Promotional Products

Quality Assurance for
Promotional Products and Premiums
UL helps provide confidence in the safety and quality of your
branded merchandise.
UL’s quality assurance programs for promotional products and premiums help suppliers and
distributors comply with brand specifications and international regulations including the Consumer
Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), California Proposition 65, and the EU Toy Safety and
General Product Safety directives.
With expertise in a wide variety of consumer products including toys, apparel, food, and general
merchandise, UL has the global capacity and expertise to provide a vital check on product safety,
quality and functionality at every step in the supply chain.
Testing and Quality Assurance
• Chemical and Analytical Services help ensure compliance to international, national
and regional requirements for phthalates, BPA, heavy metals including lead and
cadmium, and toxins in packaging
• Component Testing determines that the parts of an item, as well as any inks used for
imprinting, each meet regulations individually so that any combination used in the
final product is compliant
• Physical Evaluation simulates normal use conditions and reasonable foreseeable abuse
to identify potential hazards, such as small part, sharp point and edge assessments,
and help reduce the possibility of injury and product recalls
• Performance Assessment helps verify that the product performs as intended and
meets all label claims
Inspections
• Top of Production (TOP) Inspections evaluate products at the start of production for
conformance with client specifications
• During-Production (DUPRO) Inspections provide a look at the product at various
manufacturing points after production has begun, but before the majority of the
order is completed, to identify any non-conformities early in the manufacturing
process in order to address issues without jeopardizing the shipping schedule
• Final Random (FRI)/Pre-Shipment (PSI) Inspections provide product quality, packaging,
product labeling, and carton markings before the product leaves the factory
• Loading Inspections ensure that the product, shipment quantity, packing requirements,
and carton markings are accurate during the loading process at the factory,
warehouse or port
• Production Monitoring works by placing an inspector on-site at the factory to monitor
the manufacturing process from incoming raw materials to finished product, and help
ensure materials, quality, and production schedules meet timelines
Quality Assurance for
Promotional Products and Premiums
Audits and Assessments
• Factory Capability audit assesses product safety and reliability through early detection
of manufacturing issues that could result in product defects and production delays
• Social Assessment evalutes the working conditions of your labor force, environmental
health and safety, and legal and ethical concerns to verify regulatory compliance and
demonstrate client commitment to responsible sourcing practices
• Management Systems Analyses provide an understanding of gaps in systems coverage
to determine a manufacturer or vendor’s ability to effectively manage day-to-day
compliance, and create a roadmap for more efficient systems
Responsible Sourcing Solutions
• Program Development and Management builds effective systems tools and
templates for code of conduct drafting, CSR program implementation, supply chain
risk assessments, executive reporting, program benchmarking, and data management
• Monitoring Services provide on-the-ground insight into manufacturing social
assessments, C-TPAT and supply chain security reviews, and social standard
certifications
• Capacity Building, Training & Education offers comprehensive curricula to familiarize
supply chain partners with responsible sourcing concepts, root cause solutions, and
corrective actions, as well as advising toward sustainable solutions
Since 1894, UL has been a respected leader in safety science. Today, UL is advancing
its commitment to protecting people, products and places through expert advisory
and independent quality assurance testing, inspections, and assessments for a wide
range of consumer products. Our network of more than 250 laboratories and facilities
in 46 countries helps drive the integrity of global supply chains, optimize product
performance and protect brands.
For more information on all the ways you can rely on UL to help you
effectively manage promotional product safety and quality,
contact [email protected] or visit ul.com/consumer-products.
UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2013. Form PP U.S./ 1.14.13