“Handmade” Isn’t the Risk. Uncontrolled Handmade Is. (A U.S. buyer’s view of the artisan supply chain in China) If you’ve ever pitched me “artisan,” I probably smiled—and then asked a question that sounded boring: “Can you make it again… the same way?” Because in U.S. retail, handmade is not the
The surprising truth: the ottoman gets judged faster than the mirror In a style review, mirrors can feel “big decision.” But ottomans? Ottomans get judged in seconds. Designers and buyers don’t just see a small stool. They see: a texture story you can feel from across the room a quick
The quiet power move: showing the materials, not just the product Most suppliers walk into a style review with finished pieces and a pitch. We show up differently. Alongside the mirrors, we bring what buyers and sourcing teams actually need to make confident decisions fast: a materials library—wood tones, textures,
Why “Style Routes” Matter More Than “Trends” If you’ve ever searched “interior design trends 2026” or “home decor trends”, you know the internet loves big statements: “Warm minimal is in.” “Organic shapes are back.” “Quiet luxury everywhere.” Cool. But buyers don’t reorder a statement. They reorder a style route—a repeatable
The Real Problem: Trends Don’t Fail—Bad Translations Do Most “trend articles” aren’t wrong. They just stop too early. They tell you what’s hot, but not: what it should look like as an actual SKU, what it should cost, what materials and finishes will survive production, what packaging will survive shipping,
The part no one posts: the travel day that decides the outcome Most people only share the polished moments—showroom photos, clean lineups, the final presentation. But the truth is, the outcome is often decided on the travel day. A late-night hotel view. A long underground corridor with rolling suitcases. A
When the real work starts: before the doors open If you want an honest picture of a supplier, don’t look at the mood boards—look at the staging area. In Shenzhen, the “pre-show” scene is always the same: long cartons stacked tight, fragile labels everywhere, and a team moving fast but
A truck photo that says more than a showroom ever could We took a few truck-loading photos—long cartons stacked tight, strapped down, and headed to a major home-category style review in Shenzhen. It’s not glamorous, and that’s exactly why it matters. Because that photo captures the part of the business
