Interesting Turn Of Events

During October 2012, the Wiggy’s Oregon store opened in Bend, Oregon. REI has a large store there as well since Bend has a very large active outdoor community for skiers, bikers, hunters, fishermen, as well as climbers and recreational campers. Over 4 million people each year vacation there as well. That said, is it any wonder that REI would have a large presence there? But they also have created an interesting positive position for the Wiggy’s store.

We have been told by a couple of the smaller retailers who cater to the camping market that they gave up their lines of sleeping bags because they couldn’t compete with REI. What we also have learned is that the sleeping bags that REI sells which are made in China are faltering. This is not new news to me. A long time Wiggy’s customer who lives in North Carolina and works part time at an REI store told me of the returns of bags in large numbers because they are falling apart, seams are opening, and they are not keeping people warm. The current newsletter (January 2013) is all about the Lamina bag that I purchased at the local REI store in Grand Junction. From the pictures you can see the shoddy workmanship which I expect is the same for all the sleeping bags emanating from China — regardless of the brand name sewn on them. It is my understanding that there are but 2 or 3 factories that produce all of the American brands. I fully expect that this same shoddy workmanship is duplicated in the outerwear that is also made in China.

At this time I am looking into developing a new line of Lamilite insulated outerwear garments that are more stylish than what we have been making. If that comes to pass they will be on the web site no later than June 2013.

Maybe this situation with the sleeping bags is taking place all over the country wherever REI has a store. That will be good for Wiggy’s.

The reason the Wiggy’s Oregon store opened was because REI turned me down as a supplier. However, the decided to pay me for the sample bag I sent to them which they probably took to China to make an effort to duplicate. That would be paramount to say they have "a Chinaman’s chance in hell of being successful".

I suspect if they were to actually duplicate what I do in China, it would be more expensive than what I do here in the good old USA.