Due to Chinese New Year the factories closed 1/20 and won't re-open till 2/2. One of the counter samples did arrive Thursday. It's the Tigger style which was actually one of the easiest to reproduce and considering I supplied all the materials as well, it only took the factory a week to make. It's pictured to the right of the prototype and although the technique is great, the sizing is way off. I can't even try it on Lacy which was the point of giving specs in a size medium. Another disappointment is that they didn't follow my instructions to make the collar removable which it needs to be. This vendor seems a bit lax and I don't have as much confidence in them as I have in the other trading company, which I've had an ongoing connection to since September.
Vera is great. Always answering my questions right away and very professional. At first, her response to the two prototypes I sent was that the factory will have a hard time sourcing the materials and so they might need to substitute similar ones. I told her that I was open to options as long as they maintained the aesthetic of the proto. In her message today, she actually went the extra mile to search and locate the exact materials needed to reproduce the prototype and has assured me that the technique, materials and colors will match.
Of course, the dyers are off until Feb.10th so I won't get the counter samples until probably the last week of February. I'm anxious to see these two styles because they're so complex, however, once it's determined that they can be produced and at the right price point, I can move forward with the website. And THAT will be challenge #2. More on that later.
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