I Went to China… And It Changed Everything.

Hey lovely,

Maybe you didn’t know this, but over the past couple of weeks I’ve been in China, visiting three of our manufacturing partners, two fabric mills, and one of the biggest fabric markets I’ve ever seen.

It was my very first trip to China. To be honest, I was equal parts excited and terrified.

I also happened to be overseas while we were launching Espresso. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know Espresso was meant to launch earlier, but between sea freight delays and everything else that comes with manufacturing, it was one of those launches that tested every ounce of patience we had.

Being on the other side of the world while our biggest launch was happening was incredibly stressful. But thanks to this incredible community, it all came together.

Every order, every comment, every share, every message… thank you. I never take for granted that I get to build something I love with women who genuinely believe in what we’re creating. DTL simply wouldn’t exist without you, and I hope you know how grateful I am for every single one of you.

So… why did I go?

There were a lot of goals for this trip, but the biggest one was finally getting our underwire sports bra right.

If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember me mentioning it. What you probably don’t know is that it’s been almost two years in the making. I’ve worked with three different manufacturers trying to perfect it. Some products just can’t be developed over WhatsApp or through late-night video calls. Sometimes you need to be in the room, touching fabrics, adjusting millimetres, trying things on, pulling garments apart and rebuilding them until they’re exactly right.

That’s what this trip was about.

And I’m so excited to say we’re now incredibly close. We’re about one sample away from moving into our full fit testing phase. From there, we’ll produce multiple sizes, test them on our fit models, and even have a small group of our community wear-test them before they ever become available.

That’s something that has always been important to me. I never want to release something because it’s “good enough.” I want it to be something you’re genuinely excited to wear every single day.

There were a few other huge milestones from the trip too…

One of the things I’m most excited about is a completely new fabric that we’ve been developing.

I won’t spoil too much just yet, but this fabric has been created specifically for DTL. It’s our own development, and it’s something we’ll own exclusively. Every detail has been considered from how it feels against your skin to how it performs when you move. I honestly can’t wait until I can show you.

And finally… our running shorts.

These have been on my list for such a long time. I actually wanted them finished in time for Kels’ marathon, but we just couldn’t make the timing work.

The good news? They’re almost there.

We’re one sample away from approval, and they’re becoming everything I hoped they would be. Flowy. Feminine. Comfortable. Functional. The kind of shorts you can actually run in without constantly pulling them down or adjusting them. With thoughtful details like pockets, an adjustable drawstring waistband and a fit designed for every body. Exactly what I always wished existed.

Walking through factories, sitting with our manufacturers, feeling hundreds of fabrics, sketching new ideas and seeing products come to life reminded me why I started DTL in the first place. Every trip like this helps us create something better than the last.

So while I can’t share everything just yet (I promise it’ll be worth the wait), I can tell you this…

The future of DTL is looking incredibly exciting.

Thank you for being here, for trusting me, and for allowing me to continue chasing this dream.

I can’t wait to show you what’s next.

Love,

Rhi xx

Founder, DTL