An amazingly skilled factory worker screen prints a one-colour print onto PVC material which will eventually become a bag.

Today I had the great pleasure of visiting a major mass production bag factory in Huizhou, China. It was a highly educating experience where I found myself up close and personal with the production process for bags within my field (ie. amenity bags for the airline industry).

My visit began at the sample room where one-off samples are made for inspection, testing or other uses during the design process. I then visited the multiple floors where mass production occurs once a design is finalised and signed off by all involved parties.

During mass production workers have set stations where they perform one particular task within the entire bag manufacturing process. One worker may sew a particular stitch and then pass it on to the next worker who sews a different stitch. Through this specialisation process the machines used don’t need readjusting, workers become extremely fast at performing a certain task and production time is as efficient as possible.

After all this, it was a long drive back to Hong Kong. Overall, it was an amazing day!