12 Nov '14
Once you’ve decided to outsource the production of your shoe, handbag or fashion accessory line to China you have to choose a factory to produce your products. This can be a difficult and time consuming task that ends up costing you a lot of money between travel, lodging and paying for translators!
Having worked in the footwear manufacturing industry in China for over a decade, at EDS we can recommend three major ways to finding a production partner.
How to Find a Footwear Manufacturer in China:
- Attend Trade Shows: at trade shows you will meet hundreds of companies all vying for your business. Representatives from each factory will bring their very best samples to entice you to work with their company. Unfortunately, this process doesn’t allow you to tour their facilities, speak to their existing customers or see real products being made in real time. Anyone can make one pretty sample, but it takes an experienced and high-quality facility to produce the best products at scale.
- Use an Online Directory: Online directories are available with the contact information for thousands of shoe suppliers in China. Selecting the top factories from a database is no easy task and will require you to select several companies that you’ll need to travel out to meet and see in person. If you find that none of these factories meet your standards (which is often the case in a country where regulation is loose) you will have wasted significant time and money.
- Locate a Reputable Company: Find a reputable company that has worked with major brands that you know and recognize. For example, here at EDS we work with ALDO, Nine West and Topshop among many others to deliver shoes on time, on budget and on trend.
That all sounds good, right? But you almost certainly still have questions about working with a company like EDS. Here are the most common questions we’re asked.
FAQs About Shoe Buying From China:
- What is the product selection process like? You can select from existing styles or from newly developed or non-adapted styles.
- Will my shoe styles be on trend? Absolutely. The design and development teams at EDS frequently travel to the world’s most prominent fashion centers including Milan, Paris and New York. They also attend the most important trade shows such as MAGIC, GDS, Garda, FFANY and more. As a result we’re always prepared for the upcoming season.
- How do I know there will be no fitting issues? EDS has a quality assurance team that takes the guesswork out of the entire production process and guarantees that fitting will be to industry specifications or your own request.
- Will the quality of the final product be high enough to sell in the US/UK and other countries? Of course! We’ve developed shoes for brands like ALDO, Nine West and Topshop just to name a few. Our team only uses the best designs and materials and ensures colors and textures are on trend. Additionally, every product, including packaging, complies with all pre-approved specifications and follows the strictest standards of quality.
- How can I be assured delivery will happen on time and on budget? At EDS we always deliver a final product at your target price. Through our streamlined sourcing process, retail buyers all over the world can assemble their entire shoe collections for the upcoming season in under a week from our Guangzhou, Hong Kong or Miami offices.
No other ladies footwear supplier in China can offer the level of service that EDS can. At EDS we tailor our service to your needs.
Contact EDS Holdings Limited today for more information!
