Easy2Bid

The wedding dress is but one part of the accessories a bride needs on her wedding day.

2010-09-01 – www.easy2bid.com

A wedding dress is much more than just a dress. It is the most important piece of equipment for any woman on the most important day of her life.2010-08-31 - www.easy2bid.comThe wedding dress simply must be perfect. No matter what kind of dress the bride wants, it is possible. Actually, the only limitation is the price. Most brides chose to wear a white dress, even if it is not their first marriage. A Little Bit of HistoryThe color white symbolizes purity and innocence, because in the old days the bride would remain a virgin until her wedding night (in theory at least). That piece of symbolism is widely disregarded today. For the upper class the white wedding dress already became fashionable during the middle ages but in the 16^th century red wedding dresses became quite popular with the upper class. Red is the color of love, which might have been one of the reasons for this change of colors. The red wedding dresses dominated until the end of the 18^th century at which point white wedding dresses once again became popular with the upper class. This situation has remained unchanged until today. For common people it was customary to wear some sort of local suit at weddings. This custom endured until the middle of the 19^th century. Hereafter black became the chosen color for wedding dresses. This was because black was the color of the upper class’ party clothes. Thus, it seemed quite natural that wedding dresses too were black. Not before somewhere around 1920 did it become modern for common people to wear white wedding dresses. SuperstitionThere is a lot of superstition in regard to wedding dresses. For instance you can not make your own dress because every stitch will represent a tear in your marriage. If someone else makes the dress for you, the last stitch must be made on the day of the wedding, if not it is bad luck. Also, the must not see the dress before the day of the wedding, if he does that too is bad luck. Get the Dress of Your Dreams 

As I mentioned before, the price is oft times the biggest obstacle to getting the perfect dress. One piece of advice in this age of global trade would be to purchase the dress in another country. China is one possibility. Many Chinese dressmakers accept orders via the internet, and if you are honest about your measurements the result is almost guarantied to be a success. Furthermore, there are many Chinese manufacturers and suppliers that can send premade dresses that you can have fitted at home. Even with domestic fittings the price will oft times be considerably lower. So, there is no reason not to get the perfect dress.

To many westerners China is one big, homogenous country inhabited by one people – the Chinese. The reality is vastly more complex.www.easy2bid.comChina’s economy is soaring. Chinese manufacturers produce an ever larger part of goods and Chinese suppliers sell them. Today everybody knows and has an opinion about China and the Chinese economic miracle. But, most westerners fail to understand the complexity of the Chinese realm. China is not simply one country; it consists of many provinces and many different peoples. The MinoritiesOff course most westerners know about Tibet and Tibetans because this province gets a lot of attention from the western media. However, the Tibetan people is but one of many Chinese minorities. Officially speaking ‘The Chinese People’ - zhonghua minzu, consists of 56 different peoples. The majority is the Han people, and they account for more than 90 percent of the total Chinese population. The remaining 55 peoples, the minorities or shaoshu minzu, only account for 8-10 percent of the population. As such one might think that the minority populations play a very small role in China. This is not entirely true. With a population of 1.3 billion people, 8-10 percent is still more than 100 people. Furthermore, there are other factors that matter when considering the minority question.Strategy and ResourcesSome provinces in China are designated as autonomous minority regions, such as Tibet, Guangxi, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia. These regions comprise a large part of China’s total territory, and furthermore they are largely border regions, meaning that, strategically, they have great importance. Besides, many of Chinas natural resources are to be found in the minority areas, and with the enormity of the Chinese population, the mere question of having enough space for housing and growing crops is a matter of crucial importance.  ImplicationsThe minorities of China make up a large tapestry of different races, cultures, and religions. Furthermore, some minorities will speak none or only very poor mandarin (the official dialect of China). With China being at the center of global trade, this is something that must be considered by western companies wanting to do business in China. It isn’t necessarily a problem, but depending on where one wishes to set up business there is a chance of encountering all sorts of cultural and religious challenges. These matters can usually be resolved without grievance as long as one is aware of them advance. This is one reason why seeking professional help before coming to China is often advisable. Fortunately there are many companies providing such services, ensuring that trade between China and the west flows without too many problems.

