Case Study: Custom Covered Button for a Bag and Luggage Maker in Thailand
Source:Dried Lavender Bundles /
Time:2026-09-18
Covered Button for a Bag and Luggage Maker in Thailand
A Bag and Luggage Maker approached us with a covered button requirement for the Thailand market. The brief was specific: a defined look, a hard launch date and a unit cost that had to survive freight and duty. This case study records what was specified, what went wrong in sampling and how the bulk order was delivered.
The challenge
- An interlining that bubbled after the first press
- Cartons packed to the factory ratio instead of the buyer's size ratio
- Shade drift between the approved lab dip and the bulk lot
What we specified
| Item | Covered Button |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Bag and Luggage Maker |
| Market | Thailand |
| Order volume | 2,000 pieces across 3 specifications |
| Base material | Bamboo |
| Standard size | 20 mm Width |
| Finish | Epoxy Doming |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 6 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | GB 18401 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Bamboo and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Glossy Enamel Coating after strike-off tests showed better durability.
- A pre-production sample was approved and retained as the golden reference.
- Production ran with in-line inspection and a mid-run photo report.
- Cartons were packed to the client's own barcode and ratio specification.
Result
- 2,000 pieces delivered inside the 6-week window.
- Unit cost held within 4.5% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 1.5%.
- The specification is now on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Lock the material standard before sampling. Once the base changes, every downstream approval has to be redone and the calendar slips.
Planning something similar?
Share the programme details and we will propose two alternatives — one optimised for unit cost, one for lead time — and let you choose.
