sunsafekids

New Member
Jun 14, 2016
3
0
1
Hi there

This is my first post to the forum. I started a kids clothes range selling in Australia about a year ago with production in Bali. I was found a factory by an agent on my first visit to Bali. It's been a tough year - to say its been slow going getting a small amount of products produced would be an understatement. I understand Bali is not the ideal place to do business in garment manufacture but Bali is the only location I easily reach from my Australian town which has one international destination - Bali! I have family commitments that prevent me going away from home for long so Bali was picked purely for the convenience of access for me as I can go for literally 2 days and fly home.

But my main concerns (along with dealing with problem after problem with factory in terms of quality, timeliness, following instructions) is finding material on the island. Importing it would be much easier but I don't know the rules surrounding this from somewhere like China. I sent a small parcel of samples to my tailor this year to the value of about $100, courier was $100 and then about $80 when it got stopped and duty applied in customs! How do I avoid these customs charges as this parcel was tiny and if I posted commercial levels of fabric it could bankrupt me with import taxes.

Secondly it is clear my tailor has no idea how to produce swimwear. For my kids bathing suits he only can source white or black zips. I need a tailor who specialise in swimwear but as this is a very small part of my business i have small MOQs. Any ideas?

Many thanks

Alli
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,315
1,109
113
Karangasem, Bali
Dear Alli,

I along with everyone here on the forum wishes you the success that you wish for yourself.

But! No one in his right mind would choose to import cars from Butf**** Nebraska because it's closer to their home than Detroit Indiana is.

The agents in Butt**** Nebraska, being no different from agents everywhere, will nevertheless work closely with anyone that wants a Butt**** Nebraska car..... until their money runs out.

Clearly it's cruel to tell you my version of "the truth" but I feel it's even crueler not to.

I hope I am wrong and that you and your line of kids swimsuits conquer the world and we read about them along with Nike and Adidas. I hope others here on the forum can offer you solutions to your problems that I don't see.

Good luck.
 

sunsafekids

New Member
Jun 14, 2016
3
0
1
Markit you obviously spent a fair bit of time penning that reply, its a shame you didn't use your energy to reply with answering the actual question rather than commenting on my choice of location to manufacture my goods. Perhaps you are unaware (as you may be on many subjects but feel that you are no doubt an expert) that start up labels are able to be produced in Bali easily because of the availability of small volume factories. If my swimwear ever conquers the world I doubt it will still be being produced in a small Balinese factory. However when you want someone to make you a total order of 40 pieces across all sizes because you just started up and can't order 500 of each size without selling your house then its a pretty good option. If you have a job and 3 kids your options as a small start up business are limited to where you can actually do business. I would love to be able to swan off to China or wherever for a couple weeks every few months and put in orders for 500 pieces but thats not part of my reality. My reasoning for production in Bali has been unnecessarily explained - I didn't ask for your opinion on it but I asked for advice from those who don't feel some form of self righteous indignation that they must berate others motivations when that motivation is the only possible path available. Now Markit I asked a couple questions, I hope others on here do not feel the same necessity as you as to sit on their high horse and comment on elements of my post that I did not ask to be commented on. If you can't help with my question then go troll somewhere else please. I am sick of the internet where people feel their anonymity allows them to say what ever they wish. Just keep it nice and keep it to he point as no one needs to know how clever you are, but how helpful you could actually be.
 
Last edited:

davita

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
4,441
146
63
Sunsafe...welcome to this forum.
There is a small swimwear manufacturer not far from where I live. They advertise on boards, have a window with models and the swimwear looks fashionable.
It's on Jl. Kerobokan on the corner with Jl. Semer.
I will attempt to get the details (name, address, contact etc) later today so don't hang-up on the forum just yet.
 

DenpasarHouse

Active Member
Aug 13, 2013
526
27
28
Hi sunsafekids, here's what you get when you search this forum for the term "swimwear". I don't have time to go through the results, but maybe there's some useful information buried within the various threads.

https://balipod.com/forum/

Hope that helps.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,315
1,109
113
Karangasem, Bali
You appear to be replying to a post I didn't make and your last line confirms this "I am sick of the internet where people feel their anonymity allows them to say what ever they wish". As you yourself just proved.

I have no interest in a pissing contest or any other for that matter - you asked a question and my advise was basically "hopeless" for the given reasons. Accept or reject it at your peril as I've seen many similar victims come and go here and I hope you have deep pockets for your "agent's" sake.

