What an audit is for
An audit does three jobs. It confirms that the workshop is what it says it is, that it can repeat the approved sample at lot size and that its working conditions will not undermine the product, for example through damp storage or loose records. It is not a certificate. Ouvare coordinates partner workshops and can arrange a visit or a remote review before a program starts; the buyer can also bring an independent inspector. Nothing here implies certification of any workshop.
Plan the audit around the first sample round. By then the buyer has seen the product and can ask questions with a bead in hand.
The checklist at a glance
| Area | What to look at | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials | Powder sources, origin records, storage, CITES copies for agarwood | Legal origin and consistent scent |
| Milling and sieving | Equipment cleanliness, sieve mesh, separation between woods | Smooth beads and no cross-contamination |
| Dough preparation | Weighing scale, formula sheet in use, binder share, rest time | Repeatable formula |
| Rolling and piercing | Weighing of portions, hole tooling, skill of rollers | Size and hole consistency |
| Drying and aging | Shaded racks, airflow, temperature and humidity, jar storage | Cracks and mold |
| Finishing | Polishing, gold leaf, stringing area, finding storage | Surface and assembly quality |
| Packing | Foil pouches, desiccant, carton, labels | Humidity protection in transit |
| Records and documents | Batch logs, retained references, document files | Traceability and compliance |
Materials and storage
Start in the store room. Powders and woods should be kept in dry, closed containers, off the floor and away from walls. Look for labels with material name, origin and date; a workshop that cannot show where its sandalwood or agarwood came from will struggle to supply the documents your market needs. For agarwood, ask to see the CITES export documentation relating to the lot you are buying, and for sandalwood ask for the stated origin (plantation or legally sourced Indian wood). The material notes are on the agarwood guide and sandalwood guide.
- Is each powder labeled and dated?
- Are different woods kept apart to avoid mixing scents?
- Is there any sign of damp, insects or mold in the storage?
- Is a fragrance oil or an industrial adhesive stored anywhere in the working area? If so, ask why.
Dough, rolling and drying
This is the core of the audit. Ask to see the formula sheet in use, and watch a batch being weighed: powders and binder should be measured, not judged by eye. Ask how long the dough rests (the standard practice is about 24 hours) and where. At the rolling table, check that portions are cut by weight and that rollers use consistent hole tooling.
The drying area deserves the most time. Beads should dry in shade with airflow, not in direct sun, usually for 5 to 10 days. Many workshops aim for about 25 degrees C and about 60 percent relative humidity and turn the beads regularly. Look for a thermometer and hygrometer, racks with space between trays and a routine for turning. Cracks, flat spots and mold spots on stock in the area are the visible cost of a poor drying routine. The sequence is outlined in the making process.
Finishing and packing
- See how polishing is done and whether the surface is handled with clean cloth or gloves.
- Check how beads are aged: sealed jars in a stable room, not open trays.
- Watch stringing: cord tension, knot style and spacer placement against the approved sample.
- Check the packing bench: foil pouch, desiccant, label and carton as specified.
- Ask how finished goods are stored before dispatch and how long they wait.
Records, references and people
Ask for a look at the batch log. A workshop that records formula version, dough date, drying start and end, polish date and packing date can tell you what happened to a lot a year later. Ask where the retained reference strands are kept and whether the approved sample for your order is among them. Ask how many rollers work on a typical order, whether the same people will roll your beads each time and what happens during holiday weeks. These answers tell you whether a good sample can be turned into a repeatable lot. See quality control for how the desk uses these records.
Preparing for the day
An audit is more useful when the buyer arrives with questions in writing. Send the checklist ahead of the visit so the workshop can prepare documents instead of searching for them, and agree what may be photographed. Bring the approved sample and its sample sheet, a pair of calipers and a small scale, because measuring a few beads on site settles more arguments than discussion. Allow half a day for a small workshop: an hour for storage and milling, an hour for dough and rolling, an hour for drying and finishing, and time for packing and paperwork. Finish with a short meeting where findings are read back and agreed, and follow with a written summary within a few days. If the visit is made with the desk, the summary becomes part of the project file and is used again at inspection.
Red flags and remote audits
- No formula sheet, or one that changes between visits.
- Strong surface scent but a plain cut bead, which can indicate surface oil.
- Beads drying in the sun or in a closed warm room.
- Refusal to show agarwood paperwork.
- No retained references and no batch records.
- Findings stored loose with no material labels.
When a visit is not practical, a remote audit works well: a live video walk-through of storage, rolling, drying and packing, followed by a document review and a photo set of the approved reference. Ask for the walk-through to be unscripted and to include the drying area. Request the same pictures again before each shipment, so you can compare. After any audit, write the findings and agreed fixes into the order, and note what will be checked again at pre-shipment inspection. For next steps, see testing and inspection, or send the brief through the quote form to ask the desk to arrange a visit.