Distinctive Designs 21 | Case Studies
We are a full-blown trim management firm collaborating with product teams at leading apparel brands worldwide to protect quality, eliminate unnecessary costs and keep production on track. With years of experience in manufacturing in the apparel industry where we specialize in hang tags, woven labels, printed labels, jokers, flashers, specialty labels, synthetic labels, silicone labels, embroidery, patches, heat transfers, hardware, buttons, rivets, metal plates, leather patches, PU patches, back patches, etc. We also work with major retail brands for goods such as packaging, tissue paper, shopping bags, canvas bags, garment bags, tote bags, non woven bags, p.o.p. displays, boxes, accessories, and with many more. Our team of battle-tested developers, production coordinators, inventory managers and international logistics experts take trim sourcing, development and management off your plate so you can maintain focus on customer accounts.
hang tags, hangtags, swing tags, price tags, garment tags, pocket flashers, flashers, jokers, matchbooks, labels, garment labels, woven labels, printed labels, sublimation labels, digital printed labels, specialty labels, labels, embroidery, embroidery labels, embroidery patch, patches, heat transfers, thermo transfers, rhinestone, rhinestone heat transfers, flocking heat transfer, elastic heat transfer, leg stickers, stickers, woven tape, woven, printed tape, tape, rivets, tack buttons, denim buttons, brass buttons, alloy buttons, snaps, buttons, metal closures, metal fasteners, metal plates, id plates, sew on metal plate, sewn, back patch, leather patch, jacron patch, washable paper patch, faux leather patch, pu label, silicone label, latex labels, shear labels, merchandising, branded items, branded marketing, branding, marketing, creative branding, creative, packaging, tissue paper, ribbon, shopping bags, canvas bags, tote bags, non woven bags, garment bags, pop, p.o.p, boxes, jewelry boxes, food grade packaging, togo boxes, to go boxes, togo bags, to go bags, paper bags, accessories,, revgrp, the revolution group, manufacturers, los angeles, california, usa, hang tags, hangtags, swing tags, price tags, garment tags, pocket flashers, flashers, jokers, matchbooks, labels, garment labels, woven labels, printed labels, sublimation labels, digital printed labels, specialty labels, labels, embroidery, embroidery labels, embroidery patch, patches, heat transfers, thermo transfers, rhinestone, rhinestone heat transfers, flocking heat transfer, elastic heat transfer, leg stickers, stickers, woven tape, woven, printed tape, tape, rivets, tack buttons, denim buttons, brass buttons, alloy buttons, snaps, buttons, metal closures, metal fasteners, metal plates, id plates, sew on metal plate, sewn, back patch, leather patch, jacron patch, washable paper patch, faux leather patch, pu label, silicone label, latex labels, shear labels, merchandising, branded items, branded marketing, branding, marketing, creative branding, creative, packaging, tissue paper, ribbon, shopping bags, canvas bags, tote bags, non woven bags, garment bags, pop, p.o.p, boxes, jewelry boxes, food grade packaging, togo boxes, to go boxes, togo bags, to go bags, paper bags, accessories
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Case Study

Create a Unified Trim Program

girlskateboardcompany

Who: Founded in 1993 by professional skaters Mike Carroll and Rick Howard, Girl Skate exists so that pro skaters and their ideas can have a future. One of the most enduring out-of -the-mainstream brands.

Situation: For 20 years, Girl grew organically to become a conglomerate of brands – Girl, Royal, Chocolate, Lakia and Fourstar- each with artistically inspired hardware and soft goods but also:

  • A trim package of more than 85 labels, hand tags, patches, hardware, stickers, transfers and more.
  • Same hand tag produced in craft paper, white with brown ink & paper.
  • High minimum runs created hidden disposal costs for out-of-date inventory.
  • Delays of up to 4-6 weeks to re-stock.

What we did: Distinctive Designs 21 became the exclusive trim supplier in 2012.

  • Rationalized trim package with designers, reducing unique items by 50%
  • Reduced minimum order quantities by two-thirds
  • Held stock in an inventory program
  • Cut delivery times to 3-4 days

The result: 

  • Healthy business growing at 20%+ per year
  • Trim shrink nearly eliminated
  • Lower overall input costs

Case Study

Unbundling Full Package Manufacturing Programs

Who: MV Sport is a leading supplier of decorated apparel, caps, bags and blankets to college bookstores, resorts and military markets.

Situation: Reliance on “full package” programs with overseas factories to produce caps and other apparel items for the U.S. market created:

  • Zero visibility into trim suppliers
  • Odd hour, difficult communications with Pakistan factories
  • Multiple approvals for the same trim item
  • Unacceptable variation in size, color, print quality etc…

What we did: Distinctive Designs 21 became the nominated trim supplier in 2015; in six weeks we:

  • Reduced trim SKUs by one third
  • Created a managed inventory for their on-demand use
  • Identified low cost shipping method to Pakistan factories from Asian trim mills
  • Strictly enforced factory disciplines in trim usage

The result: 

  • Dramatic improvement in quality and consistency
  • Consistently exceeding annual plan sales

Case Study

Creating Agile Supply Chain Networks

Who: According to Forbes, the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports team in the world. Their blue star logo and apparel sales are the envy of all other professional franchises.

Situation: Prior to Distinctive Designs 21, the Dallas Cowboys relied on an overseas trim supplier that consistently underperformed:

  • Required lead times of 4-6 weeks for trim re-stocking
  • Missed production dates set to respond to spikes in demand
  • Created disappointed customers and lost sales

What we did: Distinctive Designs 21 stepped in 6 years ago to develop a customized “chase” program to improve market response times:

  • Re-oriented trim sources to be closer to their retail markets
  • Created rapid response “tiger teams” within these new mills
  • Held buffer stocks of trim inventory to deal with demand spikes
  • For key trim SKUs, cut delivery times to 72-hours

The result: 

  • Greatly improved service to retail metrics
  • Near elimination of “out of stock” days