Case Study: Custom Merino Wool Fabric for a Footwear Factory in Italy
Source:Disney Snow Globes /
Time:2026-09-18
Merino Wool Fabric for a Footwear Factory in Italy
A Footwear Factory approached us with a merino wool fabric requirement for the Italy 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
- Shade drift between the approved lab dip and the bulk lot
- MOQ that was quoted per colourway rather than per style
- An interlining that bubbled after the first press
What we specified
| Item | Merino Wool Fabric |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Footwear Factory |
| Market | Italy |
| Order volume | 5,000 pieces across 3 specifications |
| Base material | Iron |
| Standard size | 110 gsm |
| Finish | Enzyme Wash Finish |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 4 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO 14001 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Iron and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Yarn-Dyed Finish 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
- 5,000 pieces delivered inside the 4-week window.
- Unit cost held within 2.0% 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?
If you are comparing suppliers, send us the spec they quoted against. We will quote the same spec and show you where the difference sits.
