February 4, 2015 – In this second part of the interview with Raymond K.S. Yee, Managing Director of the clothing brand Crest Link, supported by his European commercial agent, Chris Duffy, we find out about the attributes of this golf apparel, which has become a leader in Asia.
Knowing that the official clothing of the Spanish Open is made with high quality microfibre, which is completely breathable, quick-drying, and does not need to be ironed, is something that any golf shop will be pleased to offer to its golfing customers.
MYGOLFWAY: As an expert in the golf apparel industry, from your point of view where is the market going?
RAYMOND K. S. YEE: The business of golf apparel is growing. I have the feeling that people like to wear new things and spend money on buying new clothes. A polo shirt that matches the pants… so we have a full set of colours in our catalogue. I think the market is going in this direction. Now people want to dress well, and be fashionable.
CHRIS DUFFY: If you look at the range of Crest Link, most of the shirts match the pants, or vice versa. So if you wear a white shirt with green collar, you can choose shorts or pants exactly the same green colour. So people can buy the shirts, the pants and the belt at a time. We can see this in many brands.
MGW: So what differentiates Crest Link from other technical golf apparel brand competitors?
RY: The material. At Crest Link we set the products and the design, we produce in our own factory, and distribute to the market. We have our own designer team, we select the best fabrics that can be worn… with the best design and the best cuts for people. We do this in a very personal way.
Crest Link uses microfibre fabric imported from Taiwan, which is made from Japanese yarn, and manufactures all items in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This makes the fibre a little more expensive than other fibres, but we have long years of experience in the textile industry. And that’s the big difference that we put into our products.
MGW: Then Crest Link is not a cheap brand from Asia, as one might think in Europe. Although while not being expensive, it is of high quality.
CD: The price is similar to other mid-range brands. But in terms of quality and product, Crest Link is superior. In 2014 a professional from Doha came to visit our factory in Malaysia. He knew about factories in Thailand and Vietnam, and when he observed our centre he couldn’t believe how many times each shirt is analysed and checked to avoid defects in stitching, or pieces of cotton or thread hanging off. In my opinion, if you look at other competitors, it’s all is about selling as much as you can. Instead, with Crest Link, when you take a shirt out of the package you won’t find any thread loose. At the end of the day, our company is a family business.
RY: We also have other arguments. To introduce the brand in the market, for example in Australia, we talk about the quality of the product. What helped us to sell our shirts there were the shirt collars, because they stand up very well, and they don’t buckle even after many washes.
MGW: Due to bad experiences with other brands, here in Europe you might hear that microfibre, when you sweat, produces odour.
CD: That comment often comes up, but there are different types of microfibre and yarns, and Crest Link is the most breathable. And that is why we have been so successful in Malaysia, Thailand, and the Middle East … because our microfibre suits the climate perfectly. And so in Spain, especially in the southern areas where there is a lot of golf, we have a good market.
MGW: What advantages can golf shops in Europe look forward to from selling Crest Link?
CHRIS DUFFY: Personal service. We sell Crest Link in a very personal way. I can always talk to the boss, ha ha. As I said, in the end this is a family business, and I feel part of the family. If there is a problem we try to fix it as fast as possible. And although Crest Link is a little new in the Spanish market, with louder designs which are more colourful than people are used to here, we will always support the shops that sell Crest Link.
MGW: Earlier on you said that your shirts are ideal for putting the club or corporate logo on the garment.
CD: We have two options. If it’s for a golf club or a player here in Spain, we can add the logo to the shirts with a local company; and if we receive the logo design with time, we can add the club or corporate logos in Malaysia, then ship directly to the client without going through intermediaries.
MGW: Does the brand offers special deals for retailers, tournament organizers or corporate events?
CD: We can always look at it. We have already held meetings with different companies for developing events in Spain. We have opportunities with our connections to the Middle East to offer very good incentives for different tournaments, like taking the winners to Dubai or Malaysia. But at the end it’s about people wearing the product. For me, the biggest seller of Crest Link is to get people wearing our shirts, hats, pants… because once people have wear them, they are convinced how good they are.
In Spain and Europe the same thing happens as happened to us in Dubai and Middle East. The question is the same: What is Crest Link, where’s it from? And once you’ve got people wearing it, and washing it, and come not having to iron it, ha ha, then everyone loves it. It looks good, it’s comfortable to play golf, you wash it and that’s it.
MGW: What other performance features are there?
RAYMOND K.S. YEE: Our microfibre is light and fully breathable. We have a kind of elastic fabric and another which is not. It depends on how it’s cut and the design of the shirt, although the stretch fabric is always slightly more expensive than the non-stretch. Furthermore, after washing it’s fast drying. And that the fabric does not crumple is a big plus, especially for those who travel a lot. Remember that Crest Link is fashionable, and you can carry matching shirts, trousers, belts and caps in your suitcase.
MGW: What is the development plan in Europe in the coming years?
CD: We will continue to focus on markets such as Spain, Portugal, Southern France and Italy, where more summer clothes are worn, because that is our natural strength. We have entered a little in the UK where we are more limited since there are only three months of sun, and the competition is very tough. Our biggest market is Asia, where if it rains it means there’s a storm of thunder and lightning, so you don’t play golf. But in waterproofs and winter-wear, yes, it’s something we’ll look at, but at the moment it is slow.
MGW: Finally, following the clothes we’ve seen Crest Link bags, gloves…. Will the brand also diversify with new products?
RY: Yes, we are expanding our product range with a selection of accessories, golf bags, gloves, socks, caps, belts, towels, a good mix which is positive for our brand image. But Crest Link is not going to lose sight of its main focus in the apparel business, where we are already very well covered. The accessories are an add-on to the business, and we make them with partners who have the necessary experience to develop these products.
In Spain, Crest Link already has a great Ambassador by the name of the New Zealander Michael Campbell, 2005 US Open Champion and golf coach director of Villa Padierna Michael Campbell Golf Academy, in Marbella (Malaga). He and Raymond Yee met in 2013 to sign the agreement to be equipped by Crest Link.
You can read the first part of this interview here:
Interview – Raymond K. S. Yee, Managing Director of Crest Link golf apparel brand (I)
More information at www.crestlink.net, tel. (+34) 619 80 55 77, crestlinkeurope@gmail.com or cduffy@oryxevents.com.
A glove of high quality leather designed to meet the needs of any player. Being at the level of the leading brands, it’ll give you the feel of a professional while saving some budget.
As it is new in this category, there’s a long way to go to become recognized as a golf glove brand. Just as a complement of its golf clothing line, it is clear that Crest Link has done a very good job.