From the 24^th till the 26^th of August, Easy2Bid attended the China international Knitting Trade fair at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.2010-08—26 - www.easy2bid.comThe Danish B2B internet platform Easy2Bid is constantly trying to expand its supplier and manufacturer directories. Even though Easy2Bid has got more than 70,000 suppliers and manufacturers, finding more is always a top priority. One way of finding new customers is for Easy2Bid to attend the different trade fairs in China.Professional staffAs always Easy2Bid sent a team of Chinese as well as western employees to the knitting trade fair. Easy2Bid’s goal is to connect western buyers with Chinese suppliers and manufacturers. To accomplish this goal Easy2Bid has put together a team consisting of experts on the Chinese as well as the European market. Generally speaking The Chinese employees handle Chinese customers and the Chinese market and the Danish employees handle the western buyers and the westerns markets.  This way Easy2Bid’s staff is fully equipped to handle any problems that may occur.The FairMany different companies attended The China International Knitting Trade Fair. There were a huge variety of products’ suppliers, such as sock suppliers, jackets suppliers, sweater suppliers, T shirt suppliers, textile machines suppliers, and underwear suppliers. Easy2Bid’s stall was situated across from that of an underwear company. Despite being busy speaking with potential new customers the staff of Easy2Bid found a little time to enjoy the beautiful models the underwear company had employed to show of their products. Especially the Chinese staff members seemed taken with the stunning models. The Danish member of the team, Buyer Service Manager, Carsten Lund Christensen said: »off course the girls are beautiful, but we must not forget that the reason why we are here is to find more new suppliers and manufacturers for our buyers. At Easy2Bid the customers always come first and professionalism is always a given«, said Carsten while casting a glance at the long legged Chinese models.

Everything is made in China. That is not news but it is news that China is, although slowly, moving up the value chain.

2010-08-20 – www.easy2bid.com

China surpassed Japan as the world's second largest economy in the second quarter as Japan's nominal gross domestic product from April to June reached $1.288 trillion, compared to China's $1.337 trillion. Economists furthermore believe that China is "highly likely" to surpass Japan in terms of GDP this year. China's domestic consumption has also been expanding rapidly. During the first seven months, retail sales of consumer goods increased by 18.2 percent year-on-year to 8.5 trillion Yuan ($1.25 trillion), according to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics. 

Foreign Direct Investment

China's foreign direct investment (FDI) for July surged by 29 percent compared to the same time last year. Actually China is close to receiving as much foreign direct investment as The United States of America. Foreign Direct Investment has been rising in China the last 30 years, but there is one difference from earlier. Before, foreign companies would mainly invest in low cost, low tech industrial production. An example would be the production of apparels such as Children Clothing, Silk Bedding, Sweater, and so on. This time however a big part of the foreign direct investment has gone into the Chinese service sector. When foreign companies invest in the Chinese service sector it is because they believe that there is a vast potential of domestic consumption. And, China's domestic consumption has been expanding rapidly. During the first seven months, retail sales of consumer goods increased by 18.2 percent year-on-year to 8.5 trillion Yuan ($1.25 trillion), according to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics. This is because the Chinese middleclass has grown, and the middleclass has money to spend. 

Moving up the Value Chain

Also, China is trying to move up the value chain by producing high tech products. It is a slow process though. No doubt that China will depend of the profits from low cost low tech production for many years still. No doubt, products like sweaters, silk bedding, non woven bags, and photo frames will to a large degree be produced by Chinese manufacturers and supplied by Chinese suppliers. But, things are changing. One example could be photo frames. A large part of the world’s photo frames are being produced in China. They are made from wood, aluminum and other materials, and are a result of low cost low tech production. However, digital photo frames, the newest trend in photo frames are also, to a large degree, being produced in China by Chinese manufacturers. And this is just one example of China producing high tech products. So, however slowly, China is moving up the value chain and will undoubtedly continue to do so.

