Why did we outsource part of our production?
Those who have been following the life of the ZOEANDCO brand for a long time may remember that clothing has appeared in our collections several times before. However, only a few know why we put this branch of the brand on hold for a while -despite our love for clothing. In this post, I’ll share a bit about that.
Over the past 6-8 years, textile prices have multiplied internationally. With the depreciation of the Hungarian Forint and the lack of local textile manufacturers, the Hungarian fashion industry has become heavily restricted. Besides the shortage of raw materials, production itself has also become increasingly difficult, as the sewing profession is not being renewed. Instead of seamstresses and tailors, fashion designers and textile engineers graduate from vocational training. The film industry, which has largely moved to Hungary, has also absorbed the best craftsmen, further reducing the number of skilled workers. Meanwhile, the few sewing workshops that remain in Hungary are not prepared to meet the needs of small and micro businesses: minimum orders of several hundred pieces are not only unnecessary for a 1-2 person company, but also financially and physically (in terms of storage) overwhelming. Given the current market unpredictability, this path is simply not feasible for a brand like ours.
Because of these challenges, in recent years we decided to focus on other things until we could find a production solution that is both financially viable and ensures the high quality we aim for.
In August 2024, when we launched the Je Suis Yours Truly brand, we discovered a production method that allowed us to bring clothing back into our range - not custom-made cuts, but premium-quality garments printed or embroidered with our own designs. We work with partners in Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Spain. Which partner produces and ships a specific order depends on the garment’s availability and the delivery address - 90% of the time, the partner closest to the destination fulfills the order, making the process more efficient and sustainable. This method has opened a new door for us, giving our creativity a huge opportunity to flourish - without taking on too much risk or endangering the survival of the brand with poorly calculated inventory. That’s why we decided to include these made-to-order embroidered or printed clothes in the ZOEANDCO range alongside the JSYT brand.
From August 2025, t-shirts, sweaters, and caps decorated with the brand’s logo will become a permanent part of the ZOE webshop collection, and from autumn onward, we’ll expand the range with hand-drawn designs, digitally refined and prepared for production.