Hello Yank Friends,

Time has flown by and dragged on all at once over the past six months. I’m not sure if anyone else can relate to that strange feeling.

“If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.” These words have become my mantra for the past few months. In my previous Latest News entry, I explained the difficult events which triggered a new journey to figure out how to keep colourful printed merino in production. 

Since that update, it’s been a rollercoaster of ups and downs — with a few unexpected opportunities along the way. A more personal note that ads to this story, earlier this year it became necessary I book travel to the United States to spend much-needed time with family in the Midwest.. which is where I sit as I write these words.

I did not mention in my previous update that a sizeable shipment of fabrics had just departed port en route to NZ when I was notified by the NZ fabric printer that they were closing down. Disappointingly, this information had been withheld through the 3 months of communicating with them about this fabric shipment being on its way. An easy detail to gloss over on the surface. In reality this tiny detail has caused the biggest strain in figuring out how to blaze a trail to move Yank forward financially as well as physically. Unfortunately, the complex process of moving goods across international borders grounded the plans to establish manufacturing with my fabric supplier in Vietnam.
 
Disheartened yet still determined to keep searching, in the final weeks before I left for the US, while conversations with Vietnam had slowed to snail’s pace, I felt inspired to broaden my search. I reached out to a few manufacturers in the United States — and I found a positive hit. One of the last manufacturers I reached out to responded quickly and made the whole process of starting a conversation easy. As I packed my bags, I sent a parcel of sampling fabric to explore the potential.

Two weeks into my trip, the first construction samples arrived.
 
The result was beautiful. ✨

Clean seams and excellent quality. It was time to make some big decisions. I postponed my trip back to NZ and began the process of acquiring the necessary credentials to make it possible to work with this manufacturer in the US.

At the end of last week, I traveled to visit their facilities. It was so nice to meet the team in person, shake their hands, and have productive conversations. I also got to tour their spotless, bright, and well organised workspace. It was in this same weekend that the rolls of fabric I have had sitting in storage made their way into California. 
 
This past Thursday I finally started the process of working through the first steps preparing to do colour sampling onto fabrics here in the United States. I have a sizeable spreadsheet that needs to be completed, and a proposed production plan to finalise. Things are not entirely out of the woods yet.. but the trail ahead is much easier ground to travel. Song lyrics that describe the feeling best - 
 
“I can see clearly now the rain has gone.. I can see all the obstacles in my way.. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s gonna be a bright, bright Sun-shiny Day!” song ~ by Johnny Nash
 
We have finally made it to the fun part. I get to work through the stages of the process which I am best familiar. Still swallowing my excitement, aware there is work to be done. It is nice to have forward momentum towards the light at the end of a very long tunnel.
 
I would like to say “Thank You!” to everyone who has placed orders, sent emails, reached out and/or continued to visit my online store. Your continued support of Yank has been a great encouragement, and very much appreciated.
 
To all of the lovely customers who are in the United States, who have reached out via email, visited or supported the Yank website. Last year my shipping provider stopped processing parcels into the US while they restructured their systems to accommodate the tariff change on goods imported into the country. Due to all of the recent ‘busy’ business, I have not yet re-open my sales channel into the States. I have good news though! As production starts to take shape, Yank is setting up to provide ground shipping within the United States. Please spread the word, share this news with your like minded friends.
 
To all of the above… be sure to watch this space. I am really looking forward to sharing images of what is to come. 🙂