How verification works

We found hundreds of suppliers. We publish only the ones where we could establish the clearest evidence trail — and for each one we state exactly what we verified, what we could not, and what you should ask before committing money. Inclusion is not endorsement.

The three labels

Labels are derived mechanically from the research database. Nobody — including the manufacturer — can buy or edit a label.

• Evidence-verified — the entry passed human editorial review for the public shortlist and key documents were checked. It means the evidence we name on the profile checked out. It does not mean we audited the factory, inspected products, or predict quality.
• Verified with caveats — the entry passed review for publication, but with prominent open questions. Those caveats are listed on the profile as questions to ask the supplier.
• Claimed / unverified — content submitted by a manufacturer that has not yet been through the pipeline. Submitted listings always start here and are only promoted by the same evidence process.

The evidence ladder

Every profile shows which of these ten steps the entry has passed, each with the date it was checked:

1. Discovered. Found in a legitimate public source (official exhibition directories first).
2. Entity resolved. The legal Chinese entity and Unified Social Credit Code identified.
3. Identity confirmed. Registry status and core entity facts manually checked.
4. Factory evidence found. Audit, credible exhibition record or other manufacturing evidence exists.
5. Documents checked. Key certificates and reports checked against issuers where possible.
6. Human reviewed. Conflicts, specialisation and evidence reviewed by a person.
7. Supplier responded. Standardised questionnaire and supporting documents received.
8. Reference verified. At least one customer reference confirmed.
9. Sample inspected. A sample physically inspected against a defined specification.
10. Factory audited. A current independent factory audit commissioned or directly reviewed.

A note on certificates: an ISO 9001 certificate proves a management system was certified for a defined scope. It does not prove a particular bench or machine is safe, and CE or CCC markings alone do not establish Australian compliance.

What we never publish

• A definitive “best factories” ranking or any composite score.
• Prices — marketplace display prices are not purchase prices.
• Personal names, salesperson contacts, or bank details.
• Compliance claims we haven't checked.

If a listing is ever paid or sponsored in any form, it will be visibly labelled. Today, none are.

Corrections

Suppliers: if your entry contains an error, contact hello@zalio.ai with evidence and we will review it. Corrections go through the same evidence process as everything else.