Me in Taizhou When They Ask If I Like Hairy Crabs. I’ve Been Coming Here for 8 Years.

(Start a Clothing Brand, End Up a Regional Seafood Connoisseur.)

There’s a certain moment in every sourcing trip where you realize you’re no longer a tourist. Maybe it’s when the supplier remembers your coffee order. Maybe it’s when the hotel staff nods at you like a local. Or maybe—it’s when someone in Taizhou casually offers you hairy crab, and you don’t flinch.

Eight years ago, I would’ve smiled politely and Googled it under the table. Now? I’m dissecting claws like I was born on the Yangtze.

Because starting a clothing brand takes time. And if you’re in it for the long game, you’ll eat a few unfamiliar things along the way—metaphorically and literally.

Want the shortcut? I made a course for that: Garment Sourcing 101. Because you don’t need to live in China for a decade to learn how to source properly.

Start a Clothing Brand? Be Ready for the Long Haul

Building a fashion label isn’t a sprint. It’s a slow, steady climb through:

• Miscommunication marathons

• Fit issues

• MOQ headaches

• Logistics puzzles

And weird seafood. Lots of weird seafood.

Step 1: Stop Chasing “Easy Wins” and Build the Foundation

Those TikToks showing 6-figure months off a single hoodie? They’re skipping a few steps.

To start a clothing brand that lasts, you need:

• A clear customer profile

• Product-market fit

• Long-term supplier relationships

That doesn’t happen overnight. But it does happen faster when you know what you’re doing from the start.

Step 2: Become Obsessed With Clarity (Not Just Design)

Factories aren’t mind readers. Great sourcing comes from:

• Detailed tech packs

• Specific material choices

• Logical timelines

This is how you prevent production surprises that make hairy crab look tame.

Don’t know where to start? I break it all down in Garment Sourcing 101.

Step 3: Understand That Real Trust Takes Time

That first supplier who offers you a sample in 3 days? Nice. But will they still answer when something goes wrong?

The best factory relationships are built over time. Through:

• Fair negotiations

• Mutual respect

• Honesty about order sizes

I’ve spent 15+ years building these kinds of connections—so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Step 4: The More You Know About Production, the Fewer Surprises Later

Want to avoid costly mistakes? Understand:

• Sampling rounds

• Fabric sourcing lead times

• How trims affect production

Hairy crab isn’t the only thing that needs time to steam. Good product development does too.

Step 5: Shipping Will Always Be a Bit Wild

Even after 8 years, shipping still throws curveballs. Port delays, customs changes, lost cartons.

Learn to:

• Build buffers

• Read Incoterms

• Budget for duty and tax

Or, you know—take the course and let me walk you through it.

TL;DR – Hairy Crab Is a Metaphor (Kind Of)

Start a clothing brand and you’ll learn quickly:

• Comfort zones shrink fast

• Patience grows

• Success is in the details

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll learn to appreciate what looks weird at first glance. Including niche products, strange fabrics… and local shellfish.

Final Word: 8 Years In, and I’d Still Start With This Course

If I were starting again, I’d take the shortcut I never had: Garment Sourcing 101.

In it, you’ll learn:

• The sourcing process step by step

• How to talk to factories without bluffing

• How to avoid beginner mistakes I made (a lot of them)

👉 Whether it’s your first trip to Taizhou or your fifth PO, this course will save you years of trial and error.