Why not Asia?
“Why don’t you produce your booths in Asia? It’s cheaper, right?”
A phrase we sometimes hear. And a phrase you may already asked yourself.
It’s a fair question — and yes, in many cases, overseas production can reduce upfront costs. But for us, the decision was never just about numbers. It was about values, long-term impact, and the kind of company we want to build.
So today, we’re lifting the curtain on a decision that defines who we are as a company.
We’re going to answer the “Why Portugal?” question once and for all — and tell you why Offcoustic chose the road less traveled: producing locally, sustainably, and (some might say) stubbornly.
The global temptation: Why so many companies go East
Let’s start with the obvious. Over the past few decades, Asia - especially China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India - has become the go-to region for global manufacturing.
And there are attractive reasons:
- Labor costs are significantly lower;
- Infrastructure for mass production is highly developed;
- Supply chains are optimized for speed and scale;
- Many Western companies have already paved the way.
It’s tempting. We know - because we explored it ourselves. We talked to factories. We studied spreadsheets. We even had people question why we’d consider anything else.
But ultimately, we said no.
The hidden costs of cheap
Let’s take a moment to reframe the word “cheap.”
When you hear it, you usually associate it with “cost-effective,” right? But that’s only if you ignore the full picture. Because if you zoom out…
1. Environmental Impact
A product made 10 000 km away needs to travel… 10 000 km to reach you.
That’s not a metaphor — that’s literal fuel, emissions, packaging, and logistics complexity. A 2022 study published in MIT Climate Portal found that freight transport alone is responsible for over 8% of global CO₂ emissions — and that’s not counting the emissions from energy used during production, which in many Asian countries is still largely coal-based.
By 2050, booming economies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are projected to triple global freight demand, potentially doubling the sector's greenhouse gas emissions.
Producing locally reduces our carbon footprint dramatically. No overseas containers. No intercontinental shipping delays. No mystery or lack of transparency as to where or how things were made.
We know our materials. We know our people. We know how much energy is consumed in each step — and we’re working to reduce it every day.
2. Quality and Control
When your factory is 12 time zones away, guess what happens when things go wrong?
You find out two weeks later. In a Zoom call. After the damage is done.
Local production gives us something priceless: control.
We visit our workshop. We know our craftsmen by name. If something isn’t right, we fix it the same day. That’s how we ensure each booth feels like it was made with care — because it actually was.
3. The People Factor
Let’s not sugarcoat it: much of the world’s “low-cost” labor comes at a human cost. In many cases, it means workers earning below living wages, often in unsafe conditions, producing goods they’ll never afford themselves.
It’s a reality we considered carefully, and one we felt we couldn’t ignore.
When we build locally, we invest in our community. We create jobs here. We pay fair wages. We train people in skilled work that’s valuable and sustainable. Apart from building booths, we’re building a future we want to live in.
Sustainability isn’t a checkbox. It’s a commitment
Everyone’s talking about sustainability. And sure, you can slap a recycled logo on your packaging and feel good about yourself. But for us, it goes deeper.
True sustainability means looking at the entire lifecycle of what we create:
- Where do our materials come from?
- How is it processed?
- Who assembles it?
- How long will the booth last?
- Can it be repaired or reused?
- What happens when it reaches end-of-life?
By keeping production close to home, we can actually answer these questions and stay connected to every step of the process — from sourcing to assembly. It allows us to make informed decisions, improve constantly, and stay accountable.
Investing in our country is not a charity act — it’s smart business
Let’s be honest: producing locally isn’t always cheaper. But here’s the kicker — it can be smarter.
Resilience
Remember the pandemic? The ship stuck in the Suez Canal? The global chip shortage?
Supply chains broke like toothpicks. Companies that depended on long-distance manufacturing were left hanging. Meanwhile, those with local operations bounced back faster.
By building locally, we’re not just reducing risk — we are building resilience.
Speed
You’d think overseas production would be faster, given all the factories optimized for scale.
But the reality? Between ordering, shipping, customs, and assembly, it can take months. We aim for weeks.
Speed isn’t just a customer benefit. It’s a competitive advantage.
Loyalty
People care where things come from. More than ever.
In a 2023 PwC Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, more than 70% of respondents expressed a willingness to pay extra for sustainably produced goods.
That’s not a trend, but a shift in values.
And here’s the thing: when you make good decisions, people notice.
So... why not Asia?
It’s not because we don’t admire the manufacturing powerhouses of the East. We do.
It’s because we’re building something different.
Offcoustic isn’t about producing the cheapest booth on the market. It’s about the most thoughtful, the most human, the most sustainable.
Every booth that leaves our workshop reflects a conscious choice. For quality. For craftsmanship. For local economies. For a business model that invests in what truly matters.
And for us, that’s a price worth paying.