Sherpa Fabric Sourcing Program for Sportswear Brands

Sherpa Fabric Programme for Sportswear Brands

This programme covers the full path from a sherpa fabric requirement to a repeatable bulk supply for sportswear brands. Instead of buying whatever a catalogue happens to stock, you specify the base material, the 320 gsm, the finish and the packing, and we hold that specification so every reorder matches the last one.

The most common failure in sherpa fabric sourcing is not price — it is drift. A base material changes mill, the shade moves, a plating bath changes and the item quietly stops matching the approved sample. We prevent that with a written spec, an approved counter sample and a golden sample retained at the factory.

What the programme covers

• Specification build from your tech pack or a physical reference sample
• Base material and finish options with costed alternatives
• Sampling, testing and approval against OEKO-TEX Standard 100
• Bulk production with in-line inspection and photo reporting
• Packing, documentation and shipment under the agreed Incoterm

Recommended specifications

• Nickel Silver — used when strength and abrasion resistance come first
• Iron — best balance of cost, availability and test performance
• Ceramic — best balance of cost, availability and test performance
• Neoprene — used when strength and abrasion resistance come first

Programme parameters

Why buyers choose this route

• Golden sample retained at the factory and a second one held by the buyer
• One accountable owner from sampling through to ex-factory
• Trim and fabric sourced from audited mills with test reports on file
• MOQ quoted per style per colourway, stated before sampling starts
• Plating and dyeing sub-processes planned into the quoted lead time

How the programme runs

1. Discovery call: quantity, target price, delivery window and compliance needs
2. Material and finish proposal with costed alternatives
3. Counter sample built from your tech pack or reference sample
4. Approval, testing and pre-production sign-off
5. Bulk production with in-line inspection and photo reporting
6. Packing, documentation and shipment under the agreed Incoterm

FAQ

How long does sampling take?

14 working days for the first sample, with 3 days per revision round. Plated or dyed-to-match items add a few days.

Can you match a physical sample?

Yes. Send the reference and we reverse engineer the specification, then produce a counter sample for approval before any bulk commitment.

Can you handle our own artwork or tooling?

Yes. Artwork files or existing tooling can be used; we confirm tolerances in writing before the first production run.

Do you hold stock for reorders?

Approved specifications are kept on file and, for repeat programmes, base material can be reserved against a rolling forecast.

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.