Case Study: Custom Lobster Clasp for a School Uniform Buyer in the Philippines
Source:Magnetic Whiteboard Planners /
Time:2026-09-18
Lobster Clasp for a School Uniform Buyer in the Philippines
A School Uniform Buyer approached us with a lobster clasp 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
- Cartons packed to the factory ratio instead of the buyer's size ratio
- Elastic that lost recovery after three washes
- An interlining that bubbled after the first press
What we specified
| Item | Lobster Clasp |
|---|---|
| Client type | A School Uniform Buyer |
| Market | the Philippines |
| Order volume | 20,000 pieces across 2 specifications |
| Base material | Ceramic |
| Standard size | 20 mm Width |
| Finish | Rose Gold Plating |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 4 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO 105 Colour Fastness |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Ceramic and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Rainbow Iridescent 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
- 20,000 pieces delivered inside the 4-week window.
- Unit cost held within 3.0% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 1.0%.
- 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?
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.
