Case Study: Custom Blue Down Jacket for a Mining Company in Portugal
Source:Blue Down Jacket /
Time:2026-09-18
Blue Down Jacket for a Mining Company in Portugal
A Mining Company approached us with a blue down jacket requirement for Portugal. The brief was specific: a defined look, a hard launch date and a unit cost that had to survive shipping and duty. This case study records what was specified, what went wrong in sampling and how the bulk order was delivered.
The challenge
- No reliable way to track a order once it enters production
- Long lead times that miss the selling season
- Unclear responsibility when a defect shows up after washing
What we specified
| Product | Blue Down Jacket |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Mining Company |
| Market | Portugal |
| Order volume | 5,000 pieces across 6 colourways |
| Base fabric | Velour |
| Decoration | Snow Wash |
| Size range | XS-3XL |
| Sampling rounds | 4 |
| Delivery window | 10 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the tech pack around Velour and locked shrinkage allowance before grading.
- Decoration was moved to Snow Wash after strike-off tests showed better wash 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 size ratio specification.
Result
- 5,000 pieces delivered inside the 10-week window.
- Unit cost held within 2.0% of the original quotation.
- Return rate linked to fit or workmanship stayed under 2.0%.
- The specification is now on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Fix the size ratio early. Changing the ratio after cutting starts is the single most expensive change a client can request.
Planning something similar?
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