Q: How do I check zipper batch traceability?
Traceability in zipper sourcing means being able to follow a delivered carton back to the material lot, the production date and the line. Ask the supplier how a lot number is built and whether it appears on the carton, the packing list and the invoice. A workable system links the tape lot, the teeth lot, the plating batch and the assembly date, so a problem can be narrowed to one input instead of the whole order. Test the system before you need it: pick one carton and ask for its full history. Ask how long records are kept, because a claim or an audit may come months later. For recycled or certified material, the link must also connect the declared content to the transaction document. A supplier that can answer these questions quickly is usually better organised on the line as well. If the answer is only a production date, the traceability is too coarse for a serious programme.