At Adafruit we love making stuff with our hands so that our community can do the same. When we see fellow hardware lovers or entrepreneurs launching physical products, we take notice.

Brendan Hufford’s post about his venture into jiu-jitsu gi production hits all the right notes.

It seems like, lately, all that people are talking about is digital products. And I get it. I really do. The margins are great. They’re easy to make. They’re even easier to sell.

But what if the thing that you want to make is a physical thing? What if, like me, you’re obsessed with creating something you can hold in your hands?

Here’s the thing about launching a physical product:

• It’s difficult nearly impossible to get it manufactured
• It’s expensive
• Margins are tight
• You might lose everything

Maybe you read all of these things and you still want to try it.

Hufford’s post covers some key checkpoints in physical production, as well as some pitfalls to avoid especially as it relates to production in China:

• finding manufacturers/suppliers through Alibaba (or elsewhere)
• production samples
• pricing
• manufacturing
• shipping/customs

Those who want to take a dive into the rewarding world of physical products would do well to run through his story and tips. Read the whole thing here.