Case Study: Custom Sherpa Fabric for a Pet Product Brand in South Africa
Source:Luminous Wall Clocks /
Time:2026-09-18
Sherpa Fabric for a Pet Product Brand in South Africa
A Pet Product Brand approached us with a sherpa fabric requirement for the South Africa 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
- Shrinkage that only showed up after the first wash

What we specified
| Item | Sherpa Fabric |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Pet Product Brand |
| Market | South Africa |
| Order volume | 10,000 pieces across 4 specifications |
| Base material | Genuine Leather |
| Standard size | 320 gsm |
| Finish | Anodised Finish |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 8 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO 9001 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Genuine Leather and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Laser Engraved 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
- 10,000 pieces delivered inside the 8-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
Approve a pre-production sample made from the actual bulk base material. Substitute material behaves differently in finishing.
Planning something similar?
Send the reference sample or tech pack and we will come back with a costed specification, a sampling timetable and the compliance documents your market requires.



