From the floor.
Honest writing on apparel manufacturing in China. From launch-stage founders to billion-dollar retailers, written by operators who've sat in both chairs.
What apparel importers actually face in May 2026: tariff chaos and how to model it
Section 122 tariffs were just ruled invalid. New Section 301 investigations target every major sourcing country. Here's how to calculate your real landed cost right now.
Microplastics in your activewear: what we actually know about plastic fibers, sweat, and your skin
The polymer is rarely the most concerning part of a synthetic garment. The additives are. A mechanism-first read on PFAS, phthalates, BPA, and antimicrobial silver, and why "just wear cotton" does not solve it.
What a real apparel factory in China actually looks like in 2026
JJ Chen takes you inside a vertically integrated, BSCI-audited apparel factory in Guangdong. The three misconceptions that need to die, and the ten-item checklist for your first visit.
How to lower your apparel import duty and tariff costs: a cross-border operator's playbook
The four levers brands can actually pull to lower duty: HTS reclassification, country of origin, Section 301 awareness, and First Sale. With a real $50K shipment walked line by line.
Why the manufacturer you pick at $0 decides whether you ever hit $100M
Founder to founder: the manufacturer you pick when you are doing $0 will decide whether you ever hit $100M. Here is why, and what to do about it.
How to find a clothing manufacturer in China without getting burned
I got burned twice before I figured out how to vet a Chinese factory. Here is the 7-point checklist I wish someone had handed me on day one.
Trading company vs direct factory: the real cost difference for mid-market brands
A $50M apparel brand quietly loses $7M to $12M a year to middlemen they could replace. Here is exactly where the money goes, line by line.
The tech pack checklist Chinese factories actually need
I sit between Western brands and the factory floor every day. Most tech packs are missing the same four things, and it costs the brand a season.