Case Study: Custom Sleeve Head for a Footwear Factory in Spain
Source:Silk Flower Hair Corsages /
Time:2026-09-18
Sleeve Head for a Footwear Factory in Spain
A Footwear Factory approached us with a sleeve head requirement for the Spain 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
- A spec that lived in an email instead of a tech pack
- Reorders that quietly changed supplier and changed the hand feel
- An interlining that bubbled after the first press
What we specified
| Item | Sleeve Head |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Footwear Factory |
| Market | Spain |
| Order volume | 20,000 pieces across 6 specifications |
| Base material | Nickel Silver |
| Standard size | 20 mm Width |
| Finish | Laser Engraved Finish |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 4 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO 12947 Abrasion Resistance |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Nickel Silver and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Epoxy Doming 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 4-week window.
- Unit cost held within 3.0% 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?
Share the programme details and we will propose two alternatives — one optimised for unit cost, one for lead time — and let you choose.
