A 10-point Guide
Choose The Right Thai Jewelry Manufacturer For Your Brand
Ten practical, down and dirty pro tips to help you choose your jewelry manufacturer in Thailand. From our years of blood, sweat and tears as factory owners, the list below are the most common pain points brands face when looking for a gold jewelry manufacturer in Thailand. If you’ve got questions.. reach us here.
1. Communication
Regular, Clear Communication is vital, so one of the first signs of a good business relationship is how your manufacturer communicates with you. Timely and professional communication signifies that your potential partner means business and will always be there for questions and urgent requirements. The first few emails or phone calls should give you an idea, so make sure you get the right feeling about conducting business with them.
Pro tip: Use email for specific instructions, purchase orders or anything directly connected to your money. Texting / SMS / WhatsApp / Messenger – those are great tools for following up & sending images.
2. Use that millimeter gauge
When ordering products, you should be the one to determine the size of your pieces – it should never be your manufacturer. So, when ordering your products provide great details in terms of dimensions. Every part is essential, so do not forget to include heights, lengths, widths, depths and most importantly, the size of stones, diamonds or gemstones. Final note: using millimeters is much more precise than using inches—the metric system in measuring diamonds even in the United States and is highly recommended for fine measurements.
3. Don’t get lost in translation
Often jewelry various techniques such as finishing, setting, ring sizes and polishing types can be confusing. That’s where your manufacturer comes in. If you don’t know what it is called, make a note of an image and send it to your manufacturer. Terms like Florentine, matte or high polish are our daily lingo, so we’ll make sure to explain and even recommend something else if our team of experts thinks otherwise.
4. Always ask away!
If you don’t know…ask! A proper manufacturer is open to all inquiries regardless if they are basic or sophisticated questions. Suppose you have questions regarding a specific colors‘ availability; you should reach out and get that information. Your manufacturer should get back to you with sufficient details and alternate options if the one you are looking for is not available or doesn’t even exist. Your manufacturer should also provide expertise to geographical characteristics regardless if your market is located in Asia, North America, Europe or elsewhere!
5. Ethical manufacturing practices
Most companies are becoming socially responsible and if ethical considerations are at the core of your business philosophy, the chances are that you know about The Kimberly Process. Do not hesitate to ask your manufacturer if they adhere to the Kimberly process, besides ensuring that they properly treat their employees. Their alloys’ origin is also crucial, so assuring you have this information will lead you to get only the products that meet your ethical standards. If a manufacturer hesitates in providing this information, then you should probably look elsewhere.
6. Intellectual Property
We recommend you don’t tiptoe around this must have IP conversation. Intellectual Property has never been more critical so chose a manufacturer who views IP as an asset. Be sure to document your designs in writing and protect your designs before being manufactured. This simple step ensures that your designs remain yours and any associated CADs, molds, or images are your Property and can only be used with your written consent. Pro tip: choose a manufacturer who’s willing to complete the IP documentation professionally.
Pro tip: Expect to pay for your IP as you develop it. If not, you may find the recovery of it very challenging and costly.
7. It’s not a Race to the Bottom
When reviewing a factory’s quote, keep in mind that the manufacturer is also reviewing you. If a pricing conversation turns into a “which factory is the cheapest”, the loser will be the brand. From the factory POV, the least profitable or least productive customers do not get the best attention to detail & service. Consider the service, communication, quality on offer. Profitability is a two way street.
8. First Impression’s Matter
Before you reach out to a potential manufacturing partner, take a moment to examine the companies website & social media accounts. If the business is presenting itself poorly or, not at all (god forbid) ask yourself “Am I dealing with a forward thinking, established, modern & organized operation?”, “Could this mean they aren’t current in other areas of the business such as labor law, hygene, health and safety?”
Pro tip: a free Facebook page isn’t a reasonable substitute for a professional website.
9. Enduring Partnership
Your relationship with your manufacturer needs to be healthy and enduring. You rely on each other to be consistent in your success. A proper manufacturer views the relationship with you as a critical business asset because it is the source of future development. Make sure you understand each other and provide honest feedback to one another. Your manufacturer needs to understand your brand, and you need to understand their production system. Properly planning and communicating needs will lead to a partnership that will outlast any collection or any potential misunderstanding.
10. Have fun and grow together
You and your jewelry manufacturing partner should seek to create an entertaining relationship based on trust. Just like any other relationship, you should do your share and expect the same from your partner. You should be straightforward and flexible in your requests since their primary interest is your continued success. Having fun while working together is crucial and will make the relationship a lasting one. As you work together, you will get to know each other better. When you find yourselves in an impasse, being solution-oriented will result in a learned experience and learn to grow together. As the relationship develops further, you’ll find innovative ways to deepen your cooperation and you’ll end up growing together.
Spokes Jewelry is a gold jewelry manufacturer serving brands. Our pool of customers keeps growing and we keep growing with them. We’re always looking for new clients and can’t wait to serve you because that’s what we provide: professional services to your manufacturing needs. And yes, we’re fantastic at it.
Try out the Spokes team, you’ll never look back!
Contact Emma today, she’ll be able to provide you with all the necessary information regarding your queries. If you’d like a 3rd party reference about the company, please begin here: AMCHAM THAILAND