what makes vendor's microfiber better?

III · 04-05-05, 06:26

I've been thinking recently about how we are seeing more local stores carry microfiber now. Target, K--Mart, Sam's Club, Walmart, Autozone, Checker, Farm & Fleet, etc... What makes vendor's microfiber better? I say better because I do believe that vendor's carry a better product line. However, I'm sure all of us would agree the local stores for microfiber can be used for grunt work with great results.

Here's another question. I assume there are only a few microfiber companies in Korea or China. If this is the case would it be fair to say that a company could make microfiber and market it for Walmart, but then the same company could make the exact same microfiber for vendor XYZ? So, what it comes down to is the two microfiber products would be the same except with a different label?

SilverLexus · 04-05-05, 06:41

I think you have to go by experience in terms of usage, softness, fineness of fiber, finishing on edges, vendor quality, etc.

BigAl3 · 04-05-05, 07:16

i don't always agree that a name/certain brand is better than the other. try out a few different mf's, let your eyes be the judge and use what YOU like. it's all in the eye of the beholder.

wannafbody · 04-05-05, 07:50

plush is the word-the more plush a microfiber cloth is the less chance of scratching-you can find some very nice MF's locally tho(PepBoys, WalMart, Target)

teacherray · 04-05-05, 08:08

While there may be only a few manufacturers (I don't know) they often will make the product for a specific outlet. For example Wal-Mart and Target may get their microfiber cloths from the same company but both have different specifications for thread count, edge binding etc. So while the cloths both come from the same company there could be a great difference in the quality of the product.

wannafbody · 04-05-05, 08:17

WalMart carries different grades of MF as well- the plush are quite a bit more expensive

ZaneO · 04-05-05, 08:22

You'll find that many car care products are the exact same with different labels.

bckpack · 04-05-05, 08:39

Quote:

I assume there are only a few microfiber companies in Korea or China

As with many other products, this is probably the case. Ditto different vendors having their own specs for MF. Say Korean Bob's Microfiber, Inc. has 10 different MF types (probably more with combinations of thickness, edging, etc.) Wal-Mart might pick Korean Bob's middle of the road towel and sell it as their ultra premium brand. Target, on the other hand, might sell one of Korean Bob's nicer towels as their own ultra premium.

Within the past two weeks I have ordered MF towels from 3 different vendors (all discussed here). Interestingly, some of the towels from vendor A were identical to some towels from vendor B. Vendor A was selling them as their super duper best of the best towel while vendor B sold them as a mid range towel (for almost half the price). There is no question the towels were the same either. Same towel, same edging and everything. Either both sourced their towels from the same place (somewhere along the wholesale chain) or maybe one supplier even sourced them from the other supplier.

Marketing is an amazing thing. This occurs for tons of products and I'm sure microfiber is "new" enough that I'd be willing to bet a few suppliers are providing all of our MFs.

BigAl3 · 04-05-05, 09:05

Quote:

Originally posted by bckpack Marketing is an amazing thing

agreed

Bill D · 04-05-05, 09:11

There really isn't a way around "hit or miss" in trying both locally available and those from online vendors to draw your own conclusion. I have found "you get what your pay for" to be pretty much true in the case this type of product. The online vendors cater to customers who want the "premium" stuff and don't mind paying a little more for them.

On the other hand, especially in the case of Wal-Mart, price comes first. Unfortunately quality is often sacrificed with this. It wouldn't be in their best interest to sell a $5 + MF, because most of their customers probably won't bite at that price.

Sure, the best and the worst MFs can come from the same countries but those countries manufacturer many different levels of quality of products, I've noticed this to be quite true for China and Korea.

It's my assumption that online vendor selling only or mainly MFs have a direct contact with either the manufacturer(s) of higher quality MFs or with a manufacturer who offers a few different levels of overall high quality mfs because their customers will buy them.

I have also found some vendors selling the identical MF as well.

I hope in time the technology and/or other factors involved will evolve to the point where MFs will more or less be so close in quality the differences will be minuscule and they would be in just about any major retailers but that's probably just wishful thinking

BigAl3 · 04-05-05, 09:37

example: i bought 2 pack of zymol mf's that cost $16 (a while ago, in the whole mf craze) and a 18 pack of hometex mf's from sams club. i felt and looked at both of them and even stretched and looked through them through the light. verdict: the sams club mf's were more plush and a hell of alot cheaper. why did i buy the zymol mf's.... because i took zymol's name into consideration when i purchased them (couldn't feel them as they were in plastic packaging when i bought them new). lesson learned...

bckpack · 04-05-05, 09:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Bill D
It's my assumption that online vendor selling only or mainly MFs have a direct contact with either the manufacturer(s) of higher quality MFs or with a manufacturer who offers a few different levels of overall high quality mfs because their customers will buy them.

This could well be the case...or not at all. That is the game in all of this. And just because a vendor might have a factory contact doesn't mean they don't turn around and sell those same towels to another vendor.

Don't get me wrong, when I find a towel that I am satisfied with at what I believe to be a fair price I buy a bunch of them. It's just a little frustrating getting the same towel from two different vendors at two VERY different prices (percentage wise).

Don't forget the story of the Ginsu knife...a warehouse full of cheap, nothing special knives incorporated into a fantastic infomercial made someone very wealthy. Not to say anyone is pushing a cheap towel but it's hard to tell unless it's in front of you.