Case Study: Custom Cord Lock for a Promotional Product Agency in the Philippines
Source:Custom Dry Fountain /
Time:2026-09-18
Cord Lock for a Promotional Product Agency in the Philippines
A Promotional Product Agency approached us with a cord lock requirement for the the Philippines 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
- Elastic that lost recovery after three washes
- Lead time quoted without the plating or dyeing sub-process
- A trim that passed sampling but failed in-line because it was never cycle tested

What we specified
| Item | Cord Lock |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Promotional Product Agency |
| Market | the Philippines |
| Order volume | 20,000 pieces across 4 specifications |
| Base material | Aluminium |
| Standard size | 8# Gauge |
| Finish | Pearlescent Coating |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 10 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO 105 Colour Fastness |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Aluminium and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Chrome Plating 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
- 20,000 pieces delivered inside the 10-week window.
- Unit cost held within 3.0% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 0.5%.
- The specification is now on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Fix the specification count early. Adding variants after production starts is the most expensive change a client can request.
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.



