La De Dah Kids: The La De Dah Kids facts about manufacturing overseas

I have just returned home after 10 days in China. This trip was specifically to sample our new range for Christmas 2013. So whilst many people here in Australia where packing up there Christmas Trees - I was already working on the following years range. Whilst for many small businesses after Christmas is time to relax and recoup from the Christmas chaos, we have been busy designing and sampling our next range.

The reason for this is that our entire range is now made overseas - made in china to be exact. Please keep reading as I am hoping after reading this there may be an understanding why we do produce our range here.

We have had some negativity to our products being made in China - which really is disappointing as I am extremely proud of what we are creating both here in Australia and in China with our makers. I feel that there is a certain cheap stigma attached to made in China products. I can guarantee that our makers are paid in accordance to the award wage in China. I feel that being a small business and producing out of China some people thinks this gives them reason to judge our product and business in a negative light. A recent example was one lady asked if children in China factories make our goods and then continued in saying that she does not support made in China goods. I then asked her why she was carrying an I Phone that had been made in China - and the reply was no it is made in America. I then asked her to turn over her iPhone, which on the back of the phone it reads Designed by Apple in California - Assembled in China.

I understand people's concern and hopefully by telling our story it will dispel some of the negativity of being made in China. We hope this creates a deeper understanding and also some knowledge and peace of mind to how your crotchet creation has ended up in your house. I am not saying our business story is the same as everyone who produces in China - This is the La De Dah Kids journey in producing offshore.

After discovering that there is a huge demand for our crotchet goodies we made the choice to produce offshore - this then enabled us to enter in to the wholesale market - (Stocking shops). All our toys and beanies each and everyone is made by hand. Our timeline from concept to shop is around one year. I start the designing process using illustrator to draw up characters and then play with colour on screen to ensure the character is completed and the overall design works. These Items are sometimes made up into Calico to ensure that our flat 2D will transform into a successful 3D Character.

At this stage a pack is then put together and sent to China with myself to work with a team of 14 very talented ladies who help put together the ideas I have come up with. The Lady in Charge has been crocheting for many years and her knowledge and experience is amazing. Here in the sample room the designs are finalised with patterns and instructions that are written up in Chinese for the next step.

Once the patterns are all constructed the yarns are then dyed up to the colours we have come up with for the range. Once the yarns are returned from the dye house the Manager then divides the yarns up and it is then dispatched to up to 100 women who produce the toys in the comfort of their own home. This enables them to earn an income whilst working from home. Samples are then collected and brought back to the factory where they are popped in baskets and then inspected for loose yarns etc. They are then run through a metal detector and packaged up to send to us here in Australia.

spec sheets and samples

reusing and unravelling to change the construction of a design

sampling with Bamboo hooks

A pattern and instructions in Chinese

the sampling room

crochet heaven - look at all the beautiful yarns

Crochet heaven - look at all the beautiful yarns

Goods after they have been returned from makers house ready for inspection and packing

Inspection tables

Again hopefully the pictures can dispel some myths and also give some transparency to how we produce. All of the 14 people that work on our samples are mothers and grandmothers with exceptional experience. The work hours are from 8 am to 5:30 pm with a two-hour lunch break in between. The factories are well lit with comfortable seating and lighting as seen from the photos. The women that work here are all incredibly talented women and whom I feel incredibly proud to work with. Our designs are produced in small runs with long lead times due to the small amount of workers the factory have and the hours that they work - Production capacity is small.

I am happy to answer more questions the best way I can - but I hope you have enjoyed our production journey as much as we have. Our summer range (Christmas) is set to be our best yet stay tuned as I bring you some sneak peaks. - But for now our winter range Launches in 3 weeks and I cannot wait to share it.