Case Study: Custom Waxed Cotton Cord for an Outdoor Gear Label in Switzerland

Waxed Cotton Cord for an Outdoor Gear Label in Switzerland

An Outdoor Gear Label approached us with a waxed cotton cord 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

• Elastic that lost recovery after three washes
• A trim that passed sampling but failed in-line because it was never cycle tested
• Reorders that quietly changed supplier and changed the hand feel

What we specified

How it was resolved

1. We rebuilt the specification around Ceramic and locked the tolerance before bulk.
2. The finish was moved to Glossy Enamel Coating 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

• 100,000 pieces delivered inside the 6-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.