The children’s clothes industry has experienced remarkable growth the last 5-10 years. The explanation can be found in an more important need to promote ourselves.2010-08-18 – www.easy2bid.comThe Good Old DaysIn “the good old days” dressing children was a practical matter. The clothes had to meet certain demands such as being sufficiently warm and comfortable. I myself wore track suits until I was 10 years old, only then did I get my first pair of jeans. I was perfectly happy, probably because my friends wore the same kind. Today however, this has changed drastically. At Christmas, Children of 8-9 years are handing over wish lists containing only popular brand names like Dolche & Gabanna or Gucci. It is the name that is important, even for small children.            The parentsObviously the children are learning this behavior from someone, namely their parents. Today it is very important for most people to signal to their surroundings that they are successful. Children are an important part of the identity of most parents, and therefore the appearance of the children has become a crucial part of signaling your own success. There is much focus on having children and being parents. You can gain a lot of status by having the perfect family and having the perfect family includes having perfect children. This probably goes a long way in explaining why the accessories for children have become so important. If your children look successful, you look successful. If our children look neglected it is hard for us to appear successful in the eyes of our surroundings. The FutureIt seems likely parents will continue spending large amounts of money dressing their children to make them into symbols of their own success. Already today it is obvious that much of the clothes for children are being purchased online. This requires certain skills and tools to be applied. Tools like ‘search engine optimization’ and ‘Google Analytics’ will be ever more important in promoting one’s commodities. Like so many products today, many children clothing such as sweater, are being produced in China by Chinese manufacturers and supplied by Chinese suppliers. The competition is fierce because the market already seems saturated. The strategy for producers must be to produce cost efficiently but still produce high quality. This is true of many products, but especially so in an industry where completion is as fierce as in that of children’s clothing. Manufacturers must target their marketing efforts and trace the effect of every new effort. The buyers must ensure a varied collection of goods that stand out from that of others’. At the same time however they can not rely solely on unknown brands seeing that generating traffic is an important factor. Thus, the key to success in the children’s clothes industry will be low cost production, high quality, branding, and understanding the tools of the internet.

The wig has a long history, from ancient Egypt till today. It can be made from a variety of different materials and used for numerous purposes.2010-08-17 – www.easy2bid.comBasically a wig is a head of hair made from horsehair, human hair, wool, feathers, buffalo hair, or synthetic materials which is worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first appeared in the English language around 1675.            The ancient Egyptians wore them to shield their shaved, hairless heads from the sun. Other ancient cultures, including the Assyrians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, also used wigs. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the use of wigs fell into abeyance in the West for a thousand years until revived in the 16th century as a means of compensating for hair loss or improving one's personal appearance. They also served a practical purpose: the unhygienic conditions of the time meant that hair attracted head lice, a problem that could be much reduced if natural hair were shaved and replaced with a more easily de-loused artificial hairpiece. At some point, even soldiers wore wigs. From the late 17th to early 19th Centuries, European armies wore uniforms more or less imitating the civilian fashions of the time, but with militarized additions. As part of that uniform, officers wore wigs more suited to the drawing rooms of Europe than its battlefields.

            Today wigs are being used for a number of different purposes. Actors and actresses use them for disguises, off course. But they are also used by regular people for covering baldness or just for fun. One of the more curious applications is a relic from the past. In Britain and most Commonwealth nations, special wigs are also worn by barristers, judges, and certain parliamentary and municipal or civic officials as a symbol of the office. The original purpose of the legal wig was said to provide a form of anonymity and safety. Today it is simply tradition. Another curious application is cross dressers using wigs in different styles to make their hair seem more feminine.

                There are two methods of attaching hair to wigs. The first and oldest is to weave the root ends of the hair onto a warp of three silk threads to form a sort of fringe called a "weft". The wefts are then sewn to a foundation made of net or other material. In modern times, the wefts can also be made with a specially adapted sewing machine, reducing the amount of hand labor involved. In the 19th century another method came into use. A small hook called a "ventilating needle", similar to the tambour hooks used for decorating fabric with chain-stitch embroidery at that period, is used to knot a few strands of hair at a time directly to a suitable foundation material. This newer method produces a lighter and more natural looking wig. High quality custom wigs, and those used for film and theatrical productions are usually done this way. It is also possible to combine the two techniques, using weft for the main part of the wig and ventilating hair at the edges and partings to give a fine finish.

