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# Manufacturing in China: Further Reading
- URL: https://www.fredperrotta.com/manufacturing-in-china/
- Published: 2016-08-17T19:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-17T15:04:23.000Z
- Author: Fred Perrotta
- Tags: China, Manufacturing

Whenever I write about China, people eat it up. Most are curious and appreciate the transparency into [Tortuga’s manufacturing process](http://blog.tortugabackpacks.com/made-in-china/?ref=fredperrotta.com). A few have negative, knee-jerk reactions.

Invariably, the post generates more questions about China from potential customers and aspiring entrepreneurs.

I will continue to share our experiences here and on [Packsmith](http://blog.tortugabackpacks.com/?ref=fredperrotta.com). However, I also want to highlight the other great writing out there.

## China Factory Visit Recaps

We aren’t the only company giving behind the scenes looks at manufacturing. Read about other brands’ experiences in China below.

- [Tortuga](http://blog.tortugabackpacks.com/chinese-factory-visit/?ref=fredperrotta.com)
- [Need/Want](http://needwant.com/p/visit-factories-china-entrepreneur/?ref=fredperrotta.com)
- [Brass](https://medium.com/@BrassClo/5-days-in-china-25cbb5ec8665?ref=fredperrotta.com#.wid6e7je8)
- Know any others? Leave me a note, and I’ll add the best ones.

## Books on Manufacturing in China

My favorite books on manufacturing in China are more journalism than “how to.”

- [Factory Girls](https://www.amazon.com/Factory-Girls-Village-Changing-China/dp/0385520182?tag=fredperrott01-20&ref=fredperrotta.com) by Leslie T. Chang. An in-depth account of the lives of female migrants working in Chinese factories. By far the best book I’ve read on factory life. For the TL;DR version, [watch Chang’s TED Talk](https://www.ted.com/talks/leslie%5Ft%5Fchang%5Fthe%5Fvoices%5Fof%5Fchina%5Fs%5Fworkers?ref=fredperrotta.com).
- [Country Driving](https://www.amazon.com/Country-Driving-Chinese-Road-Trip/dp/006180410X/?tag=fredperrott01-20&ref=fredperrotta.com) by Peter Hessler. He’s written several books on living in China. Each one is filled with real people whose stories give the reader insight into a fascinating country. *Country Driving*’s "Book III: The Factory" details the rise of a new boomtown through the lives of factory owners and workers.
- [How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia](https://www.amazon.com/How-Filthy-Rich-Rising-Asia/dp/1594632332/?tag=fredperrott01-20&ref=fredperrotta.com) by Mohsin Hamid. This is a hard one to describe. *How to Get Filthy Rich* is written in the second person and is closer to a parable than a how to book. Just read it. It’s short.

I’ll update this post as I find more worthwhile posts and books.