Case Study: Custom Open-End Zipper for a Hat and Cap Producer in New Zealand
Source:Indoor Water Features /
Time:2026-09-18
Open-End Zipper for a Hat and Cap Producer in New Zealand
A Hat and Cap Producer approached us with a open-end zipper requirement for the New Zealand 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
- MOQ that was quoted per colourway rather than per style
- A spec that lived in an email instead of a tech pack
What we specified
| Item | Open-End Zipper |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Hat and Cap Producer |
| Market | New Zealand |
| Order volume | 20,000 pieces across 6 specifications |
| Base material | Zinc Alloy |
| Standard size | 10# Gauge |
| Finish | Piece-Dyed Finish |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 4 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
| Compliance | OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the specification around Zinc Alloy and locked the tolerance before bulk.
- The finish was moved to Powder 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
- 20,000 pieces delivered inside the 4-week window.
- Unit cost held within 4.5% 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
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.
