Supplier Trip To China – The Surroundings

At the end of November and beginning of December, I traveled to China with two of our buyers. Due to COVID, we hadn't been able to visit our suppliers for many years, so the anticipation for this trip was high, and it was about time. Throughout the journey, we visited various factories that produce several of our knitted products. I thought I'd share a bit of what we did during the trip – a mix of new places, inspiration, different production units, techniques, samples, and the occasional sketch. This time, it will be a bit of a travel diary, plain and simple.

We landed in Hong Kong but quickly took the high-speed train into China the very next morning. During the days spent here, we traveled with suppliers to visit the various factories producing our products. The pictures above are a mix of places we visited, allowing you all to come along.

Starting near Hong Kong, we took the opportunity to pause and get inspired in the bustling city. We enjoyed delicious food, strolled among the skyscrapers on the mainland, visited a market, and explored various shops. In the evening, we took a walk towards the waterfront, where we just managed to see the sun set behind Hong Kong Island on the other side. Wanting to see as much as possible, we hopped on the Star Ferry, which took us to the other side. Here, we visited PMQ (Police Married Quarters), originally a place where married police officers could live with their families. Today, parts of it serve as a meeting place for designers of various kinds. The long corridors are lined with rooms where small business owners can sell their products – a very creative place to find inspiration. In the surrounding area, there are plenty of shops, delightful restaurants, and bars.

Pictures of Hong Kong Island taken from the Star Ferry, along with a couple of images from the area around PMQ.

We then traveled north in the country for more suppliers and factory visits, this time in the area closer to Shanghai. More about those factory visits will come in my next post.

/Amanda, designer at Gudrun Sjödén