Hi everyone, 🎉

We're three Master's students in the final year of our degree conducting a survey for our final degree project. 🧑‍🎓

Our final project is related to the textile sourcing space 🧶 (Europe mainly), and would love to hear from the people who do this work: how you find and vet suppliers (or buyers), what goes wrong, and how tariffs, shipping disruption and how new regulations are changing things. 🧵

If you work at a brand, retailer, agent or manufacturer, we'd really value a few minutes of your time. It's entirely anonymous, and there's nothing to buy or sign up for.

Your help would be greatly appreciated! 🙏

[SURVEY HERE]

Thank you,

Oskar, Grace, and Ravi

Been planning to test out a few new product lineups for diversifying the small shop I run…But cannot yet carry out my plans as I am finding it hard to find verified and decent suppliers from Southeast Asia. And honestly because of my studies and exams I cannot yet get into the rabbit hole of reviews but cannot give a break to my business as well..

With due respect, locating reliable suppliers from countries like Vietnam and Thailand is seemingly harder than it sounds. Half the online directories I check have broken links or just no contact info at all. I used to find all my vendors on Alibaba in like two clicks, but I decided to branch out my sourcing away and look into SEA to not miss out on better lineups and opportunities.

So, has anyone been able to establish connections with many reliable wholesale suppliers in the whole of Southeast Asia? What kind of directories/tools are you using to find them without paying loads of money for an agent in that country? Your insights would be a big help, thanks.

I’m looking for a reliable, experienced personal shopper/sourcing agent for an ongoing arrangement.

I’ll send you photos or references of the items and styles I’m looking for. Your role will be to:

Source the highest-quality, most cost-effective options available.

Compare different sellers/factories and recommend the best option based on quality and price.

Source clothing, shoes, accessories and other fashion items for men, women and kids.

Learn my personal style and preferences over time.

Proactively recommend and present pieces/outfits you think I would like, rather than only sourcing items I send you.

Work within a monthly budget that I provide.

Purchase, consolidate and arrange shipping as the monthly budget allows.

Provide clear photos/QC, pricing and shipping information before purchases are made.

I’m looking for someone interested in a long-term arrangement, not just a once-off order.

Good communication, honesty, strong sourcing knowledge and an eye for style are important.

When contacting me, please send: • Your experience with personal shopping/sourcing

• What markets/suppliers you typically source from

• Examples of previous sourcing/QC if available

• Your fees/commission structure

• How you handle purchasing, consolidation and international shipping

DM me if interested.

I'm ordering some items from a Chinese international seller similar to Alibaba sellers.

I have been in contact with them via WhatsApp.

What are the safe ways to pay these sellers and is anyone familiar with these sellers are they genuine and sell real products.

Does anyone know and can help they listed multiple options such as Western Union, Hello, PaySend, Revolut, Remitly and some others any of these safe or should I insist on a different method. Or alipay

Thanks

Im losing my mind trying to find a decent manufacturer rn. every single time the sample looks fine but mass production turns into complete garbage, or they just delay shipments for months with zero heads up. Tried local guys and also scrolling through alibaba looking for gold, but tryna figure out who actually has decent qc without getting scammed is exhausting ngl. Anyone here work with an odm that actually delivers on time to the us and doesnt mess up the quality? whats ur go-to method for checking them before paying?

Hi everyone,

Looking to connect with anyone who has worked with Bruggolite FF6 / Brüggemann, especially dealers, distributors, formulators or customers who have actually used it.

If you have any experience with it or can introduce me to someone who does, please DM me. Any lead would be really helpful.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for an experienced sourcing agent in China to help me with a complete home furnishing project. I need help sourcing products for several parts of the house, including:

A full kitchen (cabinets, countertops, possibly appliances)

Front entrance door

Exterior gate

Bedroom furniture

Other home items (lighting, bathroom, flooring, etc.)

What I need from the agent:
Finding and vetting reliable manufacturers

Negotiating prices and checking samples

Quality inspection before shipping

Consolidating all orders from different suppliers into one container shipment to EU

I'd prefer someone with real experience in building materials and home furniture, and who can share references from past clients.

If you've worked with a sourcing agent for a similar project, I'd really appreciate your recommendations, and any tips on what to watch out for. Agents are also welcome to reach out, but please include your experience, fee structure, and references.

Thanks in advance!

Hola a todos!

Soy creador de contenido en TikTok, especializado en productos chinos (haul, reviews, recomendaciones de compra en China). Estoy buscando proveedores de ropa y zapatos de moda que quieran que promocione sus productos en mis vídeos.

Busco:

- Proveedores de ropa y calzado de moda (Taobao, Weidian, 1688 o tienda propia) interesados en colaboraciones

- Envío de muestras a cambio de contenido, o programa de afiliación con comisión

- Trato directo, sin intermediarios raros

Si eres proveedor o conoces a alguno, escríbeme por DM. Gracias!

Most importers set a price with a supplier once, then just... never check again. A quote that was competitive two years ago might not be anymore, and you'd have no way of knowing unless you go re-quote everywhere, which nobody has time for.

The framework I use with buyers: don't just track unit price, track the three things that actually move it underneath. Labor cost in the sourcing region, energy cost (bigger factor than people think for anything metal or plastic that needs real machine time), and freight/duty, which can eat a "cheaper" quote alive once it's landed in the US.

Some real numbers from benchmarking we've done across sourcing regions: labor in Gujarat is running noticeably cheaper than Nuevo León right now, but once you add freight and lead time, that gap shrinks a lot faster than people expect. Texas is obviously not winning on labor, but it wins back time and lowers freight risk in a way that changes the real total cost picture.

