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RLBL-made in China?

MacDaddy

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I saw a Ralph Lauren Black Label Moto sweater today with the factory price tag marked at $750.It was 90% Merino,7% nylon and 3%spandex and looked like crap.It was BNWT and the tags didn't list a country of origin,but the label said Made in China.It's similar to this one currently on their website that's also listed for $750 but not quite as ugly. http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/i...entPage=family
I know quite a bit of PRL and some RLBL belts and small accessories are made in China,but a $750 sweater?Granted that's list price and they sell it for $400,but WTF?
 

Recoil

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There are some very expensive 1K+ sweaters for Polo made in China too. Blows my mind.
 

musicguy

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This has been known for a while. Many, if not all RLPL cashmere sweaters are made in China. Something about the weavers I think.
 

indesertum

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suits are still made by caruso right?

does made in china actually mean anything in terms of quality? what does it matter where it's made as long as quality control is the same?

i'd be more wary if they changed the fabrics or cut corners on construction
 

Superfluous

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Originally Posted by musicguy
This has been known for a while. Many, if not all RLPL cashmere sweaters are made in China. Something about the weavers I think.

my cashmere rlpl sweater is made in italy.....
 

robin

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There is some great cashmere knitwear coming out of China now, on par with many European companies.
 

musicguy

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Yeah, it's the cashmere knitwear I think. China does the hand knitting.
 

MacDaddy

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Originally Posted by LVoer
There are some very expensive 1K+ sweaters for Polo made in China too. Blows my mind.
+1 For that price I would expect AvonCelli,Loro Piana,Cucinelli,Attolini,etc or at least Ballantyne or John Smedley.

Originally Posted by musicguy
This has been known for a while. Many, if not all RLPL cashmere sweaters are made in China. Something about the weavers I think.
Just checked the website,all RLPL sweaters including cashmere are made in Italy.

Originally Posted by Tony Romo
my cashmere rlpl sweater is made in italy.....
Yes it appears they all are.

Originally Posted by robin
There is some great cashmere knitwear coming out of China now, on par with many European companies.
I can see some logic with the cashmere,seeing as it comes from Mongolia and even some parts of China.However,the sweater I saw today was Merino,which means the top stuff would come from Australia,or at least Spain or Saxony.

Originally Posted by musicguy
Yeah, it's the cashmere knitwear I think. China does the hand knitting.
All of the RLBL sweaters(including cashmere)just say "imported",but all of RLPL(including cashmere)are made in Italy,at least for now.
 

cchen

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I'm tired of all this outcry over "Made in China."

For large volume orders, the grade A factories in China are as good, or BETTER than factories in Europe.

"Made in" no longer has any real meaning. The RLPL sweater probably was designed in the USA, tag sourced in South Korea, cashmere sourced and woven in China, and materials sent to Italy for final assembly.
 

MoxJr

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Originally Posted by indesertum

what does it matter where it's made as long as quality control is the same?


/thread
 

SuitMyself

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In the January 2011 issue of GQ, I saw a Burberry Brit sweater made in China selling for $750.
 

MacDaddy

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Originally Posted by cchen
I'm tired of all this outcry over "Made in China."



"Made in" no longer has any real meaning. The RLPL sweater probably was designed in the USA, tag sourced in South Korea, cashmere sourced and WOVEN in China, and materials sent to Italy for final assembly.

My guess would be:cashmere sourced from Mongolia,yarn made in Italy,sweater knit(not woven)in Italy.As far as made in China products overall,I never know who actually made it.Can you list some names of top tier Chinese clothing manufacturers?Generally speaking,if a label says Barbera,Belvest,or St. Andrews I can be reasonably assured of at least a certain level of quality and know that they've been around for a long time with the quality being consistent.Even if I knew the name of a very good Chinese company,which I don't,I would still have no idea of how long they've been making something and at what consistency.Add to this the fact that if you go into J.Crew or Banana Republic literally everything is made In China,and it's all crap with the actual maker never listed.In my mind it just all gets lumped together and filed under "generic Chinese crap".If TJ Maxx/Marshalls can sell Chinese shirts for $10 and make a profit then what does that tell you about the quality of the fabric?Most decent mills,regardless of country of origin,don't even sell their cheapest fabric for that little.Maybe if some decent Chinese companies did some advertising and shipped a good product to establish some brand recognition then consumers would have more faith in purchasing their products.
 

matt22616

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The value of their labor is rising. I know this is distressing to many of the Caucasian Persuasion, but it's the truth. I don't like it any more than the next red-blooded, cashmere sweater-wearing, white American male, but them's the numbers kiddos.

Maybe if hippies and liberals didn't run the country we might have a chance to put them in their place, before they steal our jobs. At least they're not capable of ****** our women.
 

deveandepot1

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Originally Posted by Tony Romo
my cashmere rlpl sweater is made in italy.....

I have seen RLPL polos, sweaters, pants, scarves,... that are made in China.
Look at the RLPL items on polo.com . The items made in Italy, England, or the USA are so marked. Those made in China or any other country are marked "Imported".

We should try to judge an item based on its quality, not where the product was made.
 

MacDaddy

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Originally Posted by deveandepot1
I have seen RLPL polos, sweaters, pants, scarves,... that are made in China. Look at the RLPL items on polo.com . The items made in Italy, England, or the USA are so marked. Those made in China or any other country are marked "Imported". We should try to judge an item based on its quality, not where the product was made.
Where did you see Purple label sweaters made in China?I only see 5 on the website,and they're all made in Italy.I agree an item should be evaluated based on quality,and not country of origin.Generally speaking,it's quality is primarily dependent on who actually made it and the materials and skill level of labor,not which label it carries or where it was made.Historically speaking,the quality makers have been concentrated in particular areas,hence the association between point of manufacture and quality.
 

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