Our Story: A Humen Garment Factory Built Around Wash and Print

Liu Minghao opened FORGEMFG in 2013 as a small sampling workshop in Humen. The work was overflow: wash and print jobs that neighbouring factories could not fit into their own schedules. Six people, no brand of its own, and a simple reputation to build. Do the difficult finishing well, and return it when promised.

That start shaped the factory more than any later investment. Wash and print are the steps where a garment most often goes wrong, because the result depends on fabric, chemistry, temperature and the hand of the operator. A workshop that lives on other people's overflow learns quickly which recipes repeat and which ones drift. It also learns to write things down, since a customer who is not standing next to the machine can only judge the work by the sample and the notes.

The habit stayed. Today the team still works tech-pack first, and Liu Minghao still reviews every tech pack personally before it reaches a buyer.

The factory is on the third floor of the Yongyu Building in Wangwu Dawei, Humen Town, Dongguan, about 40 minutes from Shenzhen. Work moves through cutting, sewing, washing, printing and embroidery, denim processing, final QC, and packing. The Studio overview lists the stations side by side; here is what each area is like to run.

Cutting and sewing. Fabric is spread and cut on an automated spreader, then assembled on the main sewing lines. This is where measurements are decided, so panel accuracy is checked before garments move on to finishing.

Washing. The washing house is the oldest part of the business. It runs the acid, snow and enzyme programs that give a hoodie its faded or frosted look. Wash results shift slightly between batches, which is why an approved sample is kept as the reference for bulk. The technique pages explain each one, starting from the garment washing hub.

Print and embroidery. Screen and puff printing use a carousel and drying tunnel, since curing decides both durability and the raised finish. Embroidery sits alongside. Everything here is covered under printing & embellishment.

Denim. Fading, hand-sanding and selvedge work were added in 2021 and follow the same rule as everything else: the sample is approved before bulk starts.

Three habits carry over from the sampling-workshop years. Each is tied to a concrete step, so you can test it.

• Tech pack first. Flat sketches, a measurement chart with tolerances, fabric and GSM specs, wash and print references, and trim details. If something is missing, tech pack support fills the gap.
• Approve the sample, then produce. Sampling takes 7 to 15 business days from confirmed specs. Bulk follows only after fabric, wash and print are signed off. See the sampling process.
• Inspect before it leaves. Every order is inspected at AQL 2.5 / 4.0 and shipped with a written report. The method is described under quality control.

The limits are just as important. The standard minimum is 50 pieces per style per colorway, and bulk production typically runs 25 to 35 days after sample approval, depending on quantity and wash and print complexity. A wash can be matched to a physical reference garment, not to a photo. Designs stay confidential: NDAs are signed on request and artwork is kept in client-segregated folders.

Quality systems are audited by outside bodies as well. The factory's quality management is certified to ISO 9001:2015, and the certifications & sustainability page explains what each certificate covers and how to request copies. Results from real programs are collected on client case studies.