As some promotional products distributors source personal protective equipment (PPE) from overseas factories, others are questioning whether the risks are worth generating some semblance of revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

In order to meet the marketplace demand for face masks, some distributors are seeking product from suppliers in China that they’ve never worked with before. That could be a major mistake, as evidenced by a recent incident in Europe.

The Netherlands has recalled hundreds of thousands of face masks imported from China after they were found to be defective, the health ministry announced on March 28. Dutch authorities received 1.3 million face masks from China on March 21 and distributed some of them to health care providers battling against the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to Euronews.

The Netherlands recalls 600,000 N95 masks purchased from China because the filters did not function properly. This follows Spain having to replace COVID-19 rapid tests purchased from China because they gave high rate of false positives and negatives. https://t.co/vPJLUYhmwd

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) March 29, 2020

But the health ministry “received a signal that, upon inspection, the quality of this shipment did not meet the required standards,” officials told Euronews. “A second test also proved that the face masks did not meet the required quality standards.” As a result, the health ministry decided to cease use of the entire shipment. According to state broadcaster NOS, the recall concerns 600,000 masks. The Netherlands has so far reported 9,800 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 632 deaths.

The recall is a cautionary tale for distributors sourcing from factories overseas. Even though the masks had a KN95 certification, indicating that they should filter above 95% of particles, they still failed to meet the required standards. Distributors can’t rely upon labels and unsubstantiated certifications – they must vet the supplier to ensure that the products they’re ordering are safe for clients.

Doing your due diligence is more important than ever as manufacturers of everything from fashion apparel to whiskey are shifting their production operations to make products like surgical face masks and hand sanitizer in an effort to help combat the global coronavirus pandemic. Top 40 suppliers Sanmar (asi/84863) and SnugZ/USA (asi/88060), as well as Starline (asi/89320), Los Angeles Apparel (asi/67971), HanesBrands (asi/59528) and Fruit of the Loom (asi/84257), are among companies in the promotional products industry that are contributing to the manufacturing effort, which in significant part aims to supply healthcare workers and others on the frontlines with essentials.