After finishing the marathon and resting a night in Qingdao, I hopped on a high-speed train the next day to Jimo (the journey took just about 20 minutes). After arriving, I took a ride-hailing service, which cost me around 15 yuan, and within minutes, I reached the factory I had pre-arranged to visit.

Factory Overview:

The factory is located in a courtyard that resembles an industrial park in Beinan Street, Jimo (see photo 2). Upon calling, I was greeted by a colleague responsible for 1688, who mentioned that the boss was in Shenzhen for an exhibition and would be back in a few days.
Inside the Factory:

As I entered the premises, I noticed corporate culture statements displayed on the walls. The workshop is on the third floor, where many employees were busy working. The colleague informed me that this is just a small part of the operation; most sewing work is outsourced to nearby village factories, keeping costs low and minimizing risks during off-peak seasons. Apart from a small portion of sewing, they handle everything else in-house, including design, pattern making, quality inspection, and packaging.
Quality Inspection:

The quality inspection area is right next to the sewing room and is similar in size, with around twenty to thirty workers actively inspecting products. Any defective items are separated for rework or disposal.
Packaging:

The packaging area shares a room with quality inspection. Some employees are packing their own products, while others are packaging items for clients.
Sample Room:

In the sample room, I noticed walls adorned with logos of various partner brands, as well as some collaboration highlights. Racks displayed a variety of products including lingerie, camisoles, loungewear, and yoga pants.

My colleague mentioned that some of these items are best-sellers, generating significant daily orders. When it comes to lingerie, basic wear, and loungewear, they pride themselves on being among the top quality manufacturers locally.

I checked out a few samples, and they truly lived up to the hype!

Warehouse:

After the sample room, I headed to the warehouse, where a few people were busy with shipments. My colleague explained that this warehouse is just a fraction of their operations; they also have an outsourced cloud warehouse to assist with logistics, especially during peak seasons when they have a heavy workload.
Conclusion: Reflecting on my visit, I realized something interesting: the factory is officially named Qingdao Yuqi Apparel Co., Ltd. but is also known as Qingdao Chucheng Apparel Strength Factory. I later learned from 1688 representatives that these two names refer to the same entity—Yuqi as a super factory and Chucheng as a strong manufacturer.

This experience not only gave me insights into the factory's operations but also a better understanding of the textile industry landscape in Jimo.