Seeking Artisinal Maker Of Custom Bags

[fognsnow]

You've seen those hanging lingerie bags with see-through plastic sections. I have something similar in mind, with removeable velcroed sections - a super-organizer.

My hesitation is that I expect Thailand has more industrial level bag makers than artisans. You know, "Bring us your design, we'll make you a prototype, and reproduce them by the thousands." That seems to be the types of businesses that are advertised on thai business lead listers.

That's not my intention. I am looking for a third world style mom n' pop shop, maybe even one old man, who's an artist at his craft, a fussbudget about detail work, an expert at one of a kind pieces. Right now I am paying $10 in Phnom Penh, when I buy materials (see below). I am happy to pay $50 if the job is done right. The guy should know the craft better than I do. The opposite is the case where I am now, Cambodia.

Alternative 1: Cambodia. Here, I have been able to find only ONE 'craftsman' - but the situation is like this.... If the old lady is in town, and If I don't rush her (she takes months), and if I am willing to go through multiple corrections, and if I accept shoddy work - yes, it's cheap, but the workmanship is marginally acceptable. I keep telling her 'I don't want it done cheap, I want it done well (actually, also fast and precisely as I intended, but I haven't gotten that far). She insists on charging me next to nothing; doing it the way that she finds easiest rather than how I specified according to my drawings; using her second-grade materials when I have carefully selected subtle distinctions in width of webbing, thickness of material, etc; being considerably off in measurements; and taking her sweet time. The bag maker just isn't sophisticated. I've gone through four prototypes as I learn the mistakes of my own 'I have no idea what I'm doing' designs. Her son actually makes pistol holders for cops, so we're the blind leading the blind. It's a frustrating combat with her incompetence/lack of training, my lack of equipment and tools, plus our common lack of experience. I expect that Bangkok would be a candy store of choices in materials. Here, I scour dingy markets looking for quality brass finishings (even the best wholesaler here has mostly plastic.) To make matters worse, the 'bag lady' stopped doing any work for me since I criticized another non-bag job as being very low grade.

Alternative #2: Vietnam. This is probably the best choice, but I am not there, and rarely go. My experience with tailors and computer technicians in Saigon is that they are far better at detail work, harder working, faster, and more business-minded than Khmers.

Alternative #3: Korea. Supposedly there are some fine custom bag makers

there. But again, I am closer to BKK.

What I am not looking for: a hoity-toity status leather bag maker like I have seen in various BKK shopping malls - NOT Siam Leather (which appears to be a showroom/reseller - I really wonder whether they even have any craftsmen in their direct employ). I am looking for a good-value, purely functional, imitation leather bag maker. You know, a family business - in the back room I talk direct with the shop supervisor, not an intermmediary (like Thai Sikh tailors, as far as I can tell they don't cut the cloth).

I am enroute to Laos and have one day going to and from. I'd like to pick it up in two weeks after initial consultation. English fluency would be great but not expected. I could come with a translator. Who knows? I might turn this into a business. But my initial intention, is one of a kind. And if satisfied will come back for two or three more.

If Bangkok no longer has any PVC craftsmen for the fastidious working traveller, what's left Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka?

[pampal]

My g/f has a designer in her factory in china who charges a small amount of money to faithfully reporduce any hand bag.

Don't look for a factory, search for designers who can create one off custom bags.

They can be found very easily in china