Our latest run of Ori Comfy R&D comes from our move to manufacture garments right here in Los Angeles.
Why are we working hard to manufacture locally? Well, you're the main reason. We've heard from countless customers that they want to be supporting companies that are manufacturing in the USA. When we asked members in our Facebook Group if they would support our decision to start manufacturing locally, we got an overwhelmingly positive reaction. It's clear, you want to support our local economy and feel good about where your money goes.
The other reason we're so excited to be manufacturing right here in Los Angeles? Besides the fact that there is a ton of apparel manufacturing in Downtown LA and this city is already set up for it, it allows us to get product to you faster. No delays in overseas shipping. When product is ready, we can hop in the car to pick it up and have it in our distribution center (also known as Katie's apartment) ready to be shipped out to you in a matter of minutes.
Because this is still an experiment for us, as we don't have a longstanding history with a local factory, we love that we're able to try out really small quantities. Without having large minimums to hit with our fabric or quantities, we're able to try small runs of different fabrics and styles so we can find the perfect comfy materials and silhouettes for you. This allows us so much more flexibility. While we absolutely love working with our overseas partners that specialize in textiles to ensure those supremely comfy fabrics, and they have proven time and time again that they will produce fantastic garments, the time that it takes to go from concept to reality is long and the quantities have to be fairly large. Playing around with smaller runs, right here in our city, gives us so much more flexibility to find just what is right and provide you with options and opportunities to give us feedback and direction so we can better serve you. Will it cost you a few more dollars? It might, because smaller runs often do.
If you're completely in love with a style that wasn't made in Los Angeles, you can rest assured knowing that the factory we work with in China is ethical and one of the very best in the biz, and that we'll continue working with them to ensure you get that high quality comfy garment at the same price. Read more about our manufacturing plan moving forward in our Ori Comfy R&D blog post.