Case Study: Custom Elastic Cord for a Military Supply Contractor in Switzerland
Source:Gold Earrings /
Time:2026-09-18
Elastic Cord for a Military Supply Contractor in Switzerland
A Military Supply Contractor approached us with a elastic 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
- Reorders that quietly changed supplier and changed the hand feel
- A spec that lived in an email instead of a tech pack
- MOQ that was quoted per colourway rather than per style
What we specified
| Item | Elastic Cord |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Military Supply Contractor |
| Market | Switzerland |
| Order volume | 20,000 pieces across 3 specifications |
| Base material | Aluminium |
| Standard size | 50 mm Width |
| Finish | Pearlescent Coating |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 10 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | ISO 9001 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Aluminium and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Antique Brass Plating 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 10-week window.
- Unit cost held within 4.5% 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
Fix the specification count early. Adding variants after production starts is the most expensive change a client can request.
Planning something similar?
Tell us the item, the quantity and the delivery window. We will quote it with the sub-processes named, so the lead time you approve is the lead time you get.
