Case Study: Custom Rickrack Trim for a Theatre Costume Workshop in Mexico
Rickrack Trim for a Theatre Costume Workshop in Mexico
A Theatre Costume Workshop approached us with a rickrack trim requirement for the Mexico 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
- Cartons packed to the factory ratio instead of the buyer's size ratio
- Shrinkage that only showed up after the first wash
- Lead time quoted without the plating or dyeing sub-process

What we specified
| Item | Rickrack Trim |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Theatre Costume Workshop |
| Market | Mexico |
| Order volume | 100,000 pieces across 4 specifications |
| Base material | Glass |
| Standard size | 20 mm Width |
| Finish | Epoxy Doming |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 10 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | Sedex SMETA |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Glass and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Pearlescent Coating 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 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
Lock the material standard before sampling. Once the base changes, every downstream approval has to be redone and the calendar slips.
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.



