STORIES
Why "made in" matters.
By Daniel Lee, Founder, Studio Ore
One of the questions I’m asked most often is why we manufacture every Studio Ore product at our facility in Italy.
The obvious answer is quality. Italian engineering and finishing are exceptional, and over the years we have built relationships with remarkable people who share our obsession with making things properly. But there is another reason that matters just as much to me. Honesty.
We live in a world where brands carefully curate an identity. They talk about heritage, craftsmanship, tradition and design. Their websites feature beautiful workshops, historic buildings and stories that create a powerful impression of where their products come from.
Yet many products in our industry are manufactured thousands of miles away.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with manufacturing in China. The country is capable of producing everything from low-cost consumer goods to some of the world's most sophisticated technology. Many outstanding companies manufacture there.
This isn't about geography. It is about transparency.
As consumers, we deserve to know where the products we buy are actually made. Not where they were designed. Not where the brand was founded. Not where the marketing department is based.
Where they were manufactured.
That single fact tells you far more than many people realise. It tells you something about labour costs. About employment protection. About environmental standards. About quality control. About logistics. About the people whose hands made the product.
Europe and the UK are expensive places to manufacture.
We have minimum wages. Paid holidays. Sick pay. Maternity and paternity rights. Employment protection. Health and safety legislation. Environmental regulations. These things increase the cost of making products, but I believe they are part of building a fair society. When we manufacture in Italy, we are choosing to support those standards, even though it means our products cost more to make.
Could we reduce our manufacturing costs dramatically by moving production elsewhere? Almost certainly. Would that allow us to sell at lower prices? Yes. But it would also change who we are.
At Studio Ore we have never wanted to compete on price. We want to compete on design, longevity, engineering and integrity. That is why every tap, shower and brass fitting we produce is machined, finished and assembled in Italy before being shipped to our clients around the world.
I am not suggesting every company should make the same decision. Every business has different priorities, different customers and different commercial realities.
What I do believe is that customers deserve complete clarity. If a product is made in China, say so proudly. If it is made in Italy, say so. If it is made in Britain, celebrate it.
Where I become uncomfortable is when branding creates one impression while manufacturing tells another story. Consumers today care more than ever about provenance. They want to know what they are buying, how it was made and who made it. That information should never be difficult to find.
At Studio Ore we are proud to say exactly where our products come from because we believe manufacturing is not just part of the supply chain. It is part of the product itself. And ultimately, I don't want anyone to buy from Studio Ore simply because we manufacture in Italy.
I want them to buy from us because they understand exactly what they are buying, why it costs what it does, and the values that sit behind every product we make.
An informed customer is always the best customer.
