Case Study: Custom Metal Zipper for a Theatre Costume Workshop in the Philippines

Metal Zipper for a Theatre Costume Workshop in the Philippines

A Theatre Costume Workshop approached us with a metal zipper requirement for the the Philippines 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
• A compliance document that arrived after the goods were already shipped
• Lead time quoted without the plating or dyeing sub-process

What we specified

How it was resolved

1. We rebuilt the specification around Silicone and locked the tolerance before bulk.
2. The finish was moved to Piece-Dyed Finish 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

• 5,000 pieces delivered inside the 8-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

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.