Veshin Factory, a manufacturer focused on bags and accessories made from bio-based leather alternatives, has added Los Angeles leather goods maker Lalaland Production and Design to its network, giving brands an onshore option to produce in the USA, Sourcing Journal reported on July 25, 2025.
The partnership
Lalaland, founded by Alex Zar and based in Downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District, has made leather goods for major fashion brands. It is the seventh manufacturer in Veshin’s global network and its first in the USA. Veshin, founded in 2020, runs a factory in China and had recently looked at partners in Colombia and Brazil.
Veshin founder Joey Pringle told Sourcing Journal that brands were telling him they could not produce in China or Brazil, largely because of tariffs. Veshin plans to connect Lalaland with material innovators, including Illinois-based Hydefy, which makes a mycelium-based leather alternative, and to help with design, research and development.
“Everyone’s kind of screaming for onshoring, and we wanted to have that onshoring presence.”
Joey Pringle, founder, Veshin Factory, to Sourcing Journal
Why it matters for Made in USA
New materials need factories willing to test them, and USA factories with that flexibility are scarce. A partnership like this one gives brands a domestic option without building their own production.
For any finished bag sold as Made in USA, though, the material matters too. Under the FTC standard, all or virtually all of the product, including significant inputs like the leather alternative, should be made in the USA. A bag sewn in Los Angeles from imported material may need a qualified claim. Domestic material makers like Hydefy make an unqualified claim more possible.
FAQ
What is Lalaland?
A large leather goods factory in Downtown Los Angeles founded by Alex Zar.
Why are brands looking for USA production?
Veshin’s founder cited tariffs on China and Brazil, along with lead times and logistics.
Can a bag sewn in the USA from imported material be labeled Made in USA?
Not without qualification if the imported material is a significant part of the product. The FTC requires that all or virtually all of the product be made in the USA.
Source & credit
Originally published by Sourcing Journal (Kate Nishimura) on July 25, 2025: Veshin Factory Taps LA’s Lalaland to Scale Made-in-USA Production for Bio-Based Bags