On Friday 6^th a sales team from Easy2Bid met with potential customers at the elegant Yihe Tea house in beautiful Ningbo.2010-08-09 – www.easy2bid.comThe Danish B2B internet company, Easy2Bid, has been in business for more than five years. The concept for Easy2Bid is to provide a B2B internet platform where European and China suppliers can find each other and do business together. Even though Easy2Bid has a China supplier’s directory with more than 70,000 China manufacturers they are constantly attempting to add more and this is why they hosted the sales meeting in Ningbo on Friday 6^th.       The traditional setting of the Yihe Tea house provided a perfect frame for such a get-together. Waitresses in Traditional Chinese style outfits served tea for Easy2Bid’s sales team and the Chinese manufacturers who had chosen to come and hear more about the services Easy2Bid can provide for them.       Easy2Bid is a Danish company but first and foremost it is an international company with affiliations in Denmark, China, and Vietnam. This means that they have customers and connections all over the world. It also means that they have a staff that consists of people who possess a great deal of knowledge about the western as well as the Asian markets.       For the meeting in Ningbo Easy2Bid had brought along Chinese and Western employees alike. One of these western employees, Key Account Manager, Line Myllerup started the meeting by giving a presentation about the future potential for business cooperation between Europe and China.  After this the Chinese sales team gave a very thorough presentation about the services offered by Easy2Bid. Following the presentations the Chinese manufacturers had opportunity to ask questions of Easy2Bid’s staff. Some had questions about the Chinese market and these were predominantly answered by the Chinese members of the sales team. Those who had questions about the European market and European buyers had the opportunity to speak with Line Myllerup and the other Danish member of the sales team, Buyer Service Manager, Carsten Lund Christensen. »Line and I primarily handle the European Buyers« Carsten said. »But even though these events are targeted at Chinese manufacturers, there will always be at least two western staff members present, in case the Chinese manufacturers should have any questions about our area of expertise. For instance, today, I have spoken with some Chinese manufacturers who wanted to know, how to deal with European customers and whether or not we already have Buyers looking for the products they are offering for sale. These questions are best answered by the western staff members, because we are the ones dealing with the European markets and buyers«. Line Myllerup explained »Attending these events is also hugely beneficial to us because it gives us the opportunity to gain more knowledge about the Chinese suppliers and their products. We mostly deal with the European buyers, so being a part of these events enables us to put a face on the suppliers that we usually only know from email correspondence«, »and that in turn enables the whole company to provide a better service, and that is what it is all about« Carsten Lund Christensen concluded.        

