ACACRefugee
Active Member
- Joined
- May 21, 2008
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If you outsource any product it's up to you to make sure it's up to your standards. Doesn't matter the location of the factory. Anybody that doesn't do this is gambling with thier own reputation.
It's nice to blame China but most of the real crap is being made at the request of western companies. They are asking for goods to hit a price point. Not caring how the price point is hit.
+1 Exactly
My employer has a factory in China that I visit, and essentially we get what we specify, no more, no less. We also maintain full time expat personnel on site to insure quality, and the locals are gladly willing to work meticulously to achieve that quality. There isn't anything intrinsically cultural or industrial that impairs quality. Quite the opposite.
On the other hand, if you don't care about quality, you can similarly spec and outsource garbage, and they will work their collective rears off to produce junk with similar dedication.
In the end, to paraphrase Nicola, it's RL's reputation that is at stake. Spec and produce bottom line Lauren clothing in China, fine, as there's a market for it. Do similarly for their higher end lines with identical made-in labels, you're risking your reputation by association. Do one or the other (e.g. iPhone), but not both.