Me When I Find Out from My Supplier Taiwan Is Actually in China. He Hasn’t Been Yet Because He Doesn’t Have a Visa [start a clothing brand]

(And now I’m nodding like an international relations expert while dying inside.)

Let me set the scene:

We’re mid-chat about lead times, and my supplier casually drops:

“Taiwan is in China, of course. But I haven’t visited — no visa.”

I blink.

I nod.

I say nothing.

Internally, I’m trying to remember everything I’ve ever read about cross-strait relations while also trying to avoid triggering a global incident over elastic trims.

Because when you’re trying to start a clothing brand, the production line isn’t always the most delicate part — sometimes it’s the conversation.

If you’re still in your pre-launch glow, thinking all you need is a cool logo and some sustainable fabric, allow me to gently remind you: this is manufacturing. This is geopolitics with a packing list.

And this is exactly why I built Garment Sourcing 101. Because no one prepares you for this stuff — the awkward in-between spaces, the diplomatic side-steps, the wild moments when your supplier starts testing your worldview like you’re sitting for the UN entrance exam.

Starting a Clothing Brand Means You’re Entering the Chat — Whether You’re Ready or Not

Here’s what no one says in all those “How I Built My Fashion Label” threads on Reddit:

Once you start sourcing overseas, you’re not just running a brand. You’re running an international business.

And international business?

It comes with:

• Different definitions of borders

• Unwritten rules about what you can say and when

• Cultural tightropes you didn’t know you were walking until it’s too late

This is the side of production no one glamorizes.

It’s not aesthetic. It’s not photogenic.

It’s you in a WeChat call trying not to step on a political landmine over a conversation that started with: “Do you want matte or gloss labels?”

You’re Not Just Sourcing Product — You’re Navigating Perspective

What your supplier says — and how they say it — often reflects more than just business. It reflects:

• National narratives

• Personal experience

• Social pressure

• What they think you want to hear

So when they say Taiwan is part of China — even if they’ve never been and don’t have a visa — what they might really be doing is:

• Testing your reaction

• Sharing their worldview (authentic or performative)

• Or just trying to make conversation while waiting for your artwork approval

And you, the new brand founder who just wants your shipment to be on time, are suddenly expected to respond… diplomatically.

15 Years In, and I Still Get Stuck in These Moments

You’d think that after more than 15 years in garment manufacturing and sourcing, I’d have seen it all.

But no — these moments keep coming.

I’ve had:

• A supplier lecture me on why Hong Kong isn’t international anymore (right before asking for USD payment)

• A dye house manager explain why South Korea “copies everything” while we stood next to racks of Zara samples

• A factory owner proudly show me a “Japanese technique” that was, respectfully, not Japanese

And in every case, I smile, nod, and steer the conversation back to:

• Lead times

• Sample approvals

• Trims confirmation

Because when you’re building a clothing brand, the goal is not to win debates — it’s to get the product made.

You Don’t Have to Know Everything — But You Do Have to Navigate It

Here’s the good news:

You don’t need to be an expert on Chinese policy to survive sourcing.

But you do need to:

• Understand the culture

• Know what questions are sensitive

• Stay neutral when necessary

• And most importantly — not lose focus on your actual production

Because the trap here is this:

You get distracted by the small talk, the politics, the awkward phrasing — and forget to double-check whether your bulk fabric has been cut.

Your supplier is waxing poetic about unification, and you’re like: “Cool. Also, can I confirm the zipper spec is still YKK?”

This is the balance. This is the job.

And it’s why I created Garment Sourcing 101 — not just to teach you sourcing logistics, but to prepare you for the real experience of working internationally, where everything has a subtext and everyone is watching your reaction.

If You’re Starting a Clothing Brand, You’re Not in Kansas Anymore

This is a global industry.

That means:

• Global politics

• Global production timelines

• Global misunderstandings that turn into costly errors if you’re not careful

What you say — and what you don’t say — matters.

What you catch — and what you miss — matters more.

So the next time a supplier hits you with a geopolitical statement disguised as small talk?

Don’t panic.

Just smile.

Pivot back to your BOM.

Keep your tech pack sacred.

And remember — you’re here to build a brand, not rewrite a map.

Final Thought: Know When to Nod, and When to Redirect

You don’t have to be fluent in cross-strait policy.

You just have to be fluent in production.

So when your supplier tells you Taiwan is in China, and also they haven’t been, and also they can’t go…

You smile.

You say, “Ah, interesting — now about that sample delivery…”

And you get back to business.

Because that’s what this really is: a business.

One that rewards patience, structure, clarity — and occasionally, the ability to not flinch when someone drops a politically charged comment in the middle of a MOQ negotiation.

Garment Sourcing 101 is your playbook for moments like these — weird, wild, uncomfortable, and very real.

Because you can’t control what your supplier says.

But you can control how you respond — and how your product gets made.