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Bedding comes in many styles, colors, designs, and materials. Choosing bedding isn’t merely a question of which look you prefer though. Choosing the right kind of bedding might have a positive influence on your health.2010-08-03 – www.easy2bid.comWhich kind of bedding set should one choose? The short answer to this question is that you should choose whatever kind of bedding suits you the best. There are however other factors than style and comfort factors to be considered when choosing which kind of bedding set to acquire.       Comfort is of course a very important factor for most people when buying bedding set. One thing that has a great deal of influence on the level of comfort afforded by bedding is the choice of material. There are many different kinds of materials being used for producing bedding set, such as cotton, polyester, silk, and satin. Choosing the kind that suits you the best can be quite important.  It may help you to sleep properly, and it is common knowledge that sleeping well is very important. Having the right kind of pillow, blanket, bed covers, and sheets might actually ensure you a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, having low quality bedding might cause you to loose sleep. So, comfort is important, but not just because it nice to lie in soft sheets, but because it might help you sleep better.       Still more people are suffering from asthma and different sorts of allergies nowadays. To those people, choosing the right or most comfortable bedding can actually have an influence on their allergies. It is important to stress that the problem with allergy can not be solved simply by buying the right kind of bedding set. It is also important to stress that buying the right kind of bedding can not cure anyone of allergies. No matter what kind of bedding one might have, it is still important to have a clean environment. Washing your bedding set, airing out your rooms, and using vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters are at all times prudent advice for people with allergies.       Having said this, purchasing the right kind of bedding can however, to some degree, alleviate the symptoms of allergy. People with allergies are advised to buy 100% cotton bedding or bedding made from other sorts of natural fibers. Furthermore dust proof bedding covers for mattresses, blankets, and pillows can help decrease the number of dust mites living in ones bedding. Another thing is that cheap foam pillows often will emit gasses that can cause asthma attacks. So, even though buying the right kind of bedding set can not by itself solve the problem, it does help.       Unfortunately the right kind of bedding set is oft times quite expensive. One advice could be to search for alternative China suppliers. China manufacturers, for instance, are most often cheaper than European suppliers. Thus, one solution for those struggling with allergies could be to search the online portals for foreign suppliers. No matter what, if acquiring the right kind of bedding can provide a better quality of life, it would be a shame not to take advantage of that opportunity.

Billions and billions of plastic bags are thrown away every year. They end up in nature destroying the environment.2010-07-29 - www.easy2bid.comThe text on the bag reads, if you use this bag instead of a plastic bag, it will spare the environment of 13 kg of Co2.Every day a huge amount of disposable plastic bags are thrown away, all over the world. In China the government has forbidden stores to hand out free plastic bags. The problem with plastic bags polluting the Chinese landscape had simply gotten out of hand.       One possible solution to the problem could be the so-called “non woven bags”. Non Woven is a term used by the textile industry to describe materials bonded together by entangling fiber or filaments (and by perforating films) mechanically, thermally or chemically. They are flat, porous sheets that are made directly from separate fibers or from molten plastic or plastic film. They are not made by weaving or knitting and do not require converting the fibers to yarn. You may think this was a long tedious explanation, but I assure you, that it was the short version.       Non woven materials may possess various beneficial characteristics, such as absorbency, liquid repellency, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardancy, washability, cushioning, filtering, bacterial barrier and sterility.       Non woven materials are used for many different kinds of products, one of which being, bags. The most positive thing about non woven bags, at least when considering the environment, is the simple fact that they last longer than plastic bags. The same bag can be used for months, perhaps even years, saving the environment from the massive amount of plastic bags that destroy the landscape of various countries around the world.       In China, many China manufactures have already started producing non woven bags. If you look at any Chinese online B2B portal, you will find numerous China suppliers of non woven bags. There are two reasons for this emphasis on non woven bags. Besides plastic bags being everywhere as soon as you get as little as 5-10 kilometers outside the big cities of China, the climate issue is also very important to the Chinese. If you consider all facts, non woven bags are considerably less damaging to the environment that plastic bags, and the production of these bags causes a much lesser degree of co2 emissions.       So, with the attention, that the climate debate is receiving today, non woven bags is without a doubt a thing of the future. 

Danish and Chinese manufacturers are cooperating about environmental projects.

2010-07-28 – www.easy2bid.com

Danida (Danish International Development Assistance), under the Danish Ministry of Foreign affairs has started a B2B program in China. The program intends to bring together Danish and China manufacturers, in order to research and develop environmentally sound technology.

       China is currently suffering the consequences of rapid economic growth I regards to its environment. 16 of the world’s most polluted cities can be found in China, China is producing massive amounts of garbage, and clean water is becoming scarcer by the day. Also, these days China is experiencing some very floods, possibly, at least in part, due to climate changes. With China itself being the world’s largest emitter of C02 it is obvious to all that China bears a large part of the responsibility for these circumstances.

       However, unlike the story being told in the US and to a lesser degree Europe, China is actually taking action. The B2B cooperation Between Danish and China suppliers is one example of this. Two of the focal points of this cooperation are sustainable energy and water cleaning. These are two fields where Danish companies have a great amount of expertise, and something that China certainly needs.

