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Style + Performance = The Perfect Travel Shirt by Libertad

Created by Kyle, Libertad Apparel

Travel clothes that don't look (or smell) like it.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Quality Control
over 8 years ago – Sat, May 14, 2016 at 11:20:49 PM

Hi Everybody, 

As you know from the last update, the fabric sat at the weaving mill for an excessive amount of time. 

That was the bad. Here's the good...

It gave me time to review the quality control process. It appears that the checks that were supposed to take place either did not happen, or were conducted improperly by our partners in China.

This does not mean that anything is wrong with the product. At this point, it only means that the mfg process must be reviewed, steps verified and the fabric tested. 

So, good from the perspective that we've uncovered a breakdown before moving onto the shirt making phase. If we found out something was wrong after the shirts were made, this would have been costly.  

Admittedly, the bad thing about it is that it is making the whole process drag out a bit longer. I won't sugar coat it and try to make it sound like this is the best thing in the world. I have mixed reactions... a bit of relief that we caught the breakdown, but certainly disappointed that it has occurred and adds more days to an already lengthy process. 

I'm told that rigidity on QC matters earns respect from factories. At least it establishes expectations and usually helps avoid future problems if they are held responsible. So, perhaps a little bit of something positive can be extracted and future orders will benefit. 

What's next?

The weaver is sending me fabric this week. Then, I will send it to an independent lab to perform tests. I will update everyone after the tests have taken place. Until then, any timeline adjustments wouldn't be based on complete information. 

Eco-Friendly Packaging Update

Progress is being made on bio-based and recycled materials. In the last update, I mentioned it was difficult to get a response from vendors once they hear how small my order is. However, I've heard back from them and they're willing to deal with me at these low volumes. No price quote yet...will continue to update as info comes in. 

As always, your patience and support are appreciated as I try to make this the best product possible. 

Safe travels,

Kyle

[email protected]

Status Update
over 8 years ago – Fri, May 06, 2016 at 04:45:43 AM

Hi Everybody,

I’ve been waiting for some kind of significant event to occur before writing an update, but that hasn’t happened. Nevertheless, I think a description of the behind the scenes process might be of interest to some, so here we go…

As mentioned in the last update (Apr 12th), I was notified by the weaver that the fabric is finished. The expectation was that within a couple of days, it would be shipped to the garment manufacturer. But, as of today, May 6th, the fabric has not yet been sent.

The reasons behind this are very indicative of what seems to happen at every stage of this process. From what I can tell, it comes down to 2 things:

  • Massive inefficiencies in communication 
  • I continually get deprioritized because the order is so small.

As for communication, if a factory rep is traveling on business (they often are) then everything comes to a halt until they return. Often, this translates into a loss of 7-10 days. In the case of shipping the fabric from my weaver to the garment factory, both reps have been traveling at different times which has resulted in more than a 3-week delay. Tack on a few extra days to attend to bigger accounts first and we arrive at today.

However, to be fair, new companies collaborating on new products for the first time, have many more items to discuss than companies between which there is history and familiarity.

That last statement gives me hope that things will go quicker in the future as relationships develop. However, I’ve spoken with more established companies doing business in China and they seem to continually find new ways to miss deadlines.

All that said, the process is still moving forward. The shirts will get made and shipped. But, for reasons just described, I have to bump the shipping date back to end of June. My apologies, but I continue to make every effort to make it worth the wait. Thanks for everyone’s patience.

Sustainable Packaging Update

There was a large amount of backer feedback regarding eco-friendly packaging. I’ve made some progress with bio-based materials and will write a detailed update once things come together. But, in keeping with the theme of this email, I am running into challenges once suppliers find out how small Libertad is (i.e. Easy to get the first call back from the sales person, not so much the second).

Please let me know your questions or if there is anything I can do for you.

Safe travels,

Kyle

[email protected]

The fabric is finished...
over 8 years ago – Tue, Apr 12, 2016 at 03:07:15 PM

Hi Everybody,

A very short update to let you know that the fabric is finally finished; samples from the order have been FedEx'd around the globe for approval; and now the weaver will soon deliver the bulk order to the shirt maker. 

I'll update the timeline as soon as I get something concrete from the garment factory. 

Thanks to everyone that inquires about the status and offers words of support. It is very much appreciated. I'm excited to fulfill the orders and get going with the next phase.

Additionally, the response regarding eco-friendly packaging was huge. I've been working on it and will have a separate update on that topic after the holiday in Thailand, which brings me too...

...Songkran!!  So to all "Sawadee Pi Mai" (Happy Thai New Year). If you've never heard of how they celebrate it here, it is a giant 3-day water fight. Here's a fun video of what the entire city of Chiang Mai looked like in 2015: https://youtu.be/yVmuIZJR760

Safe travels,

Kyle

Periscope Broadcast Link
almost 9 years ago – Fri, Dec 11, 2015 at 01:35:45 AM

Hi Everybody,

Periscope is being broadcast via @ghung on Twitter instead of the Libertad account. The Periscope link is:

https://t.co/itjXONcL1n

See you in a few minutes!

Kyle