The Forsake Kickstarter campaign goes Live today! Our goal is to get about 3,000 pre-orders during the 40-day campaign so we can begin mass production this summer. We’re grateful for contributions of any amount, but you can also help simply by spreading the word! Thanks everyone!
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Here is another video of the shoes in action - this time it’s the Pilot. What better way to show off the shoes than to take off everything else?Thanks again to Dan Phakos for filming and editing.
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Check out this video of the Thurston enjoying a rainy day Forsake style!
Big thanks to Dan Phakos for filming and editing and Matt Graveley for the dance moves
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We’re Live on Kickstarter!
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Thoughts on Outsourcing
Over the last few months, a series of articles, news reports, and blog posts regarding working conditions in Asian manufacturing and assembly plants - specifically at Foxconn, the electronics manufacturing giant - have sparked a debate over whether US brands are doing enough to prevent unfair labor practices and abuses from occurring at production facilities abroad. In January, The New York Times printed a front page article detailing the human cost of building the iPad and, just last week, the FLA released a report on working condition inside Foxconn that cited numerous labor violations.
The recent coverage of these issues inspired us to devote a blog post to our personal experience working with contract manufacturers in China and the reasons we chose to outsource product development and mass-production to a developing country. Please keep in mind that this blog entry is based entirely on personal experience and observations during a two-week trip to China where we toured five different footwear-related production facilities. We cannot speak for the footwear industry as a whole, or the working conditions that exist at non-footwear related manufacturing facilities (such as those at Foxconn). We’ll start by discussing where our products are made and the conditions under which they are produced, and then we’ll explain the underlying reasons why we pursued this route.
Our products are will be manufactured by a publicly traded Taiwanese company called Pou Chen (www.pouchen.com). Pou Chen owns dozens of footwear factories throughout China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Mexico. The facility we’re using is near Zhongshan, a medium-sized industrial city close to Hong Kong. This particular facility was chosen because of its reputation for manufacturing quality waterproof products, notably hiking shoes and work boots from top-tier US brands including Timberland and The North Face. It employs about 60,000 people and occupies a large gated campus that includes a design center, rubber factory, box factory, mold factory, production lines, testing labs, cafeterias, dormitories, and sampling rooms. The sheer size of the facility is staggering, but not unlike many of the large-scale manufacturing and assembly plants that exist in Southeastern China.
The overwhelming majority of workers at this factory are from Northern China and appeared to be in their late teens and twenties. Employees work ten hour shifts, six days a week, and are paid overtime after 40 hours. We do not know the average wage. Most factory workers live on-site in dormitories. Housing, meals, and health care are provided by the factory, the costs of which are factored into employee wages. Workers are given three weeks off in January/February for Chinese New Year, but otherwise the factory stays open year round. It is not a particularly glamorous lifestyle, but factory life is one option for young Chinese looking to be independent and earn their own living. From what we understand, most worker’s live at the factory for a few years, save as much as possible, and either return to school or move on to more skilled labor. In recent years, the cost of labor has increased significantly as workers are seeking other opportunities closer to home. Economists expect this trend to continue as China continues to develop economically.
Contrary to popular belief, labor costs have little to do with the motivation for outsourcing. Container rates on ocean freight are now so high that shipping costs now significantly offset the savings on labor. The answer has more to do with sourcing and purchasing the right components and materials. Each of our models has about thirty individual pieces purchased from over a dozen individual suppliers. And all of these suppliers have offices within a two hour drive of our production facility. When a prototype arrives with, let’s say, the wrong type of copper-brushed eyelet, we can make the adjustment and have a new prototype built in a matter of days. Making that correction from a production facility in the United States would take weeks. The high concentration of third-party suppliers with offices in Southeastern Asia translates to shorter development timelines, faster turnaround on samples and prototypes, and decreased transportation costs. Producing footwear in Asia is simply faster, more flexible, and more efficient.
There are alternatives. Some high-end leather boots are still made in the United States and New Balance owns five factories across New England where they manufacture a limited line of Made in U.S.A. sneakers (they are the only athletic footwear company who manufactures any products domestically). We look forward to exploring these options in more detail down the road. But, as a small brand looking to produce less than 20,000 pairs a year, it simply is not feasible at this point in time.
Having made the decision to outsource, it is our responsibility as a brand to ensure our manufacturing partners abide by fair labor laws and practices. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously. We are keenly aware of the issues that exist at some manufacturing facilities and will continue to work with our own offshore partners to ensure that all Forsake products are assembled in a fair and responsible work environment.For more information on global footwear manufacturing, check out this 2010 industry report. And feel free to ask any questions. We can be reached via Facebook, Twitter, or email at info@forsake.co.
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Evolution of the Hiker from concept to final product!
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Studio Photography and Hittin’ the Streets
Since getting back to the US and adjusting to Eastern Time, the last two weeks have been a whirlwind. We met with retailers in the Boston area to give a preview of our Fall 2012 product line, then headed straight to New York City for a photoshoot. After four hours of primping the models (luckily they’re quite photogenic) and countless angles and arrangements we added “Photographer’s Assistant” to our resumes. The end product was a set of terrific shots that will be up on our Collection page soon!
