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Monday, November 17, 2008

Leather Fashion Accessories

Essential Extras
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Goldwise Leatherware (Mfg) Co Ltd's attractive selection of leather belts and bracelets includes models studded with turquoise
They may not steal the limelight in the same high-profile fashion as shoes or bags, but stylish leather fashion accessories are extremely important to those with an eye for detail.

As always, Hong Kong manufacturers are ready, willing and able to meet the fashion world's insatiable demand for high-quality products at extremely competitive prices.

One such company, Goldwise Leatherware (Mfg) Co Ltd, specialises in belts, producing about 150,000 items per month at its 30,000-square-foot factory in Zhuhai in Guangdong Province on the Chinese mainland.

Founded in 1992, Goldwise employs 200 workers who fulfil orders for major customers across Europe and in Israel and Australia.

"We are seeing a demand for trendy designs in top quality materials," says overseas division clerk Melanie Leung. "We're ready to meet the needs of our customers by providing them with the designs and by ensuring we have a high standard of quality control."

Goldwise produces men's, ladies' and children's belts from full-grain leather, PU and fabric, mostly sourced from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. The belt buckles are also sourced from the mainland, but can be made to customers' own designs to include items such as brass studs or Swarovski crystals.

FOB Hong Kong prices range from US$2-3 for PU and fabric belts, depending on quality and style, and US$4-6 for leather belts; with a minimum order of 1,000 pieces per style, per colour. Orders are delivered 35-45 days after order confirmation.

Another company specialising in belts is two-year-old About Us (HK) Ltd, which has secured strong markets in Europe and the US and is consolidating an emerging market in the Middle East.

"Our US customers look for quality and price, while our European customers focus on quality and style," notes director K K Ma. "We are getting more requests for trendy, fashionable styles, but our classic, top-quality leather belts continue to be our best sellers."

About Us uses PVC and various grades of leather from top-grain to bonded and split-leather from Italy, Hong Kong and the mainland to produce about 10,000-20,000 items per month at its two mainland factories.

The 30,000-square-foot factory in Guangzhou employs 300 workers, while a 10,000-square-foot factory in Boluo, Dongguan, retains 200 staff.

The company's FOB Hong Kong prices range from US$2-6, depending on material and design, for minimum orders of 1,000 items delivered 4-6 weeks after order confirmation.

Uni Industrial Ltd also employs leather of various grades in products such as wallets, gift items, handbags and cosmetic bags, but has also recently used deerskin from Italy to meet the demands of its Japanese customers.

"We are a very market-oriented company and we move with customers' needs, producing exactly what they require," claims sales manager Tina Kong. "Our leather comes mostly from Italy and the mainland and our cowhide from the US, but is processed on the mainland."

Uni has a large number of customers requiring premium goods, which means about 70% of its leather items are produced from recycled leather. "Recycled leather is perfect for such things as key fobs and cosmetic bags because the quality is good but the cost is lower," Kong explains.

The three-year-old firm produces about 100,000 pieces of small leather goods and 40,000 handbags a month at its 300-worker factory in Huizhou, Guangdong Province.

Bearing brand names such as Stefano Orso, Pinky, Benz and Lotto, they are available in minimum order quantities of 1,000 pieces for small items such as key chains and small premium gifts, and 300 pieces per style, per colour, for products such as wallets.

FOB Hong Kong prices range from US$3.50-9.00 for small leather items and US$1-7 using recycled leather. Delivery time is 30-60 days after artwork has been approved and order has been confirmed.

Small leather items such as wallets, money clips, photo frames and document cases are also a specialty of Lico Leather Goods Mfg Co Ltd. "We also produce a range of manicure cases, which are extremely popular in Europe," assistant sales manager Vicky Tang confides.

The 18-year-old company uses a full range of quality leathers to meet customers' needs. "Customers usually require top-grain or full-grain leather for executive desk pads, for example, while bonded or split leather is used for premium and gift items," Tang explains. "Recently we have seen a trend away from such materials as microfibre and PVC and back to leather."

The company's 22,000-square-foot, 400-worker factory in Dongguan produces up to 100,000 items a month for Lico's major markets in the US, Europe and the Middle East.

FOB Hong Kong unit prices range from US$0.50 for the smallest items in PU to US$14 for larger items in top quality leather for minimum orders of 1,000 pieces per model, per colour.

However, Tang points out that this is negotiable depending on stock. "We aim to be as flexible as possible," she says, adding that orders are usually delivered 45-60 days after confirmation.

Once again, Hong Kong leather goods manufacturers are proving their unique ability to deliver top quality, stylish products at

Ladies' Leather Bags

Status Symbols

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Hunters Leatherwares Ltd designs and manufactures these classic Fion-brand ladies' leather shoulder bags
Leather bags are a status symbol for fashion-conscious women who enjoy flaunting the labels of costly international brands. Increasingly, however, their bags carry the logos of Hong Kong manufacturers who honed their craft producing quality goods for illustrious designers like Pierre Cardin, Ralph Lauren and Enrico Coveri but are now developing their own distinct identities.

"Our factory on the Chinese mainland makes handbags for the UK fashion house Next as well as our own labels Per Gibo and Icom, which have become internationally known," claims Faithwise Leatherwares Ltd marketing executive Bruce Tang.

He explains that Faithwise has been manufacturing handbags, wallets, cosmetic bags and lipstick cases since 1986 and boasts a strategic design department that works on customers' ideas and designs as well as producing original concepts.