       The goal for Danida and the Danish manufacturers, besides doing good for the environment, is obviously to gain access to the Chinese market and lower production costs. In return for this, what the Danish manufacturers offer is transference of technology along with a great deal of knowhow.

       Another benefit of the program is that it is being used to develop some of the more backwards areas of China, such as Anhui, Chongqing, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Yunnan.

       These areas often have problems attracting investments, and thus the level of economic development is substantially lower in these areas. This is reflected in livings standards as well in the level of education. By placing factories and research facilities in these often remote areas the B2B program, besides benefitting the environment and manufacturers, may also aid the people in these areas.

The Danish B2B platform Easy2bid has got directories containing more than 70,000 Chinese suppliers and manufacturers.2010-07-21 Easy2bid.comThe vast number of suppliers means that Easy2bid can provide most all sorts of products. If one looks at something as simple as vacuum cleaners, it becomes very obvious that Easy2bid’s Chinese suppliers manufacture a variety of different products. Even though buying a vacuum cleaner may seem like a rather uncomplicated matter, there are, never the less, things to be considered. Allergies would be one such thing. At Easy2bid.com you can find a multitude of vacuum cleaners that, actively, helps people with allergies.       Hepa filters can be found in many of the vacuum cleaners at Easy2bid.com. Hepa filters were invented in the 1940s as a part of the Manhattan project to prevent the spread of radioactive particles into the air. Today, however, the filters are most known for their use in vacuum cleaners. Hepa filters, basically, consist of randomly arranged fibers with a diameter of between 0,5 and 2,0 micrometers. They use the three mechanisms of interception, impaction, and diffusion to remove as much as 99,97 of the airborne particles in your home. So, if you have allergies it is definitely worth it to purchase a vacuum cleaner with a Hepa filter.        Another kind of vacuum cleaner that is very beneficial for people with allergies is steam vacuum cleaners. These vacuum cleaners simply use water to clean your house. The water is heated to 100 degrees celcious, which means that it will kill all bacteria as well as most dust mites. This way you can keep your house free from the things that trigger allergies, and you can do so without the use of chemicals.       These two products along with many other can be found at the B2B portal Easy2bid.com, manufactured by Chinese suppliers.

Plato said in ‘Laws’ that: "We should learn to use the children's games to channel their pleasures and desires towards activities in which they have to engage when they are adult...".2010-07-22 www.Easy2bid.com The parents of today tend to have high expectations of their children. Thus, it is quite normal for children to, already, be able to read when they start school. Even toys are changing. Nowadays toys are more than just toys, they are a tool for educating children. Thus, the so-called educational toys are becoming increasingly more popular, perhaps, especially among parents.       What then is an educational toy? One definition, derived from wipekedia is that educational toys: “enhance, intellectual, social, emotional, and/or physical development.” One might argue that this is true of almost any toy, but the thing that differentiates educational toys from other toys is that the toy is intended to teach certain skills to children.       A classic example of what might be considered an educational toy is a traditional jigsaw puzzle. This toy has amused children of all ages for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years. However, the jigsaw puzzles of today have evolved, they have become 3D puzzles. Other examples of educational toys would be all sorts of scale models, cars planes, and so forth requiring children to construct complex structures. Lego, the small building blocks from the Danish company of the same name, would be one such example. Lego allows children to build a multitude of structures using a blue print, but also to construct various things using only their own imagination as a blue print.       Chinese parents are without a doubt among the parents in the whole world who demand the most from their children. So, not surprisingly, Chinese parents are very fond of educational toys. This is also reflected in the number of Chinese companies manufacturing educational toys.       Some of the Chinese manufacturers will even claim that educational toys can be used to relieve stress, increase intelligence, stop dementia, and prolong a person’s lifespan.  Whether or not this is true, I shall leave up to your own imagination, but the reality is that educational toys are here to stay.

Even though the number of cars rises steadily in the cities of China, there are still many bicycles in the streets.

2010-07-26 – www.easy2bid.com (More)