Leather Fashion Accessories

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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