Wallets & Belts the Retailer Could Finally Trust
Theme: LWG supply & Cr-VI-free; REACH pass; defect rate ↓
Cluster/Port: Kanpur/Kolkata → (ICD Delhi → Nhava Sheva / Kolkata port)
A European retailer wanted leather wallets and belts that met REACH rules and came from responsible tanneries (LWG-rated)—without slowing launch. We introduced two compliant suppliers and set a simple plan: lock the leather article and color, run early lab screens for Chromium VI, and send the official samples to an accredited lab. The factories owned the tanning/finishing work; we kept everyone aligned on dates, paperwork, and photo updates, and booked pre-shipment QC to check stitching, edge-paint, and hardware plating.
What changed: test reports came back pass first time, finish consistency improved, and the brand’s defect rate roughly halved as edge-paint touch-ups disappeared. Shipments left on schedule and the range landed smoothly in stores.
Our role: supplier shortlist, lab/test scheduling, QC at pack-out, tidy compliance pack. Factory role: produce to spec with LWG supply.
Safety Shoes That Passed—And Kept Passing
Theme: EN ISO 20345 toecap/penetration pass, stable lead times
Cluster/Port: Kolkata/Kanpur → Kolkata / Nhava Sheva
An industrial distributor kept tripping on certification: a toecap impact here, a penetration fail there, and lead times that drifted. We paired them with a footwear factory used to EN ISO 20345 work and built a calm, visible schedule: size sets, pre-tests, then the official EN lab booking for impact, penetration, slip, and basic chemical checks (pH/Cr-VI). The factory tuned patterns, counters, and soles; we kept the tracker and sent weekly photo/video evidence.
What changed: certification passed cleanly, first-pass production stabilized, and lead times held at 6–8 weeks with on-time deliveries ~95%. Returns dropped because the shoes behaved the same lot after lot.
Our role: supplier match, test calendar, paperwork, PSI; Factory role: build consistently to spec.
Small-Batch Drops Without Finish Surprises
Theme: MOQ-friendly seasonal runs with consistent finishes
Cluster/Port: Kanpur → ICD Delhi → Nhava Sheva
A fashion brand loved limited-run leather goods but hated how finishes shifted between batches. We introduced a Kanpur maker comfortable with small MOQs and set guardrails the brand could live with: a finish board (gloss, hand-feel, edge paint tone), a shade band for each color, and a simple photo checklist for every lot. The supplier handled cutting, skiving, and stitch work; we coordinated samples, pre-shipment checks, and packaging that protected corners and edges in transit.
What changed: the brand shipped MOQs of ~300–800 per style on time, finishes matched across re-orders, and customer photos finally looked like the product page. Repeats got easier because everyone shared the same finish “language.”
Our role: align expectations, schedule samples/QC, keep the docs clean. Factory role: craft the goods to the agreed finish board.
