"We used to believe that as long as our products are of good quality, there will be no worry in attracting foreign clients. However, with stricter importing rules set up by our target markets, our products cannot even enter the market without a certificate," he says.

Sun says most of the textile companies he knows do not think securing certification is important.

"To tell the truth, most of us do not fully know such third-party tests," he says.

Shentu points out that even though some companies are aware they should get certification for their products, they lack proper quality management of their supply chain.

"Quality control is not the matter of only one company, but also of companies on the supply chain. Most Chinese companies fail to notice this," he says.

Cathy Yan, vice-president of TUV Rheinland Co Greater China region, another foreign certification agency, echoes Shentu's sentiment.

"Compared with Japanese and Korean companies, Chinese companies are not paying enough attention to third-party tests and certification. They do audits more or less from the government's or the industry's requirements," she says.

Yan says although national awareness of certification is not on the same level as in developed countries, she is confident about the future.

"Companies' environmental consciousness is related to the country's industrialization level. The government is doing a great job by introducing policies. I believe Chinese companies will catch up with their Japanese and Korean counterparts after some time, especially when consumers demand green and safe products," she says, adding market demand will push companies to adopt higher standards.

Liu says the CAA, together with international certification organizations, is making efforts to educate Chinese companies about the importance of certification and third-party testing.

"To overcome trade barriers, the only way out is to provide products with higher quality and meet the standards set by the target markets," he says.

Wang Chao contributed to this story.

yanyiqi@chinadaily.com.cn