Case Study: Custom Overlocking Thread for a Footwear Factory in Ireland
Source:Artificial Ornate Picture Frames /
Time:2026-09-18
Overlocking Thread for a Footwear Factory in Ireland
A Footwear Factory approached us with a overlocking thread requirement for the Ireland 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
- A compliance document that arrived after the goods were already shipped
What we specified
| Item | Overlocking Thread |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Footwear Factory |
| Market | Ireland |
| Order volume | 20,000 pieces across 3 specifications |
| Base material | Aluminium |
| Standard size | 25 mm Width |
| Finish | Soft-Touch Rubber Coating |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 4 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | California Prop 65 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Aluminium and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Enzyme Wash 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 2.0% of the original quotation.
- Inspection-related rejection stayed under 2.0%.
- 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.
