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@Roberto
Rapha makes probably the most expensive cycling gear in the planet, and i know a lot of people who thinks they are "made in London" or "UK"...
A friend of mine wrote to them to find out why their clothes costs so much, since well, they are made miles away from UK - just like Nike, Puma, Adidas or Reebok.
*Hello,
I am an avid cyclist and a custom of yours, I purchased the tricolor
jersey and the merino classic jersey a while back. I was surprised
after washing my garment for the first time, to see a tag of which
materials were used, and the production land. I was amazed that it
said Made in China, I paid top money to purchase your items as I
understood they were hand made in the UK. I am also a bit puzzled
about the price, how can a jersey be worth 120 UK pounds, when the
labor cost in China is about 1 percent of that. Is the mark up just a
marketing scheme. I am sorry to say that I will not be shopping from
you guys again.
Kind regards,
Raffaele G.*
Reply from Rapha:
***- Forwarded message ----------
From: Simon Mottram simon@rapha.cc
Date: 17-Jun-2007 23:43
Subject: Re: Great products but...
To: Raffaele G.
Cc: Enquiries enquiries@rapha.cc
Hello Raffaele
Thanks for getting in touch and for buying our products.
We manufacture some garments in China because the quality the factories
offer there is first rate and they are very reliable producers. The cost
price advantage is a secondary issue.
If you've ever tried to have products made in the UK, you'd apreciate how
hard it is to get craftsmanship and reliable delivery. I wish it was
otherwise.
Our high prices come from the expensive fabrics and trims we use, not from a
'marketing scheme'. We have yet to make a profit (but are working hard at
changing that).
Thanks again for getting in touch. If you have a problem with Chinese
manufacture I don't suppose I will have changed your mind. But I hope I have
clarified why and how we use factories there.
Kind regards
Simon
Simon Mottram
Managing Director
R A P H A
Performance Roadwear
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
http://www.rapha.cc/
simon@rapha.cc
Office: +44 (0) 20 7485 5000
Mobile: +44 (0) 7979 597 807
Rapha Racing Ltd.
Imperial Works
Perren Street
London
NW5 3ED