Everything you'd ask in due diligence, answered before you ask.
This page sets out how we handle money, data and responsibility, which rules we've bound ourselves to, and exactly where our company stands today, including what isn't finished yet.
The rules we run the company by
These come from our internal Operating System. They're how decisions get made, and they apply every day.
Evidence before the next stage
Every order stage, and every company phase, ends with proof before the next one begins.
We never hold goods money
Buyers pay factories directly. We earn only our own published fee.
No hidden commission
If anything is ever taken from both sides, both sides are told in writing.
Neutral to every stakeholder
We never benefit a buyer, factory or worker at another's expense.
Open standards over lock-in
GS1 and Open Supply Hub, not proprietary IDs. Your data is exportable.
Service first, software second
We automate only what has been proven by hand, and build software only after paying customers need it.
"Every order can run on AristoTrade. Not every order belongs to AristoTrade."
| Principle | Rule | Control / proof |
|---|---|---|
| Order ownership tag | Every order is tagged "AristoTrade-sourced" or "Factory-own". The tag can never be changed. | System log from day one |
| Commercial firewall | Buyer information on a factory's own orders is invisible to our sales team. | Role-based access, separate data schema, audit log, Data Processing Agreement, independent annual review. A separate legal entity if factory software grows large |
| Factory disclosure | An anonymous capability profile at quote stage. Full identity, location and audits before sample or PO. This is mandatory. | Written into the service agreement |
| No hidden commission | If a fee is taken from both sides, both are told in writing. | Invoices and contracts |
| Non-circumvention | Time-limited clauses (12–24 months) with buyers and factories. Our real protection is the value of our service, not the clause. | Lawyer-reviewed contracts |
| Data portability | Factories and buyers can export their own data at any time. | Export on request today, self-service in later software |
| Conflict of interest | Staff accept no gifts or commissions from suppliers. Interests are declared. | Annual declaration form |
Why we disclose factories instead of hiding them: international brands need factory identity for compliance and audit. Hiding it costs buyer trust and doesn't prevent bypassing anyway. Only the value of our service does that.
Seven rules for every payment
MF-1 Goods money goes buyer → factory
By Master/Back-to-Back LC or Sales Contract/TT. We don't touch it and don't operate escrow in our current phase (escrow requires a licence).
MF-2 Our fee on a separate invoice
Under a written service agreement, received as inward remittance through the banking channel.
MF-3 40% on confirmation, 60% on shipment
Net-30 for the balance. This avoids 60–120 day waits after shipment.
MF-4 Funded before committed
We commit a factory only after the buyer's advance or LC is confirmed.
MF-5 Any factory commission is disclosed
If a factory ever pays us anything, the buyer is told in writing. Otherwise it's prohibited.
MF-6 No earnings parked abroad
Keeping income in foreign entities is prohibited, in line with foreign-exchange law and anti-money-laundering practice.
MF-7 No trading on our own account (for now)
We don't buy and resell goods, hold inventory or offer long credit. That model is allowed only at a much later stage, with adequate capital and legal advice.
Lines we don't cross
- Zero tolerance for child labour and forced labour: a declaration at every new factory, plus random checks
- RSC registration and fire/electrical safety status is a precondition for onboarding RMG factories
- Existing third-party social audits (SLCP, amfori BSCI) accepted, not duplicated
- Labour evidence kept for every factory (declarations, audits, random-check records), because the EU Forced Labour Regulation will apply to buyers of every size
- Grievance mechanism open to suppliers and workers, with a 30-day resolution target
- We follow the risk-based approach of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment & Footwear Sector, rather than inventing our own standard
Open standards, not our own labels
We reference and check these standards. AristoTrade is not itself certified by, affiliated with, or endorsed by any of these organisations.
The rules that affect your sourcing, stated plainly
We don't use regulation to sell by fear. Here is what each change means for small and mid-sized buyers, as we understand it. Last checked: September 2026. Always confirm with the official source before acting.
