Thomas Edison and His Backpack

Don't worry about annoying us with your backpack project. It is most interesting.

As far as sewing it yourself, not necessarily a great idea. You may sew it in a way that cannot be duplicated in any producible manner. I suggest you find a person who owns and know how to use a commercial type sewing machine, that can also understand English well. (this could be done in the US even). Sit with them and sew with them. Pay them a decent hourly wage to work with you, explaining to you what works and what does not. Way back when I saw this process done in the US. A man sat with a women who did sewing out of her home and she helped him create product that was producible. After that, she did piece work on the stuff they came up with.

Take someone who works out of their home and let them help you.

Yes, good advice, I truly have been trying to find anyone to do this. I asked both factories if they would let me pay to use one of their workers. I tried in Nepal, I am completely baffled why a factory that could get a big order will not allow me to work with a worker and pay.

I am presently stapling together the pieces so they see what is should look like. I then will give them new pieces, hand them to a Thailand person in front of the Hotel to sew. I am 90 percent sure this will work. They will be able to see what it is supposed to look like, and just sew where I have marked.

If not, I buy a machine. I know in Guatemala or Peru this would work great.

How about asking one of those tailors of men's suits? I know they do not work with your type of fabric, but maybe they can make a mock-up in a lighter fabric that you can use to show people what you want.

I thought of them because they are used to doing custom work, and would not find it odd to make a one-off.

As to why a factory would not want to work with you - they are used to doing their business in a very specific way. When you do things differently, they don't understand and don't want to get involved. You may need to find an agent or middle-man. I have only a tiny bit of experience, but my middle-man was able to get quite good samples of a new design (of dolls) made quickly and at little cost. I'm sorry I cannot give you his name.

Good luck, and please keep an open mind for not only how to design the backpack, but also how to meet the person who can steer you though the manufacturing system.

This was one of the realization in the Philippines. To make a bag is sewing, an tailor could do it quicker, better and understand how to size and layout a bag. I have about 10 accessories for the bags, and the factory wanted weeks to figure out how to make. I knew I could hand them to a sewing company or tailor and they could do 100 in just a few days, and would not even think hard.

There are many India Tailors in Thailand, yet I never see the actual tailors working, makes me nervous to find out where they are...