In Defence of Made in China Lingerie

Note: This article was updated on 4th November .

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Obviously, I love independent designer lingerie. I make it, I sell it, I blog about it and I most definitely buy it. However, when it comes to mass produced vs. indie lingerie, I don&#;t think you have to choose a side. Lingerie that&#;s made in China has a pretty bad rep but whilst some of it definitely deserves that, it doesn&#;t all. Here&#;s why I&#;m defending (some) Chinese-made lingerie&#;

Myth #1 &#; Lingerie that&#;s made in China is of poor quality

This is by far the biggest reason that many people avoid buying lingerie that&#;s been made in China. I&#;ve seen terrible-quality lingerie from China, but I&#;ve also seen poor-quality lingerie made right here in the UK.

Many luxury lingerie brands such as Mimi Holliday and Agent Provocateur outsource production to China, and I own many excellent-quality sets (here&#;s an example) that were made in China.

Lingerie production often requires expensive, specialised machinery &#; such as those that make molded cups &#; and that technology is hard to find in the UK or even the US. China on the other hand has plenty of factories with this equipment, and a workforce skilled in using it.

Myth #2 &#; Garment factory workers work almost for free

This is another big one, and even if the garments are gorgeous many people still prefer to shop elsewhere from a brand that pays its workers a fair wage. Now, I&#;m not defending Chinese wages here which are well known for being low, but they might not be as terrible as you think.

A significant number of lingerie factories (mainly those producing low-quality lingerie) are located in the Guangzhou disctrict where the minimum wage is 18.3 CNY per hour (approximately £2.17). Considering that the minimum wage in the UK is currently £7.20 per hour for workers aged 25 and over, at a first glance it&#;s hard to work out how someone could survive with Chinese earnings.

Wages, however, are only relevant to the cost of living, which is considerably lower in many parts of China than in the UK. In fact, China itself is aware of the relationship between wages and cost of living, which is why they have a different minimum wage in different regions. To put things into perspective, a one-bed apartment outside of the city centre in Guangzhou costs around £250 in rent each month according to this site, which is far below what you&#;d pay anywhere in the UK.

Also, let&#;s not assume that all Chinese lingerie factory workers are on the absolute minimum wage. Lingerie production is skilled work.

Myth #3 &#; The lingerie is all counterfeit goods

Yes, a lot of counterfeit goods come out of China, no doubt due to their lack of copyright laws. eBay and Amazon are full of Chinese copies of European or US lingerie brands, often sold using images of the original product when the actual item you&#;ll receive is a poor-quality copy.

However, not everything that comes out of China is a copy! If you buy from a well-known brand that&#;s made in China you can be sure you&#;re getting an original (and possibly even high-quality, depending on the brand) piece. If you&#;re buying on an auction site like eBay, be wary of too-good-to-be-true prices and avoid &#;unbranded&#; items.

Myth #4 &#; Lingerie made in China should be cheap

Some people don&#;t have a problem with a label that says &#;made in China&#;, but do have a problem with Chinese-made lingerie that isn&#;t extremely cheap. Thanks to all the Chinese lingerie being sold at very tiny prices, combined with the common knowledge that production costs are much lower in China than the UK, there seems to be a perception that anything made in China should be cheap.

Lingerie brands that outsource to China are saving money &#; otherwise they wouldn&#;t be doing it &#; but don&#;t forget that they then have to pay transport and customs fees. And, like any other brand, spend money on marketing and other overheads. Labour is only one portion of what it costs to produce and sell a garment. If it costs £5 to make, that doesn&#;t necessarily mean it can be sold for £10 and make a profit.

Believing made-in-China lingerie should be cheap is also assuming it&#;s low quality and as I&#;ve already explained, that&#;s simply not always true. My Mimi Holliday set that&#;s made in China is crafted from silk and a beautiful eyelash lace, certainly not low-cost fabrics!

Myth #5 &#; Handmade lingerie is better

Last but not least, is handmade lingerie really all that better than what&#;s made in a factory? This might sound weird coming from someone who sells handmade lingerie, but I use the terminology &#;handmade&#; because it&#;s what customers know. They associate the word with &#;artisan&#;, but in the end all lingerie is handmade. Do Chinese factories employ robots, or press a button on a machine that starts pumping out lingerie? No. The lingerie is made by seamstresses &#; yes, with their hands.

The quality of any lingerie depends very much on four things &#; the fabrics, the design pattern, the quality of the equipment, and the skill of the person making it. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Chinese lingerie factories have both the right equipment and a workforce that&#;s experienced in using it. They&#;re well-equipped to make fabulous-quality lingerie if they want to!

