First in - First serve in Small Business Startup Journal - The Journey To Starting My Own Brand of Travel Clothing and Handbags

So I forgot that the day before I made the decision I was going to go overseas to have my scarfs made, that I had posted on several small business and Australian fashion Facebook groups to put a callout for anyone who might know a manufacturer.

Because it had to be approved by an admin, it took about a week to be published, I have since had a few comments of encouragement or feedback but nothing really useful, except for one individual. She had stated that she has her own production label that makes here and overseas and would love to talk over DM.

I have since started chatting with her and she has stated that this is something she could possibly help with, I have told her about my issues with other manufacturers and said if she can at the very least produce a pattern for me, I can then take that overseas if she cannot produce. She has said this should be feasable and I am now waiting on my tech pack update from Meg. I am hoping to then send the tech pack next week and see how long it will take to at least get a pattern made.

I also rang Karen my (soon to be ex) manufacturer on Monday and stated that I would need a copy of my pattern and my sample I had left with her after the initial meeting to be returned so I could match the bamboo fabric order I was placing with the fabric samples I had.

She said sure no problem and that as it happened, she was going to go and visit the factory and garment maker on Tuesday (the next day) and would talk to her. She also said that the factory manager had let her know that she had some questions to ask about the sample so she could make the pattern.

She went on to say the same old speal about people getting sick and delays (which I am starting to believe less and less as it has been months not weeks) and thought to myself, why am I only being told now that the factory manager has questions they need to be answered?
Surely I could have been informed of this weeks ago or the questions could have been passed on to me?

She then asked if it was ok if she called me with the questions the manufacturer had about the product and I said sure, you can call or text me not a problem. So Tuesday came and went. No calls or text messages. Wednesday came, I decided to send a chace up message asking what the information was theat the facotry needed. Thursday was a public holiday for the Queens passing, so no expectation there. Friday came and went and I still had heard nothing.

I have now decided on a plan of action for this problem. Once I get the tech pack from Meg I will then send it through to this new contact (fingers crossed but not holding my breath after all the previous contacts and manufacturers I have been through) and get at the bare minimum a pattern. The pattern is the new goal. With a pattern I have options, with a pattern I can go to the international sourcing expo I am to go to in November in Melbourne and find an international manufacturer if need be.

Once I have the tech pack and the pattern, I will then respond back to Karen (who I doubt will have still responded with what I have paid for) and send her a preprinted Australia post label to send back my sample I left with her and formally request a refund.

I doubt I will get the refund, so I will have to decide if I go about getting the sample first before I ask for the refund.

I also should update that following up from my entry on the 19th of August about the gentelman who was in the middle of sellign his business who stated he would update me with a call for if he would close the business or sell, I never did hear back. No response via phone or email, so I can safely close that door.

I also had a call from the Made In Australia Expo about two - 3 weeks ago stating that the General Manager has made the decision to refund everybody has they do not want to hold the money for another financial year and they still have not finalised the August Sydney dates for 2023. This works so perfectly for me as I know will not lose any money for if my product is made overseas and I can’t exhibit or attending and only being able to showcase my bags that would be made in Australia when I want to show my whole collection. This was a big issue weighing on my mind and that kept me feeling trapped to being made in Australia with every piece in my collection- it’s funny how some things work out and some problems solve themselves. I wonder what I will think as I look back ten years from now and think of all the issues I had.

I have no idea if I will have my items made overseas or in Australia at this point, or even if I will have a single final finished sample from anyone this year. But all I know is I am at the point of accepting first in first served for when it comes to finding a manufacturer.

Last updated September 23, 2022