Making in Bali

Some snap shots of my first trip to Bali to research manufacturing a new line of ethical intimates....

As I was packing my bag with all my bits and bobs for production I wasn't sure of the lace, elastic and accessories available in Bali, so I took some with me. For my designs I took all my own patterns, but I traced patterns on to paper so they were light (and so I keep the originals safe at home) and drew up specification documents of each style along with a sample.

Being my first trip to Bali I stayed in a lovely but modestly priced hotel. (I now stay in the cheapest home-stays I can find :) At my beautiful hotel, every morning, this Hindu man would come with the days offerings, and within minutes, each day, a bird would come and nibble at it. Beautiful in the routine of both the man and the bird. 

I was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful fabrics and lace. Buying silk and lace. Oh my! Too much gorgeous-ness to choose from. Like a candy store. A designer friend recommended me a few factories and I went along and meet with a few. The factory I went with is owed by a man around my age. Besides the workmanship he could produce being high quality and that he spoke such good english, I felt akin with him as we are both young small business people. His opinion was that his empolyees who worked with him are equals. They are a team. Most of the team spoke very little english, so we laughed a lot at trying to communicate. But Kartec, the sewing manager, and I each day, while we worked, would try chit chat... about our lives... children, who are around the same age and general family life. Kartec helped me translate sewing techniques, as I found it challenging to explain how I wanted things sewn. I think Wayan, the pattern maker, was happy he couldn't understand our banter ;)