Case Study: Custom Tea-Length Mother Of The Bride Dresses for a Uniform Supplier in Canada
Tea-Length Mother Of The Bride Dresses for a Uniform Supplier in Canada
A Uniform Supplier approached us with a tea-length mother of the bride dresses requirement for Canada. 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
- Long lead times that miss the selling season
- Packaging that arrives crushed and unsellable
- Suppliers who disappear once the deposit is paid

What we specified
| Product | Tea-Length Mother Of The Bride Dresses |
|---|---|
| Client type | A Uniform Supplier |
| Market | Canada |
| Order volume | 800 pieces across 3 colourways |
| Base fabric | 3-Layer Waterproof Fabric |
| Decoration | Ribbed Cuff and Hem |
| Size range | 2-12Y |
| Sampling rounds | 3 |
| Delivery window | 5 weeks from PO to ex-factory |
How it was resolved
- We rebuilt the tech pack around 3-Layer Waterproof Fabric and locked shrinkage allowance before grading.
- Decoration was moved to Ribbed Cuff and Hem 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
- 800 pieces delivered inside the 5-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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