A business entity that supplies textiles, apparel, leather, and/or footwear related goods or services to another party. A supplier may or may not produce goods themselves e.g. they may buy or procure a purchase or sale, as is the case with importers or licensees.

There is an exception on the ZDHC Gateway, where ‘’Suppliers’’ is a specifically defined user category with the following definition: “Supplier means a production unit where actual manufacturing processes and activities take place”.