About Afarer
Afarer — the Marine Manufacturing Division Behind SUPsfactory
Founded in 2012 in Qingdao, China, Afarer builds the inflatable watercraft and SUP boards behind SUPsfactory custom projects — a 12,500 m² factory, 350+ workers and 120,000+ units of annual capacity.
Afarer is the marine manufacturing division of Qingdao Vatrad Group Co., Ltd., based in the Economic Development Zone of Laixi, Qingdao, Shandong, China. Founded in 2012, the company began as a specialized watercraft workshop committed to marine craftsmanship, and has grown into a certified factory serving OEM and ODM clients across more than 50 countries.
SUPsfactory is the B2B custom-development division of the Afarer factory. Every SUPsfactory project — from a first sample or small-batch co-branded run to a full private-label product line — is manufactured in the same facility, by the same teams, and under the same quality system described here.
The factory covers 12,500 m² with dedicated workshops for PVC cutting, drop-stitch core assembly, high-frequency welding, board assembly and a testing area for air-retention, pressure-hold and seam-strength checks. Production capacity exceeds 120,000 inflatable units per year, and the facility operates under ISO 9001 quality management with CE, BSCI, REACH and USCG-approved compliance for exported products.
More than 350 skilled workers and 14+ R&D engineers support the two lines of work that matter to SUP brands: engineering (hull design, material selection, prototyping) and production (graphics application, assembly, inspection, export packing). An in-house R&D center with a PVC fabric lab and test tank handles custom molds and structure validation before mass production begins.
Afarer by the Numbers
How the Factory Works With Brands
Three principles that shape every project built by the Afarer factory.
Engineering Before Production
Every project starts with requirements, drawings and a physical sample — hull shape, drop-stitch grade, graphics placement and packaging are validated before any production run, not discovered on the line.
One Team, One Facility
Design, cutting, welding, assembly and testing happen in one 12,500 m² facility. No trading-company handoffs: the people who answer your questions are the people who build your boards.
Small First Runs
Small-batch co-branding starts at 5–10 units and standard volume production runs 90–100+ units per batch (one 150 m drop-stitch roll), so brands validate the market before scaling — with tooling and artwork retained for reorders.
What the Factory Delivers
The manufacturing services available to SUPsfactory clients.
Custom SUP Development
Requirement evaluation, specification, materials selection, graphics, prototyping, sample approval and production for custom inflatable SUP products.
Private Label Production
Your logo, colors and packaging on proven commercial-grade platforms — board, deck pad, accessories and cartons all carry your identity, with no factory branding.
OEM / ODM Manufacturing
Full OEM and ODM inflatable SUP manufacturing from client drawings or co-developed designs, including custom molds for new board shapes.
Fleet Supply
Branded board fleets for resorts, clubs, schools and rental operators, with matching accessories and fleet-friendly production runs.
Certification & Compliance
The factory ships to the EU, US and Asia-Pacific under a documented compliance system.
CE Certification
Inflatable SUP and watercraft product lines comply with EU safety directives, with documentation provided for each market.
ISO 9001 Quality System
Manufacturing facility operates under an ISO 9001 quality management system covering incoming material, in-process and final inspection.
BSCI Social Compliance
Social responsibility audited under BSCI, covering working conditions and factory compliance.
REACH Material Compliance
Materials comply with EU REACH regulation for chemical safety.
USCG Approval
US Coast Guard approved manufacturing for inflatable watercraft product lines.
Product Testing
Buoyancy, load capacity, seam strength, UV resistance, abrasion resistance and pressure-hold testing on every production line.
Build your SUP project with the Afarer factory
Send your requirements — board type, size, quantity and graphics — and receive a detailed quote within one business day.