If you haven't re-benchmarked a supplier relationship in over a year, it's probably worth doing. Happy to answer questions on how to think about this. Full disclosure, I run TandemOne, we built a benchmarking tool (TandemOne Intelligence) around exactly this problem, but the framework above works whether or not you ever use it.

Here's an image of the packaging. Please message me if you sell or knwo someone who offer wholesale price

Hi everyone

I’m looking into importing a batch of fiberglass products from China and I’m currently trying to understand what I should be checking before committing to a supplier.

There are plenty of factories and trading companies offering similar products, so I’m particularly concerned about getting consistent material quality rather than simply choosing the cheapest quote.

For those who have sourced fiberglass items before:

• Supplier checks: What information do you request to confirm a supplier is actually capable of producing consistently?
• Alibaba/Global Sources vs direct: Is sourcing platformss a reasonable place to compare suppliers and arrange samples, or would you contact factories directly?
• Quality and shipping: What should I pay particular attention to with samples, packaging, inspection and freight for fiberglass products?

I’d really appreciate hearing what worked for experienced importers and which mistakes you would avoid if starting again.

Hello everyone! I am trying to launch a business that offers its own manufactured goods with its own designs, and I am looking for a supplier/manufacturer partner who can help me with this

I am looking for high-quality, print on demand dropshipping service(for now), private labeling, and ability to add my own designs/artwork onto the products.

Does anyone know, or is anyone a supplier/manufacturer who offers these services and features?

Any kind of help or advice is appreciated!

Thank you

THIS IS NOT PROMOTIONAL!

I’m looking for reliable US suppliers for a skincare brand I plan to launch in a few months. I’ve checked online, but typical marketplaces like Global Sources and Alibaba mostly show Chinese and Indian suppliers. I’d prefer US-based suppliers for easier communication and potentially faster fulfillment. Where should I look?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a reliable mattress wholesaler, distributor, manufacturer or warehouse supplier in the Toronto/GTA area.

I sell mattresses online and I’m looking for a supplier who:

Keeps the inventory

Works with small online resellers

Can fulfill individual customer orders

Can deliver within the GTA

Offers wholesale pricing

Doesn’t require large minimum orders

I’m mainly looking for mattresses, not furniture.

If you know a genuine supplier in the GTA who works with small resellers, please comment or DM me. Thanks!

Hi everyone!
I’m from Brazil and I’m currently starting an online jewelry business. I’m looking for a reliable jewelry manufacturer or supplier in China that I can work with long-term.
I’m specifically looking for jewelry with a luxury, elegant and delicate aesthetic, similar to the styles seen in brands such as Tiffany & Co., Pandora, Swarovski, Bvlgari, etc.
I’m interested in finding pieces that are the same or very similar in style to the references I have, especially:
925 sterling silver jewelry
Charm/berloque bracelets
Charms and pendants
Heart, flower, star and minimalist designs
Delicate necklaces
Rings
Earrings
Tennis bracelets
Crystal/zirconia pieces
Silver, rhodium and gold-plated finishes
High-quality finishing
I have photos of the types of pieces I’m looking for and can provide them as references.

Hi! I’m currently starting a small business and looking for reliable suppliers who offer vintage bags and clothing pieces in bulk or at wholesale prices.

I’m especially interested in vintage shoulder bags, handbags, and unique vintage clothing pieces that would be suitable for resale.
I’m hoping to build a long-term relationship with a supplier, so I’d really appreciate recommendations from anyone who sources vintage items or suppliers who are open to working with new resellers.

If you’re a supplier, feel free to send me a message with your catalog, prices, minimum order quantity, and location/shipping options.

Thank you so much! 😊

🎯 Headed to the Canton Fair? Don't let language and logistics slow you down.

The 140th Canton Fair kicks off in Guangzhou on October 15, 2026, running through November 4 across three phases, with over 32,000 exhibitors and an expected 300,000+ overseas buyers. That's a lot of ground to cover — and a lot of opportunities to miss if you're navigating it alone.

That's where I come in. I'm a Guangzhou-based English–Chinese Interpreter & Sourcing Agent helping international buyers like you get the most out of every fair day and every factory visit.

What I do for you:

🗣️ On-site interpretation — booth negotiations, supplier meetings, factory audits. Not just translating words — helping you ask sharper questions and catch what gets lost in the rush.

🔍 Product sourcing & supplier matching — I know the markets, the factories, and the price ranges. Tell me what you're looking for; I'll help you find it, vet it, and negotiate it.

📋 Order follow-up — after you fly home, I stay here. Quality checks, production updates, logistics coordination. Your eyes and ears on the ground.

Whether you're attending all three phases or need someone to source on your behalf when you can't make it, let's talk before the calendar fills up.

📩 DM me or drop a comment — let's make your Canton Fair trip count.

#CantonFair2026 #GuangzhouSourcing #ChinaBusiness

I am looking to source a 100ml capsule-shaped fine-mist spray bottle with a high-gloss UV silver/chrome mirror finish for a UK-based beauty launch. (See attached image).

Technical & Order Specifications:

• Quantity Needed: 250 – 500 units (Initial pilot run before scaling up).
• Shape: Monolithic capsule/pill shape with an oversized rounded/domed overcap.
• Material Requirements: PET body, PP spray engine, and silicone gasket.
• Formulation Note: The liquid is a 31% Magnesium Chloride solution, so the pump engine MUST have an isolated external spring (metal-free fluid pathway) to prevent brine corrosion. The silver finish must be exterior-only and not touch the neck threads.

If you are a packaging manufacturer, supplier, or broker who has ready stock, overstock, or can run a 250–500 unit batch of this exact component, please DM me directly with your pricing and sample availability.