Here is an excerpt of our four key learnings for doing production overseas:

There are no assumptions.

Culture, technology, language, taste, ethics, values—don't take anything for granted and make no assumptions. Set all of your expectations from the beginning and make them clear. How fast do you expect to hear back on emails? Is it important that you are able to call and get through to someone? Did you specify everything down to the kerning on your packaging font? If you are picky and want things to run smoothly don't leave anything to the imagination. Communicate however you can; record videos, draw images, make tech packs, use Skype. For everyone's sake, always confirm everything over email. If you find yourself relaying lots of information over email make sure it's in bullets. It will make it easier to identify your points and respond to them quickly.

Go Local.

If you are producing overseas, it's most ecological, and often even economical, to set aside a few weeks for prototyping on site. Ideally, you would submit your sketches and technical design weeks in advance and arrive when they are ready. Then you'll have 2-3 weeks to make final design changes, discuss quality concerns, and go through any packaging plans. You may also discover better locally sourced raw materials that you may not have known about before. As a designer/entrepreneur I am sure 2-3 weeks sounds like too much time to be away from your business but it can save countless hours of back and forth communication and, more importantly, the costly chances that issues may arise post-production. (Personal tip: don't forget to enjoy and explore the local area—there is no point to doing this if you don't love it and have fun.)

Get excited but stay focused on quality.

Sometimes the excitement of a new product makes it hard to see quality flaws. With any product, especially handmade products, consistency/quality can be a challenge. Have a checklist of ways you plan to test the quality and endurance of your product with you before you arrive. Start carrying and using the prototype right away. Depending on the product, be sure to wash it, dry it, leave it in the sun, drop it, bury it, soak it—think about any possible scenario the product may find a take it to the next level.

Don't leave empty handed.

Try and leave with the final prototype so you can take product photos as soon as possible. Often times the missing link for pre-orders is a high-quality photo of the actual product, this capital raised from pre-production sales can help fund the production round.

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