American vs. Chinese Dimensions: Spotting the Differences in Kit Contents

I remember when Dimensions officially announced moving production to China—it was practically a time of mourning for all fans of the brand. In the frenzy, many rushed to buy kits to stock up "for the future" 😧 Since then, many arguments have been had: some insist that the "real" DIM only exists in American-made kits, and that Chinese releases are mere fakes. Others claim there is absolutely no difference between American and Chinese kits. And some continue to hunt for rarities, hoping for Dimensions to return to its roots.

I will say right away that today, ALL Dimensions kits are produced in China 😮 Alas! For those who intend to hunt for "Americans"—despite their sometimes completely insane prices—you should know the key differences between the kits so you don't accidentally buy a "Chinese" one for the price of its American counterpart.

First: pay attention to the cover. If the front of the kit shows a thread organizer with pre-sorted threads in a circle, it is a Chinese kit. Flip the cover over—an "American" kit will always have the stars and stripes flag on the back with the text "Crafted with Pride in the USA" or "Made and Printed in U.S.A."

Second: in American-made DIM kits, all the embroidery floss is bundled together, and you have to sort it yourself by following the shade names in the key.

Third: the chart in the Chinese release is always glossier and therefore prone to glare. There can also be issues with the fabric: "Chinese" Aida is treated with a stiffening agent, so any creases are very difficult to remove; it is often easier to just replace the fabric.

So my advice: if someone offers you a DIM kit secondhand, claiming it is a rarity, do not hesitate to ask them to open the kit so you can thoroughly examine its contents.