Ethical Dilemma Involving Sewing Leather! Yes Really!

[Gregspitz]

Hello Leather workers

I have primarily been making watch straps for the last few years and love using my Techsew 2750pro to sew them

anyway..the ethical dilemma is that one of the bigger players in the watch strap business on several watch collectors website is blatantly advertising HAND SEWN watch straps when it is clearly seen by anyone(from their own pictures) that they are machine sewn.

The straps look good however this does not seem right to charge a premium for a hand sewn COUSU MAIN strap when it is machine sewn.

I have contacted them discreetly and hope to get a response..but

would YOU post this "problem" on the watch collector sites to set the record straight(with pictures) if they do not respond??

just thought I would run it by here..

thanks

Greg

[Art]

Greg,

I have seen some that definitely were hand sewn (and with a few mistrakes), and some that appear to be machine sewn. There may be more than one "line" of straps with different price points and manufacture. Is this assertion "killing" your business, or does it just tick you off? If you are trying to land a contract with Omega, then they are looking for Style, Quality, Price, and the ability to deliver, in pretty much that order, but that order may change over the course of the day. Hand stitching may only come into play if the customer thinks it will from a sales standpoint. Omega really sells watches. Your watchbands are replacement, upgrade, OEM. I never recommend anyone get into an OEM type of business anymore than I would recommend they start competing, or even selling to Wal-Mart. Little fish in the Amazon have problems swimming with big fish. Transfer those same fish to a pond and they become a lot bigger fish and have a lot less trouble surviving.

Sounds like you already have your own niche; if you're not having problems, leave it alone.

Art

[Tugadude]

Just my $.02 and I'm sure that's what it is worth. Do they say hand stitched? Or hand sewn? For those who parse language, there could be a difference. The other thing that comes to mind is that those who would pay a lot of money for premium leather straps might be able to tell machine sewn versus hand stitched. Some obviously won't. Personally, I would probably let it go. If watch straps were my livelihood and I was losing business to this other company (how would you necessarily know) I might be tempted to make a bigger deal of it.

Life isn't fair, business isn't either. I wish you luck whichever decision you choose!

[Gregspitz]

No malice or anger here. and these are not OEM straps that are being sold..they are an aftermarket company that has a popular website for watch information that is highly respected for their ethics. My straps are custom and this does not affect me at all and as a matter of fact I think the owners of the website DON'T know that they are machine sewn. Personally I do not want to advertise this but I let them know that they are either being misled by their manufacturer or misleading their customers...Just thought it was an interesting topic to throw around and see what people think

thanks

they clearly say hand sewn in their ad.

[soccerdad]

If the group is respected for its ethics, then it seems likely they'd want to know if they are publishing accurate information regarding the straps, including in advertising. Rather than posting on the site for all to see, perhaps you could email and open a civil conversation, just as you've done here. Perhaps they'd follow up with the advertiser.

[Gregspitz]

I did email them and just waiting for a response..

[Art]

Hi Greg,

I remember seeing straps from COUSU MAIN that also had an Omega stamp on the inside liner. If it is the same company, then they are doing OEM work.

Art

[Gregspitz]

Cousu Main just means hand made in French and it is on several hand made straps from several companies

[cjmt]

It irritates me too when people do that. Hand made means many things to many people, including pushing a watch strap through a sewing machine. If you can be completely sure your right I would privately make sure the claim was taken off their website. Hand sewn has to mean hand sewn or it devalues the work of everyone who really does hand sew

Charlie

[soccerdad]

Amen, brother.