Case Study: Custom Collar Stay for a Medical Textile Buyer in Switzerland
Source:Metal Lapel Pins /
Time:2026-09-18
Collar Stay for a Medical Textile Buyer in Switzerland
A Medical Textile Buyer approached us with a collar stay requirement for the Switzerland 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
- MOQ that was quoted per colourway rather than per style
- Reorders that quietly changed supplier and changed the hand feel
- A zipper puller that broke under pull test at the warehouse

What we specified
| Item | Collar Stay |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Medical Textile Buyer |
| Market | Switzerland |
| Order volume | 100,000 pieces across 2 specifications |
| Base material | Silicone |
| Standard size | 32 mm Width |
| Finish | Antique Copper Finish |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 6 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | California Prop 65 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Silicone and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to UV Printing 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
- 100,000 pieces delivered inside the 6-week window.
- Unit cost held within 4.5% 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?
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.



