Founder Paulien Wesselink kicked off her hip Dutch bag label in four years. The leather bags are made in Calcutta and sold in more than 120 stores in twenty countries. "In India I found producers who not only deliver good quality, but are also Fair Trade certified," she says.
Label of O My Bag
Things are going well for Amsterdam-based bag label O My Bag. In 2014, the sustainable bag brand of founder Paulien Wesselink (30) sold almost 6,000 bags and accessories and the start-up booked a turnover of over half a million euros. For this year, the profitable company is on course to reach its turnover target of 750,000 euros. In 2016, Wesselink hopes to reach the milestone of one million euros. "Ultimately we want to grow into an internationally renowned sustainable bag brand."
'It is a huge advantage that producers in India speak English'
The success did not come without a hitch to O My Bag, says Wesselink, who has just returned from her semi-annual working visit to India. In 2010, the recently graduated entrepreneur boarded a plane to India and Indonesia with the idea of producing high-quality, leather bags under decent working conditions and without the use of toxic chemicals.
In seven weeks, she visited 30 producers and tanneries and made useful contacts. Wesselink: "In India it clicked: I had a good feeling with the people, much more than in Indonesia. Initially I had also thought about China, but that seemed much more difficult because of the language. The fact that Indians speak English is a huge advantage."
Producing bags in India
On that first working trip to India, Wesselink still did not find a good producer. Wanting to do business responsibly, she turned to the World Fair Trade Organization. That's how the Amsterdam native found a Fair Trade certified supplier just outside Calcutta. Mail communication from the Netherlands proved difficult. Despite her efforts to make it clear what the bags should look like, the samples Wesselink received in Amsterdam were not satisfactory.
"Conclusion: I have to go there again." Determined to return only with a completed first collection, Wesselink boarded a plane to Calcutta. Together with the supplier, she worked continuously for a month on the first four models. "A good move. Just before our launch during Amsterdam Fashion Week in the summer of 2011, we had the first bag collection in."
Paulien shows the final product in India
'Quality controllers are a must if you produce clothing in India'
In retrospect, the quality of that first collection was not the best, Wesselink acknowledges. "Almost half of all the zippers broke quickly. Fortunately, we did manage to quickly help those customers get improved new bags." Since communication also remained stiff, she continued to look for new producers. O My Bag now works with four other production partners, both larger and more professional.
To prevent the quality from being substandard anyway, since last year O My Bag has hired independent quality controllers who check the leather before the bags are made and check the ready-made bags before they are shipped to Europe. "This way we guarantee that our bags are top quality," Wesselink states. In the future, she may want to invest in her own factory, but it is too early for that now. "If we continue to grow rapidly, I don't rule out taking that step in the next few years."
Tips for successful sourcing in India
Deepmala Datta, Consultant Market Expansion at IndiaConnected, says there are quality options available for any company looking to source in India. Whether you are in textiles, medical or automotive, India has something to offer every sector.
"The key to successful sourcing is daring to enlist the help of a local partner who can find the perfect supplier for you," says Deepmala. "India is a very large market and if you don't know what to look for, you can easily end up with the wrong option. As happened to O My Bag."
"You need to understand in which Indian state or city they have the most expertise in your sector or specific product," Deepmala explains. "For international companies, with little experience in India, it is difficult to get that good overview of the market and be able to figure out where your segment's manufacturing clusters are located. That's why a local consultant plays such an important role in this process; he or she can not only do the research for you, but also preselect the right suppliers based on key criteria such as experience and expertise."
"The mistake we see many companies make is choosing the first supplier they come across without doing due diligence or adequate testing. Finding a high-quality supplier takes time because you have to give them the opportunity to study and develop your product or component," says Deepmala. "That process will definitely take six months or longer. Having a local representative, who can do follow-ups, visit the site and take over time-consuming processes, will not only speed up this process, but will also ensure that your company gets the high-quality solution it is looking for."
Curious about what the Indian manufacturing sector has to offer your company? Or would you like to have a sparring session about starting sourcing in India?