So, those are my arguments. What do you think of made-in-China lingerie? I&#;d love to hear your opinions!

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Underwear is a piece of clothing that all women wear every day. And nearly all races and skinned people in the world wear it. Women cannot live without it even one day and its comfort can affect their daily activities to some extent. There must be many beautiful underwear of different styles in every woman&#;s wardrobe. So, do you know where the majority of underwear purchases are from? Yes, China. If you are considering underwear procurement plans recently, there is something I think you should know about China underwear suppliers.

How to Choose the Right Underwear Supplier

Quality Matters

Quality is paramount in the lingerie industry. Your customers expect not only comfort but also durability and style. Therefore, the first thing you should look for in a wholesale lingerie supplier is the quality of their products. Check for materials, stitching, and overall craftsmanship. Ensure that they are comfortable, durable, and designed to last through multiple wears and washes.

Variety and Styles

Lingerie is a diverse category, and offering a wide range of styles and sizes can help you attract a broader customer base. Look for a supplier that provides a wide range of sizes to suit different body types. Accurate sizing is crucial to customer satisfaction and helps prevent returns. Also, look for a supplier that provides a comprehensive selection of lingerie styles, from push-up bras to wireless options and from thongs to boy shorts; from everyday basics to sexy, unique occasion pieces. Various colors, materials, and designs can cater to different customer preferences.

Besides, you could provide seamless Options. Seamless bras and panties are great choices for customers seeking a smooth, invisible look under their clothing. They&#;re especially popular for form-fitting outfits.

Pricing and Minimum Orders

Budgeting is a crucial aspect of any business. While quality should be a top priority, you must also consider your profit margins. Compare the pricing of different wholesale lingerie suppliers and analyze how it aligns with your pricing strategy. Additionally, inquire about their minimum order requirements. Some suppliers may have high minimums, which can challenge smaller businesses.

Reliability and Shipping

Timely deliveries are essential in the retail business. Your wholesale lingerie supplier should have a reliable track record for on-time shipments. Delays can lead to unhappy customers and lost sales. Inquire about their shipping methods and policies to ensure they meet your business&#;s needs.

Sustainable Practices

If you want to learn more, please visit our website China Lingerie Factory.

In today&#;s eco-conscious world, many customers seek products that align with their values. Consider partnering with a wholesale lingerie supplier that embraces sustainable and ethical practices. This can be a selling point for your brand and help you attract environmentally conscious consumers.

Distribution of China&#;s Underwear Market

Shantou, Guangdong

Shantou is the market with the largest scale, the most complete industrial chain, and the most complete variety of underwear. This is the region with the largest production of underwear in China, with Gurao, a famous underwear town in China, Chendian, a famous knitting underwear town in China, Xiashan, a famous home clothing town in China, and Liangying, a famous knitting town in China. Even Lugang Town, Simapu Town, Heping, Tongyu, and Guiyu are all very powerful. This can be said to be the capital of underwear in China. The advantages of Shantou underwear are low price, flexible marketing, and a complete industrial chain. At present, the number of underwear enterprises is said to exceed .

This is also the place with the most complete range of underwear in China. Gurao&#;s bra, Chendian&#;s bra, Simapu&#;s pajamas, Xiashan&#;s home clothes, swollen and warm underwear, and even Narita&#;s socks have a clear and complete division of labor. At the same time, Shantou is also the most complete underwear production area in the industry chain. Integrating printing and dyeing, weaving, lace, shoulder straps, sponge, and other industries all combine into a complete industrial chain in there. People also describe it as simply bringing cotton and you can produce underwear.

Shenzhen, Guangdong

The region that was first processed as a world-famous brand is the birthplace of many major brands. Shenzhen is adjacent to Hong Kong and is the earliest place in the world to seek the processing and labeling of underwear. There are 3 super large underwear enterprises with over employees, and there are over 100 large-scale underwear enterprises. Shenzhen underwear is mostly exported and is the best window for exporting underwear.

Evaluation: Due to the increase in land prices and talent costs, Shenzhen&#;s underwear competitiveness has been damaged, and some foreign orders have been transferred to Shantou and Jinjiang. The unique attraction of Shenzhen will still attract brands to settle down. However, the increase in costs will determine that Shenzhen underwear can only take the high-end route, and the mid to low-end market will further decrease. The good days of processing will gradually become a thing of the past.