Good luck
 

davita

Well-Known Member
Mar 13, 2012
4,441
146
63
I have the business card as follows...

Owner: Steve Martin
e.steve.martin@kingtrading.com
skype.steve.martin 1
King Trading
Cell: +62 816 571 859
Office: +62 361 731 726.

I don't know any more but my wife wants to take a look and I'll report anything of interest. It is an unpretentious building (low rent) and I'm surprised it houses such an enterprise.
They have a showcase on the street at the traffic lights.....so it's interesting to watch the bikini mannequins whilst waiting for the green light.

It's an easy place to find as it's across the street from the aeroplane on the roof in Jl. Kerobokan...which has become a landmark and easily spotted from afar.

BTW...is it just me or does post #2 look like a response to post #1
 
Last edited by a moderator:

sunsafekids

New Member
Jun 14, 2016
3
0
1
Thank you Davita for the info - if your wife finds anything out that would be great.

Markit - I definitely replied to a post you did make - you even replied to by my name so pretty confident it was aimed at me. My point is that I asked a couple questions and you could have just answered them or moved along instead of all the "no one in his right mind" comments. I have a **** of a year trying to get these clothes made, I have absolutely NO other options and so helpful comments would have 'helped'. Plenty of people have perfectly good experiences manufacturing in Bali but you are obviously pretty down on the place. For me it is Bali or nowhere, I think I made that clear. You ask for help and you get two types of people - those who want to put in their 10c worth about how you're doing it ALL wrong or others like Davita who say 'ok lets see if we can offer some advice'. I will just stick to replies from the latter please as I am seriously over the former in all aspects of the internet. Surely you'd not like to be told your out of you mind (insinuation at least) by some complete stranger when you quite politely have asked for help from an online community. Just because you have seen some bad stuff go down it doesn't mean it has to be all bad for everyone.
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,315
1,109
113
Karangasem, Bali
My purpose in posting the way I do is not to insult or alienate but simply to put the truth "as I see it" no more, no less. We've all seen endless cycles of people coming to Bali with "wonderful" ideas on how to make a grand living here and a success of life as an expat then go trooping back home experience richer and money poorer. From what you post you are a perfect example of this and hence my tone.

Reading between the lines: You had a grand idea (as many before you have (search google and here) found yourself a helpful local agent that would smooth the edges and facilitate your endeavors but largely fills his/her own bank account.

People here will give you addresses all day long of factories and others that have done the deed you are attempting but in all honesty if after a year of trying you are still trying to get zips from/to China you missed the boat and someone should be brave enough to say that. I did.

Clearly the truth is not something you aspire to.

Good luck. I'm done here.
 

geedee

Member
Feb 1, 2014
686
1
16
Sydney
Hi there

This is my first post to the forum. I started a kids clothes range selling in Australia about a year ago with production in Bali. I was found a factory by an agent on my first visit to Bali. It's been a tough year - to say its been slow going getting a small amount of products produced would be an understatement. I understand Bali is not the ideal place to do business in garment manufacture but Bali is the only location I easily reach from my Australian town which has one international destination - Bali! I have family commitments that prevent me going away from home for long so Bali was picked purely for the convenience of access for me as I can go for literally 2 days and fly home.

But my main concerns (along with dealing with problem after problem with factory in terms of quality, timeliness, following instructions) is finding material on the island. Importing it would be much easier but I don't know the rules surrounding this from somewhere like China. I sent a small parcel of samples to my tailor this year to the value of about $100, courier was $100 and then about $80 when it got stopped and duty applied in customs! How do I avoid these customs charges as this parcel was tiny and if I posted commercial levels of fabric it could bankrupt me with import taxes.

Secondly it is clear my tailor has no idea how to produce swimwear. For my kids bathing suits he only can source white or black zips. I need a tailor who specialise in swimwear but as this is a very small part of my business i have small MOQs. Any ideas?

Many thanks

Alli

Have you thought of sourcing your fabric etc from Bandung its only and hour and half from Bali less than $100 return
This is the place for fabrics etc in Indonesia, maybe worth googling fabric manufactures or wholesalers and taking a quick trip to source materials for the future or perhaps manufacture.
There are a lot of large factories there however i don't know about the small scale manufacturing.