12/02/2026
A very special visit to the Anamalz Japan office for the first timeā¦ followed by a full-circle moment I didnāt expect.
Yesterday I met Dan - the person who answered the very first phone call back in 2019 in Vietnam, when a sourcing company asked if the factory could make Anamalz.
He became my first contact.
And together with the incredible factory team, he helped create our very first samples.
Iām often asked: How did you find your factory?
Hereās the story.
In 2019, I made the big decision to move manufacturing from China to Vietnam.
I wanted a fresh start somewhere I would enjoy visitingā¦ the food, the culture, the people.
Because if weāre in business for the long haul, we should love the journey too.
I searched everywhere.
Bali. Indonesia. Thailand.
Nothing felt rightā¦ until I finally invested in a professional sourcing company in Vietnam.
Best decision I ever made.
They gave me a list of 30 factories.
I studied every profile and narrowed it down to three.
One stood out immediately - their focus on sustainability and shared values.
And when the samples arrived, the decision became clear.
The quality was far superior.
You could actually feel the love in the samples.
Yes, the price was three times higherā¦
and that moment forced me to completely rethink my selling plan and how Anamalz would go to market.
But in the end, I chose quality, care, and shared ethos over price.
And it has been the best decision Iāve ever made.
Hearing Dan describe how the team carefully worked out how to make Anamalz, and the effort they went to make them perfect, was incredibly special.
Stories I hadnāt heard before.
And moments of, āWowā¦ I canāt believe we are finally meeting after 7 years.ā
If I were starting a new product today, hereās exactly how I would find a manufacturer:
1ļøā£ Invest in a great sourcing company
2ļøā£ Review ~30 factories and shortlist your top 3ā5
3ļøā£ Pay for samples from your top three
4ļøā£ Never choose on price alone - choose quality, communication, and shared values
Because the right factory doesnāt just make your productā¦
They help build your future.
Lou x
