.

Sampling and Lead-Time Questions

Sampling is where timelines slip. Bring a short list of questions to every meeting and record the answers in a comparison sheet.

• What is the typical sampling lead time for a stock formula versus a customized formula?
• Are samples free, or is there a sample fee that is credited against a future order?
• How many rounds of fragrance or formulation adjustment are included before a sample fee applies?
• What information do you need from me to start sampling — brief, reference sample, packaging artwork, or target price?
• Can you provide a sample of the finished product in the intended packaging, not just a lab bottle?

Confirm the current MOQ and lead time with our sales team rather than relying on a verbal estimate at the booth. Lead times depend on formula complexity, packaging sourcing, and order volume, so ask for a written range.

Packaging, Labeling, and Artwork Files

Packaging decisions often delay purchase orders more than formulation does. Bring your artwork files, dielines, and label specifications — or at least a clear description of what you need.

Documents to bring or request

• Artwork files in a print-ready format, plus a plain-text version of all label copy for translation and compliance review.
• Bottle and cap specifications — material, capacity, neck size, and decoration method (screen print, label, shrink sleeve).
• Label substrate and adhesive requirements for your market's humidity and storage conditions.
• Carton and pallet configuration — units per carton, carton dimensions, and any retail-ready packaging requirements.
• Barcode and regulatory label requirements for the destination market.

Ask whether the supplier can source packaging in-house or works with a packaging partner, and how that affects sampling time and MOQ. If you plan to consolidate multiple products into one container, confirm early whether packaging components come from the same lead-time window.

Export, Payment, and Consolidation Paperwork

Commercial terms are easier to discuss at the booth than over email after the show. Bring a checklist of the documents and terms you need to confirm.

• Quotation template — ask for unit price, MOQ, lead time, Incoterm, and payment terms in one document.
• Export documentation the supplier can provide — commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and any market-specific declarations.
• Shipping terms and port of loading — confirm whether the supplier handles consolidation with other factories or requires you to use a forwarder.
• Container loading plan — ask for carton dimensions and estimated loading quantity per container for your product mix.
• Payment terms and currency — confirm deposit percentage, balance terms, and whether third-party inspection is accepted.

If you are sourcing several product families, ask how the supplier handles mixed-container consolidation and whether they can coordinate with your other suppliers. This is often the difference between one shipment and three.

Quality Consistency Questions for Repeat Orders

Phase 2 is also a chance to discuss what happens after the first order. Batch-to-batch consistency is a common concern for importers and private-label brands, so ask directly.

• How do you retain reference samples for each batch, and for how long?
• What in-process checks are performed during mixing and filling?
• How do you handle color and fragrance variation between batches?
• What is your process if a batch fails internal checks?
• Can you share a batch record template or a sample certificate of analysis format?

Ask for the latest test documentation during sampling and keep it on file for comparison with future batches. If consistency is critical for your brand, discuss whether a pre-shipment inspection or third-party lab test can be built into the order terms.

Build Your Own Booth Kit

A practical kit for Phase 2 includes: a one-page company profile, product briefs for each category, packaging artwork files, a supplier comparison sheet, a checklist of documents to request, and a notebook for recording answers consistently. Keep digital copies in a shared folder so your team can review after the show.

If you are sourcing shampoo, shower gel, body scrub, conditioner, body oil, disposable face towels, or laundry detergent for private label, our team can review your brief and confirm sampling steps, MOQ, and documentation requirements before you commit.

Ready to move from booth conversations to a real sampling plan? Send us your product brief and target market and we will respond with the next steps for formulation, packaging, and export documentation.