| Rule | Current position | What it means for you, and what we do |
|---|---|---|
| EU Forced Labour Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 | Products made with forced labour are banned from the EU market. Applies from December 2027, regardless of company size. | This affects small buyers too. We keep labour evidence on file for every factory: declarations, audits and random-check records. |
| EU Digital Product Passport ESPR / DPP Registry | The registry went live on 20 July 2026. It holds identifiers and metadata, not full product data. The textile delegated act is expected in 2027, and mandatory passports realistically from ~2028. Footwear sits outside the first textile act. | Nothing mandatory yet. We capture GS1-ready SKU and batch/material fields now, so your data is ready when needed. We don't sell a "DPP platform". |
| EU CSDDD Directive (EU) 2026/470 | After the Omnibus I amendment, it covers only companies with 5,000+ employees and €1.5bn+ turnover, applying from 26 July 2029. | Most small and mid-sized buyers are outside its direct scope. We follow the OECD due-diligence approach anyway, because your customers may ask. |
| Bangladesh LDC graduation UN / EU EBA & GSP+ | Graduation is scheduled for 24 November 2026. Bangladesh has requested a deferral to 2029, and a UN General Assembly decision is pending. If graduation happens in 2026, EU duty-free access continues until November 2029. | Duty-free access to the EU continues for now. After 2029, garments could face 9–12% EU duty without GSP+. We compete on reliability, speed and small batches, not on price alone. |
General information, not legal advice. UK and other markets have their own preference schemes. Ask us and we'll point you to the official source.
Mandatory company policies
Being finalised with legal counsel alongside incorporation. Buyers, factories, investors and partners can request copies at any time.
| Policy | Core commitment | Matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-bribery & corruption | Bribes, gifts and favours are prohibited | Investors, donors, brands |
| Conflict of interest & No Hidden Commission | Disclosure to both sides, annual declarations | Everyone |
| Supplier Code of Conduct | ILO fundamental labour rights, zero tolerance for child and forced labour, safety and environment | Brands, donors |
| Responsible sourcing due diligence | OECD Garment & Footwear guidance, risk-based | Brands, donors |
| Grievance mechanism | Channel for factories, artisans and workers, with a 30-day resolution target | Donors, brands |
| Data protection & firewall | Role-based access, two-factor login, encrypted backups, least privilege, GDPR-aware practice | Factories, brands |
| AML & foreign-exchange compliance | Money-flow rules MF-1 to MF-7 | Government, banks, investors |
| Safeguarding | Protection of children and women in artisan communities | Donors |
Where we stand today
We publish our status because you'd find out in due diligence anyway, and because a young company that is open about what's unfinished is easier to trust than one that hides it. Last updated: 28 September 2026.
| Item | Status | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) | Obtained | — |
| RJSC incorporation as AristoTrade Limited (private limited company) | In progress | 31 Oct 2026 |
| Trade licence | In progress | Month 1 |
| Company bank account with two signatories and trade-services relationship | In progress | Month 1 |
| VAT / BIN registration | Planned | Month 1 |
| ERC and EPB registration | Planned | Month 1–2 |
| "AristoTrade" trademark (DPDT) | Search & filing | Month 1 |
| Service agreement with non-circumvention and No Hidden Commission clauses | Drafted, legal review | Month 2 |
| Supplier Code of Conduct & grievance mechanism | Drafted | Month 2 |
| Professional indemnity insurance | Quotes being sought | Before first bulk order |
| Advisory board (3–5 members: merchandising, compliance, finance/legal, product) | Forming | Within 12 months |
| Paying customers and completed orders | Pre-revenue | First paid samples and bulk order in our first 90 days |
We can take RFQs and prepare quotes now. Paid work (sample fees and service agreements) starts once incorporation, the trade licence and the company bank account are in place, so every fee is invoiced by the registered company and paid through the banking channel.
Related parties and conflicts, stated upfront
EcoTav (related party)
Both founders are involved in EcoTav, an existing export business in sustainable products, apparel and home-textile sourcing. We treat this as a related party, with these rules:
- EcoTav will not sell directly to any AristoTrade buyer
- If an AristoTrade order goes to an EcoTav-linked factory, the buyer is told in writing first
- A formal related-party declaration is made at incorporation
- The founders' agreement sets a timeline for transitioning EcoTav's export work
Commission from factories
Our fee is paid by the buyer. If, on any order, a factory also pays us anything, the buyer is told in writing, in advance, on the invoice. Otherwise it's prohibited (rule MF-5).
Staff independence
Staff accept no gifts or commission from suppliers and sign an annual conflict-of-interest declaration.
We don't publish numbers we can't prove
The figures on this website are service commitments (24-hour reply, 72-hour quote, two inspections) and published prices. They are not performance claims.
Once we have enough completed orders, we'll publish measured results: on-time delivery rate, first-pass inspection rate and claim rate, based on order records. We won't advertise a "% saving" or a success rate before we've measured it.
What you won't see here
- Testimonials from buyers we haven't served
- Supplier lists counted as "traction"
- Order value (GMV) presented as our revenue
- Certification logos we don't hold
- Claims like "the Alibaba of Bangladesh" or "99.99% success"
Doing due diligence on us?
Ask for our policies, draft service agreement, founder references or anything else. We'd rather over-share than leave you guessing.