This extensive experience gives Faithwise a unique vantage point from which to observe fashion industry developments. "The trend in handbags for 2006 is for shiny leather, pale colours like sky blue and cream and metal trimmings," Tang predicts. "Handbags will also be smaller and neater with simple lines."

Faithwise uses materials such as leather, PVC, nylon and cotton sourced in Korea, Thailand, the US and the mainland in its ladies' leather bags, which are sold mainly in Asia and Europe.

"Our factory in Zhongshan on the mainland has four floors and more than 300 skilled workers," Tang explains, adding that a minimum order is 500 pieces in any one colour and style delivered within 45-60 days of order confirmation depending on the design. "Our FOB Hong Kong prices are very competitive, ranging from US$11-40 per bag," Tang adds.

Similarly committed to quality ladies' leather bags at a reasonable price is Clifford (HK) Co, which has been in business since 1995. "Our target is to create affordable, lovely and modern lifestyle products for customers who appreciate good design," explains manager Andy Lum.

Made mainly of Italian full-grain cowhide, Clifford's bags bear the company's own Bogg, Ro Ba and Flame brands and are exported to department stores in Europe, the US and Japan.

"The trend for 2006 is simple lines, and single-tone handbags with little trimming," Lum believes. "There will be a wide colour range, but black and brown will still be the classic colours, especially for winter."

Clifford's three factories in Guangzhou on the southern mainland cover a total of 200,000 square feet and employ 350 workers who produce a wide range of handbags, wallets, stationery items, travelling kits, organisers, purses, gifts and premiums.

"Our monthly production is 30,000 pieces and a minimum order is 200 handbags delivered 30-60 days after order confirmation," Lum confides, adding that FOB Hong Kong prices range from US$100-200 per item.

Equally competitive FOB Hong Kong prices are available from Splendid Handbag Ltd, which manufactures ladies' leather bags for many famous names including Enrico Coveri, Alain Delon, Fred Perry, Ralph Lauren and Lancome. "We make colourful bags in leather and other materials with canvas trimming," says R&D supervisor Rick Tse, "at FOB Hong Kong prices ranging from US$4-8."

Splendid uses PVC, PU, nylon, polyester, patch leather, skiver, pigskin and cowhide in its bags, which are exported to Europe, North and Central America, Australia, Japan and South Africa.

A 20,000-square-metre factory in Guangzhou that employs 800 workers has a monthly production of 15,000 dozen bags, which are available in minimum order quantities of 600 pieces in any one colour and style, with delivery depending on the style.

"Soft handbags with little stiffening will be fashionable in the coming season, while colours will range from bright hues to dark brown and burgundy," Tse maintains.

Leading brands are also a prime focus for Massino Int'l Ltd, which is licensed to produce bags bearing the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club, Arnold Palmer and Romeo Renato labels.

"The Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club brand is sold in 20 counters in department stores in Hong Kong and also in two free-standing shops in the territory," explains export manager Allan Lam. "We also export to many overseas countries, including the US, Japan and other parts of Asia."

Massino manufactures 20,000 bags a month at a 10,000-square-metre, 400-worker factory in Dongguan on the mainland, using cow nappa leather from Italy, Korea and Brazil, vegetable leather sourced in Italy and Pakistan and embossed leather obtained from Italy, Korea, Brazil, India and Pakistan.

Available at FOB Hong Kong prices ranging from US$20-50 for minimum order quantities of 300 bags in any one style delivered 60 days after order confirmation, ladies' leather bags generate US$7m a year in sales for the 22-year-old company.

Lam predicts that bags in crocodile and snakeskin will be fashionable next year, together with innovative embroidered styles. "The embroidery on canvas is computer-controlled and handled in-house at our Dongguan factory," Lam adds.

Showing that when it comes to fine workmanship, good design and quality materials, ladies' leather bags from Hong Kong rank

Natives of Northeastern North America use bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home site and for travel. As Native American clothing did not incorporate European- like pockets, pouches of all shapes, sized and materials served this purpose. European explorers of North America in the early 1600's observed that Natives "Always carry with them all their goods, as well as their food and green tobacco." (de Laet: 1967) Pouches and bags were commonly fastened to a belt around the waist. Smaller pouches may have been worn around the neck or on the wrist. Bags that were not woven were traditionally made from tanned leather, animal bladders, and all types of furred animal hides from the mole to the bear. Pouches could contain food-stuff, smoking supplies, medicine, fire-starting equipment, ammunition, and other small tools and supplies used by men and women.

A long leather bag was used to hold nokake (parched and powdered corn meal to be mixed with water and eaten. The parched corn bag was carried by Native American men when they traveled. The parched corn was "put into a long leatherne bag, trussed at their backe like a knapsacke"(Wood: 1865). Meals of parched corn while traveling consisted of three spoonfuls, three times a day.

A tobacco pouch is called Petouwassinug by the Narragansett of southern New England. In the 1600's Native American men wore a tobacco pouch "which hangs at their necke, or sticks at their girdle, which is to them in stead of an English pocket" (Williams: 1973). In 1622 Massasoit, a Wampanoag, wore a little bag of tobacco attached to "a great chain of white bone beads about his neck." (Heath: 1986) A separate pipe bag would be made and decorated to hold a smoking pipe, "for generally all the men throughout the Countrey have a Tobacco-bag, with a pipe in it, hanging at their back" (Williams: 1973)

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