Some Westeds Made in India? Please clarify

[Raider S]

When I recieved it I gave it a once over and looked at the stictching along the shoulders, the sleeves, etc. I also looked at the quality of the leather. When I got the jacket out today I noticed the stitching on the front bottom near the zipper seemed loose. I then looked at the other side and noticed the stitching is simply loose and falling out. That part of the jacket looks like its several years old.

Again, the jacket looks nice, fits well, and other than one small flaw already pointed out the leather is fine.

If this were the case on the USW jacket I just recieved I'd point it out as well and post pics.

I could care less who made it or where they made it - I have lots of nice things made in China, Egypt, Pakistan, and all over - all I care about is the quality. Even SA doesn't mean that much to me.

[Raider S]

By the way, why shouldn't people who spend a few hundred dollars on a jacket be able to inspect it closely?

You make it sound like anyone who thinks thier jacket was outsourced (which again, doesn't really bother me) shouldn't be able to very critical of the quality. A few little things aren't cause for concern, several dozen borken threads are.

This is a simple QC issue, not a reflection on all of Westeds products. Sometimes things slip throught that shouldn't - happens with any company.

[PSBIndy]

Well, I guess some OTR "Specials" are indeed made in the U.K. ....while others, like my washed goat (which didn't come with a certificate), are imports.........I've sent several emails to Wested to see if they would confirm the country of origin of my jacket.......but alas, no response.

[IndyFalco]

Are the OTR jackets mailed directly from Wested? or once the order comes to them they ship it out directly from their manufactures in India?

Does Peter sign every certificate or are they laser printed on to the certificate? Even for the OTR's?

[Indiana Strones]

Are the OTR jackets mailed directly from Wested? or once the order comes to them they ship it out directly from their manufactures in India?

Does Peter sign every certificate or are they laser printed on to the certificate? Even for the OTR's?

OTR jackets are mailed directly from Wested. And the Peter's sign is laser printed.

[PETER]

This a copy of reply to Indiana George.
' The lambskin jacket was made here in our English factory, the washed goat skin was made in my unit in India as are all the special offer jackets. I am sorry if that offends you but if you want it replaced with a UK made one I am happy to exchange it at no extra charge although it would normally be extra.
Unlike others making the jackets in India it was not to make more profit, as I have passed the saving into the reduced price, but to ease our order situation with the recent dramatic increase in sales. It also helps those with leaner pockets.
All the materials used are the same as our UK production made to strict UK spec and in my opinion are every bit as good as those produced here.'

Let me go further where on Magnoli's, Todds or USW(where is does not say made in USA) websites do they say country of origin?
It would appear that some of these unauathorised jacket copies costing more than my UK jackets are made in the third world. So why am I the villain.

We have been working flat out trying to keep ahead and I have every faith in my Indian craftsmen who by Indian standards get paid very well.
I am proud of my production and am not racially motivated so I did not see a problem.

That said I will revue my pricing structure and segregate the UK production from the Indian one probably making UK Custom and OTR on Indyjacket.Com and the others on Wested.Com, unless anyone can come up an alternate suggestion

Regards
Peter

[Cassidy]

unless anyone can come up an alternate suggestion

Regards
Peter

I think everyone here would be happy with a free jacket, what do you think, guys?

[whipwarrior]

nicktheguy wrote:
Volkswagon has cars made in Mexico, and they're still Volkswagons
Michaelson wrote:
True. They're also plainly labeled 'Made in Mexico' in the door frame.

whipwarrior wrote:
Hey, I drive one of those!!! Maybe that's why my AC has not worked for 2 years. Still, I love that little car.

Would you be scrutinizing your Wested jackets to this degree if you did NOT know/suspect they were outsourced?

We do it everyday in this club. It goes with the territory! ;-) But I think Indy put it best when he said: "Happens to me all the time."

[Indiana Strones]

So the USWings are not made in USA? Interesting.

[IndyBlues]

So the USWings are not made in USA? Interesting.

No, no. no. SOME of the USWings are/were outsourced. Alot of companies do this. It reflects in the price, as Peter stated above.
It allows all different price ranges, for different sized wallets. If anything, it HELPS people afford an Indy jacket, without putting them in the poor house. Not everyone wants to spend $300 plus on a jacket, but they still would love to own an Indy.
'Blues

[IndianaGeo]

Hi Peter,
I just want you to know that I appreciate your comments. No, I'm certainly not making you a villain of any sort and I apologize if it sounded that way. I know you go out of your way to please your customers, and that I respect highly. I see now that in this example, that's all you were doing (i.e. meeting demand at a busy time). Although you've offered to still give me the discount, I insist that I pay the full price for your English made jacket (under the assumption that I find one that fits, etc)--- I'm not looking for any breaks here.

I've not ever bought from USW, G&B, or anyone else nor have I done an extensive review of their websites. But if I did and found that I felt that I was misled about a purchase or anything, I would raise the issue and tell them how I felt about it and try to make it right in my mind. People sometimes have different factors that go into their purchasing decision and I imagine that sometimes it can drive a business owner crazy trying to please everyone! So I hope I haven't driven you too crazy with my preferences and such. I look forward to visiting your shop again in the near future.
Kind Regards,
IndianaGeo

[Michaelson]

So the USWings are not made in USA? Interesting.