The photographer was our good friend Dan Phakos and the studio was his apartment. Thanks Dan!
These photos will also be used in a catalog we’re putting together for prospective retailers. It includes an overview of our company and brand, product descriptions and specifications, photos of each model, and a wholesale pricing sheet.
These efforts are all part of the much larger task of getting our products in stores for Fall 2012. We’ve visited dozens of retail stores since returning from China to show off our shoes and get a feel for what type of environment will best fit our unique line of footwear. Our “hybrid” products combine elements from multiple footwear categories (including athletic, skate, and outdoor), which makes it challenging to narrow down one specific type of retail environment in which to focus our sales efforts. Our list of potential retailers is growing daily but if there’s a store that you think would be a good fit for our shoes, send an email to info@forsake.co or send us a message on facebook.
We’ll keep you posted on our sales efforts and check back soon for a full preview of our Fall/Winter 2012 collection.
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Hong Kong
So the good news is we made it to Hong Kong. Bad news is we arrived on a random street corner with no knowledge of where our hotel is, no local currency, and no language skills to figure it out. It was kind of a hectic morning – forgot to do the basic research. We ended up wandering around for a bit (“Isn’t our hotel near the water? I think there’s water over there. Let’s check it out”) and eventually found an ATM and then a taxi. Turns out we were about a 15 minute drive from the hotel in the opposite direction we were walking. Life’s about the adventure right?
Hong Kong is an incredible city and a far cry from the industrial metropolis of Dongguan. We spent the weekend exploring the different neighborhoods, eating great food, and soaking in a ton of bright neon lights. It was a much-needed weekend away from factories, shoes, and smog.
Tourist? No way…
And what a skyline. Can’t wait to get back to this city.
We returned to mainland China on Sunday. Wrapped things up on Monday and then got outta there on Tuesday. Feels great to be home.
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China Recap #2
Monday morning was the start of a long week of business meetings that began with a visit to the footwear factory we’re working with in Zhongshan – a small city close to Hong Kong about two hours drive from our hotel. This was the our first visit to the the factory and were shocked at the size of the place. The facility is actually a large industrial park that houses a number of factories all related to the footwear industry. It is, quite literally, a one-stop-shop for all things shoes. Rubber factories, molding factories, shoe box factories, production lines, and testing laboratories are just a few of the facilities located on site. After a brief introductory meeting with the factory managers, we received a comprehensive tour of the area. Below is Abner, our friendly tour guide, after realizing that Sam had been recording the entire thing. He was pumped.
After the tour we reviewed our latest samples with the factory team and discussed the production timeline. Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with meetings with material suppliers. These meetings typically involve serving you some tea, a video or Powerpoint that summarizes their company, and then a tour of their manufacturing and treatment facilities that kills most braincells with the pungent odors of dangerous chemicals. Despite the lasting headaches, we actually left most of these factories feeling rather loopy and in a remarkably good mood.
On Thursday it was back to our factory in Zhongshan to review the cost breakdown sheets and figure out exactly how much these shoes are going to set us back. Each cost breakdown sheet has over 30 lines detailing every piece of the shoe. Everything from the cost of the waterproof membrane to the exact area of the strip of leather that reinforces the eyelets is presented in overwhelming precision. Reviewing this data and possible changes took hours and the factory team was not exactly thrilled. We were the only thing standing between them and a three week holiday for Chinese New Year…
Thankfully we got it done and the next morning we left for a weekend trip to Hong Kong. Actually, in truth, we missed our morning bus and Sam had to bust out some serious negotiating skills to switch our tickets. But we got there.
More to come…
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First two days in China…
After two years of talking, dreaming, scheming, and over 30 hours of travel we finally made it. China. What a country. For fear of sounding like a one-hour Travel Channel special we’ll skip the thoughtful cultural monologue. Our trip has been far from glamorous. We’re staying in Dongguan, a city you’ve never heard of that has a population equal to NYC. It’s located about two hours into mainland China from Hong Kong and serves as a hub for two industries: footwear and furniture. The first few days were spent adjusting to the time zone and exploring the city. And by that we mean we slept a lot and bought some knock-off Gucci sunglasses. Exploration has been limited, but by no means lacking….
One of our first meals was Shabu-Shabu, a traditional Japanese style of cooking reminiscent of fondue. Very interesting. And it’s located inside the Walmart…
After a late night of taking in the local culture (beware of Soju) we played baseball with the Dongguan Dragons little league team. Jake even participated in the “running the bases” drill. Note the perfect form and giddy smile.
After practice we met with our development team, planned the weekly itinerary, and reviewed the latest prototypes (they look awesome!). It’s going to be a busy trip. Check back in a few days for an update on our preparation for mass production.
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The Last Lunch
We are leaving for China tonight to visit our factory and make final corrections to prototypes. With 30+ hours of travel each way and 12 days in China, we’re packin in our past chances for good ol’ American food. Follow the maddness @ForsakeCo for the latest updates on our culture shock!
