Every designer we talk to asks the same question, usually somewhere between "we're interested" and "let's move forward." They phrase it differently — what happens to my files, how do I know the factory won't copy this, we've been burned before — but it's the same fear. And it's a fair one.
IP theft in Chinese manufacturing is real. We know because it happened to us.
We've Been on the Other Side of This
One of the brands we helped build from the ground up is Buzao — a furniture and lighting label rooted in original design. A few years into its existence, we discovered that a factory had taken our designs and was selling copies openly on the market. Not imitating the style. Copying the products.
We didn't quietly move on. We engaged lawyers, pursued legal action, and forced that factory to halt production and remove the products from sale. It cost time and money. It was worth it.
That experience didn't make us cynical about Chinese manufacturing — it made us precise about how we operate within it. We know which contractual clauses actually hold up. We know what documentation you need if you ever have to enforce them. And we know that the best protection isn't a strongly worded NDA — it's controlling what files go where, and when.
What We Do Differently: A 4-Stage File Protocol
The standard approach to IP protection in manufacturing is to sign an NDA and hope for the best. Our approach is structural: your most sensitive files never reach a factory until the legal and financial framework is in place to protect them.
Before anything starts, we require a mutual NDA — between our team, the client, and any factory we engage. We also vet every factory before they see a single file. We have long-standing relationships with a specific set of manufacturers whose track records we know personally.
In the early stages, only concept-level materials are shared — mood boards, material references, general direction. No dimensions. No technical specifications. Nothing a factory could hand to a production line.
As the project develops, design sketches and renderings are shared with watermarks tied to the client name and date. Distribution is limited to a single named contact at the factory. Internal sharing requires explicit approval.
Technical drawings and engineering files are released only after the factory contract is signed and the initial deposit is received. Files are version-controlled, and factory personnel with access are named in the contract. The master files stay with us.
Full production files are released in stages, tied to production milestones. After production is complete, factories are contractually required to confirm deletion of all files upon request.
None of this is bureaucratic friction. It's the architecture that makes trust possible.
The Team Behind the Protocol
Our team has spent fifteen years doing original design work — not sourcing, not reselling, not aggregating factories. Designing. That means we understand what a design file represents to the person who made it. It also means we've developed a working knowledge of China's manufacturing landscape from the inside: which factories are reliable, which contracts are enforceable, and how to move quickly without cutting corners on protection.
Several members of our team have managed production for internationally known design brands. We can't name them — NDAs work both ways — but the experience shaped how we think about factory relationships, quality control, and the kind of documentation that protects everyone involved.
What Happens If Something Goes Wrong
We build enforcement language into every engagement. That means a liquidated damages clause with a specific figure, not vague language about "pursuing remedies." It means the factory signs a file receipt acknowledgment every time restricted materials are released. It means there's a paper trail.
If a factory violates the agreement, we act. We have the precedent, the relationships with IP lawyers who understand Chinese manufacturing law, and the willingness to follow through. That's not a threat we issue to factories — it's a standard we hold ourselves to.
Working With Us
If you're developing a product and you want to manufacture it in China without surrendering control of your design, that's exactly what 933 is built for. We handle the factory relationships, the production management, and the IP architecture — so you can focus on the work.
If you have questions about how the protocol applies to your specific situation, reach out. No commitment required to have that conversation.