No, no. no. SOME of the USWings are/were outsourced. Alot of companies do this. It reflects in the price, as Peter stated above.
It allows all different price ranges, for different sized wallets. If anything, it HELPS people afford an Indy jacket, without putting them in the poor house. Not everyone wants to spend $300 plus on a jacket, but they still would love to own an Indy.
'Blues

Wings jackets have always been clearly marked 'made in USA' or 'imported' on the main label inside each jacket. There is no guesswork, and it's also plainly stated in the descriptions on their main website. Their signature series are made in their New Jersey plant, and have been for years.

I only see this as being a situation of this information needing to be more clearly stated on your website, Peter rather than guesswork on the part of the buyer. I looked at your website this morning, and it does plainly state on one page that ALL your jackets are made on site and by your workmen. This is nothing stating 'outsourced' or 'imported' in the descriptions that I could find, so the reader is left to assume these are all made by you in the UK. From what you state above, that is clearly no longer the case now, and in this exploding international market, I'm not surprised at how quickly posted information can be past it's time.

As someone stated above, and I completely agree....if I'm purchasing a name brand Swiss watch, and the whole point of purchasing that Swiss watch is because of it's fame in quality and timekeeping, the last thing I'm going to want and see if I open the back of that watch is a movement made somewhere else. It makes no difference if it's as accurate as the Swiss watch.

I'm not just buying the 'name', I'm buying a 'perception' and 'provenance' of that item being made in the shop of the man/company who advertised it. If it's outsourced, tell me.

If there's a vendor who knows his customer, it's YOU, Peter. You've been one of us and among us since 1997. You know we have our 'stitch nazi's' who want an example of a Raiders jacket from a specific scene and frame of the film. We have others who just want an Indy jacket and could care less. You offer one of the best selections one can imagine. Just add that extra bit of information so they can decide exactly how much of that 'provenance' they're willing to let go in their quest for the perfect Wested jacket for their closet.

As an example, Todd's Costume has two different jacket offerings...one is custom, and the other standard. His custom is plain stated 'made in my own shop in California', and the price reflects it too. His standard is outsourced (like your OTR) and THAT price is VASTLY different than his custom. The choice is the buyers.

Eliminate the guesswork as stated on your website (and yes, even if you have to make an adjustment in price. I'm amazed you've been able to compete at the level you have all these years), and all this will immediately clear up.

Just an observation.

HIGH regards! Michaelson

[Doctor_Jones]

I never got that certificate when I bought my last Wested... had e-mailed them about it but never got a response so I never really persude it anymore. doesn't matter really.

[Odo]

I don't care if Westeds are made in India or wherever, as I guess most people wouldn't mind neither, but I would like it to be stated clearly somewhere before buying.
I would always buy again, despite of where do they come from, but I want to know what I'm buying.
In fact I will buy again soon, as I think Westeds are state of tha art and second to none.
But first I have to raise every pennie, as I'm in the 3rd world, too, and belive me here it costs 6 times to get that money than in any other civilized contry. And even that way, I say yes to Peter.

PS: What I was disapointed in someway first time is that the certificate wasn't signed by Peter himself...I care more about that detail than the origin of jackets...After all there must be great tailors and craftmen at Pankot Palace, or am I wrong??????????

[Cassidy]

I think what is most upsetting is a lot of folks were assuming that at one stage or another their jacket passed through the hands of the man who made the original.

[PETER]

Well, in a way it still does.
The jackets come back to Wested to be finished, checked and dispatched. As I personally unpack and check each for quality control before they are put into stock I probably handle more of these than Custom made's.
Cheers
Peter

[Cassidy]

Thanks for clearing that up, Peter.

Cheers.

[PSBIndy]

Well, in a way it still does.
The jackets come back to Wested to be finished, checked and dispatched. As I personally unpack and check each for quality control before they are put into stock I probably handle more of these than Custom made's.
Cheers
Peter

Peter, why doesn't the OTR Indian-made jackets don't come with any certificate? Does this mean that there is also no warranty on these jackets?

[Holt]

all of my off the rack jackets from India have had the certificates...

regards
Holt

[PSBIndy]

all of my off the rack jackets from India have had the certificates...

regards
Holt

Maybe mine was made in Afghanistan!

[Indiana Strones]

My two OTR jackets (full priced, no specials) had certificates, the denim one no.

[PETER]

If the jacket is ordered as a CS jacket I cannot authenticate it even though it is only a copy of a LC jacket. The best I can do is give it an LC certificate, but then its not CS. Predicament.
This mainly relates to the washed goat CS which have a CS style lining.
Shall I change the certificate to cover both?
Cheers
Peter

[Cassidy]

I'd leave it alone, Peter.

The certificate from Wested is worthless for a KotCS style jacket unless it's the novel written inside the Nowak jacket.

That, or you could say that its' a copy of the prototype jacket submitted for consideration for KotCS.