Jinjiang, Fujian

Jinjiang, Fujian is wholeheartedly engaged in export sales. Shenhu Town in Jinjiang is one of the earliest &#;Chinese underwear towns&#; in China, with over 90% of underwear exported. There are more than 200 lingerie production enterprises in Shenzhen and Shanghai town, with nearly employees and a considerable scale. The export products here mainly focus on underwear and swimwear.

Evaluation: The region lacks integration with the modern lingerie market, is relatively closed, still has a strong OEM processing color, and lacks self-brand awareness. Many rely on orders from the China Import and Export Fair. The rise and fall of this region are closely related to the international underwear market.

Yiwu, Zhejiang

Yiwu, Zhejiang is the largest market for seamless underwear that has emerged from a new era and has come from behind. Although it is a rising star in the lingerie industry, it has dominated the trend, which is Yiwu. The name &#;China Seamless Knitted Apparel City&#; is a business card specially tailored for Yiwu. The technological advantages of seamless underwear, along with its excellent beauty effects, demonstrate a very promising development prospect. At present, there are more than 600 seamless underwear production enterprises in Yiwu, including more than 120 enterprises with standard molds, and 22 with annual sales exceeding ten million yuan. It is worth mentioning that, driven by Yiwu, the surrounding Dongyang underwear has developed very well. Xu Ning, Secretary General of the Seamless Weaving Industry Association in Yiwu City, is actually the agent of Italian seamless equipment Saint Germain in China. While selling their equipment, they also brought a large amount of clothing technology design information from Europe and America, making the seamless enterprise in Yiwu a very high starting point. Driven by the three carriages of open thinking, abundant funds, and advanced technology, there is reason to believe that Yiwu seamless underwear will shine brightly after a period of accumulation.

Shandong

For Japanese and Korean export sales, emerging single OEM processing sectors. Shandong&#;s underwear enterprises are mainly concentrated in Qingdao and Jinan. According to official statistics, among the more than 300 knitting enterprises in the province, 80 have an annual output of over 3 million pieces, 16 have an annual output of over 10 million pieces, and 7 have an annual output of over 20 million pieces. Shandong&#;s annual production of knitting reaches 10 billion pieces, with over 70% exported overseas. According to a survey, 49 out of every 10 Japanese citizens wear knitted underwear produced in Shandong. Shandong has a large scale of knitting, a large number of enterprises, a strong variety of development capabilities, and excellent product quality standards. Shandong was originally a major textile province, but after the reform and opening up, the vast majority of state-owned underwear enterprises were eliminated due to their inability to adapt to competition. Only a few enterprises have survived through restructuring, adjusting production layouts, changing business direction, and transforming management models. Shandong&#;s underwear enterprises mainly focus on exports, supplemented by domestic sales, and are basically OEM production with relatively low profits, which is at a lower level in the international underwear division of labor. Shandong underwear, which has been successfully exported, will continue to maintain good development momentum and become an independent century-old brand. To pursue higher profits, it will take time to build its own brand culture and explore its design capabilities.

Types of Underwear

Panties

Thong

Brazilian

Bikini

Hipster

Brief 

Lingerie

Basic

Bralette

Front Closure

Plus Size

Push Up

In the end, if you want to order underwear from China. You may choose Union Source. Union Source Co., Ltd. was established in and is one of the largest daily necessities suppliers in Ningbo, China. As a professional team, they are committed to becoming an industry expert who provides the best quality service and efficient solutions. It cooperated with more than 10 thousand factories and Turns nearly 100 million dollars every year.

Also, Union Source as your best sourcing agent and strategic partner in China, will help you with product design, factory selection, production management, product repack, QC, and global logistics.

Whether you are physical store owners, e-commerce sellers (sellers on Amazon/ eBay/ Shopify/WooCommerce, etc), or wholesalers, retailers, etc, we all welcome you!

Lastly, show you some of the concepts we devote to customer relationships below.

&#; We believe that customer-centricity is both a strategy and a tactic.
&#; Beyond customer satisfaction, the loyalty of them is the ultimate goal of our service.
&#; We agree that customer resource is the most important one in the foreign trade supply chain.
&#; Serving customers is our first orientation, and the success of customers will inevitably lead us to success.
&#; We integrate customers&#; demands into business processes to achieve seamless service.
&#; We always pursue the ultimate service and strive to achieve value beyond customer expectations.
&#; We agree with long-term relationships and pay attention to the professional value and time value of working with customers.
&#; We serve different customers with the same standards, and they are all important partners.
&#; Our value lies in helping customers to improve efficiency and market competitiveness.
&#; Based on integrity, we strive to build a good supply chain ecosystem with customers.

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