Case Study: Custom Shorts Softball Wear for a Marathon Organizer in China
Shorts Softball Wear for a Marathon Organizer in China
A Marathon Organizer approached us with a shorts softball wear requirement for China. 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
- Inconsistent sizing between production runs
- Color drift between lab dips and bulk fabric
- Long lead times that miss the selling season

What we specified
| Product | Shorts Softball Wear |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Marathon Organizer |
| Market | China |
| Order volume | 500 pieces across 6 colourways |
| Base fabric | Combed Cotton |
| Decoration | Snow Wash |
| Size range | S-4XL |
| Sampling rounds | 2 |
| Delivery window | 6 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the tech pack around Combed Cotton 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
- 500 pieces delivered inside the 6-week window.
- Unit cost held within 2.0% of the original quotation.
- Return rate linked to fit or workmanship stayed under 0.5%.
- The specification is now on file, so reorders reproduce the approved sample.
What we would repeat
Approve a pre-production sample from the actual bulk fabric. Proto cloth behaves differently in cutting and washing.

Planning something similar?
Share a reference photo or a sample garment and we will reverse-engineer the specification for your own label.



