Case Study: Custom Flame Retardant Fabric for a Workwear Distributor in New Zealand

Flame Retardant Fabric for a Workwear Distributor in New Zealand

A Workwear Distributor approached us with a flame retardant fabric requirement for the New Zealand 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 trim that passed sampling but failed in-line because it was never cycle tested
• Elastic that lost recovery after three washes
• An interlining that bubbled after the first press

What we specified

How it was resolved

1. We rebuilt the specification around Aluminium and locked the tolerance before bulk.
2. The finish was moved to Rainbow Iridescent Finish after strike-off tests showed better durability.
3. A pre-production sample was approved and retained as the golden reference.
4. Production ran with in-line inspection and a mid-run photo report.
5. Cartons were packed to the client's own barcode and ratio specification.

Result

• 2,000 pieces delivered inside the 8-week window.
• Unit cost held within 1.5% 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.