Partnering with INTERSPORT to Overcome Quality Crisis: Delivering 600,000 Outdoor Bags (Hiking/Skiing/Cycling) in 80 Days for European Season

Client Background & Core Challenge

●  Client Profile

INTERSPORT, a leading global outdoor retail group originating from Switzerland, has been deeply rooted in the global outdoor market for decades, covering popular scenarios such as hiking, skiing, and cycling. With nearly 5,000 physical stores across Europe, widely distributed in major countries like Germany, France, and Italy, its online channels also cover core European markets. It imposes extremely strict requirements on

the quality standards and delivery timeliness of outdoor bags, making it a benchmark enterprise in the global outdoor retail industry.

●  Core Challenges

To prepare for the European outdoor sales peak season (September-December each year, covering the stocking peak for multi-scenario equipment), INTERSPORT planned to procure three core categories of outdoor bags: hiking bags, skiing bags, and cycling bags. However, the original supplier’s products had serious quality defects due to poor production processes, failing to meet INTERSPORT’s global outdoor bag quality inspection standards. As a result, the entire batch of products was rejected. With only 120 days left before the European sales season, and 30-40 days required for international logistics, the new supplier had merely 80 days to complete sample confirmation, mass production, and quality inspection. Moreover, it needed to deliver 600,000 outdoor bags in 36 styles throughout the process, which was a urgent and arduous task. INTERSPORT urgently needed a bag supplier with strong supply chain integration capabilities, high- standard quality control, and rapid emergency response capabilities.

Cooperation Requirements & Access Assessment

●  Product Requirements

Customize 36 styles of outdoor bags in three core categories, including 20 styles of hiking bags (focusing on wear resistance and load-bearing performance, suitable for long-distance storage needs), 10 styles of skiing bags (suitable for ski storage, with waterproof, cold-resistant, and secure fixing features), and 6 styles of cycling bags (divided into road and mountain bike styles, focusing on lightweight design, body fit, and equipment compartmentalized storage). All products must strictly comply with INTERSPORT’s global outdoor bag quality standards, covering 12 core inspection indicators such as fabric wear resistance, waterproof performance, load-bearing capacity, and eco-friendly materials.

Timeliness Requirements: Complete the entire process from sample R&D, confirmation, mass production to quality inspection within 80 days, ensuring on-time shipment to accurately match the peak season stocking schedule of European stores and guarantee the

simultaneous launch of all categories of bags.

●  Access Requirements

INTERSPORT launched an emergency supplier assessment process, conducting a comprehensive review of our factory in combination with strict European human rights compliance standards and outdoor product regulatory requirements. The review covered 8 key modules, including outdoor bag production capacity, specialized quality control system, supply chain stability, emergency response mechanism, labor rights protection, and business ethics. It focused on verifying whether we met the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) certification standards, strictly checking the factory’s compliance in core human rights areas such as child labor prohibition, legal working hours, occupational health and safety, and fair remuneration. Meanwhile, it confirmed that we had a sound social responsibility management system, BSCI certification, and mature experience in custom outdoor bag manufacturing. With our mature human rights compliance management model, authoritative certification, and rich experience in outdoor bag production, we successfully passed the rigorous assessment and became its designated emergency cooperative supplier.

1.Sample Phase: Finalizing 36 Styles in 15 Days with Precise Compliance

Upon receiving the requirements, we immediately set up a dedicated emergency team for INTERSPORT, mobilizing the company’s core R&D, design, and sampling teams to focus on the characteristics of the three product categories and implement a 24/7 shift system. Simultaneously, we collaborated with 12 core

upstream material suppliers to open a green supply channel, prioritizing the allocation of special fabrics, accessories, hardware, and other raw materials that meet INTERSPORT’s standards to ensure material availability within 48 hours. For the differentiated needs of 36 styles (hiking bags focusing on backpack systems, skiing bags on ski fixing, and cycling bags on body fit), we conducted parallel sampling by category. Each sample underwent two rounds of quality inspections (initial and re-inspection) to accurately match the functional needs of various outdoor scenarios. Finally, we completed the production and optimization of all samples in only 15 days, passing the confirmation of INTERSPORT’s global quality inspection department in one go and gaining valuable time for mass production.

2.Production Phase: Producing 600,000 Units in 60 Days with Dual Guarantee of Quality & Efficiency

After sample confirmation, we fully launched the maximum capacity plan, urgently mobilizing 8core production lines of the company, dividing exclusive production areas by the three categories, temporarily adding 200 skilled workers, and implementing a three-shift

production model to increase the daily output to 100,000 units. We established a "category-specific production + simultaneous quality inspection" mechanism, assigning 36 styles to exclusive production lines. Each line was equipped with 3 full-time quality

inspectors, who implemented INTERSPORT’s global outdoor bag quality control standards throughout the process—from raw material warehousing, semi-finished product processing to finished product delivery—focusing on core indicators of each category (wear resistance of hiking bags, waterproof and cold-resistant performance of skiing bags, and fit of cycling bags). 5% of each batch of products was randomly selected for destructive testing to ensure 100% compliance with all indicators.

Meanwhile, we optimized the production process, adopting automated cutting and sewing equipment to improve the production precision of key parts and reduce human errors. Ultimately, we high-quality completed the mass production of 600,000 units in 60 days.

3.Delivery Phase: Seamless Logistics Connection to Support Peak Season

After the completion of mass production, we proactively collaborated with INTERSPORT’s designated third-party quality inspection agency to conduct a full- batch final inspection on special indicators of each category, achieving a pass rate of 99.9% and successfully passing the client’s acceptance. Simultaneously, we coordinated with the international logistics team to formulate a "batch shipment + priority customs clearance" plan. According to the stocking needs of INTERSPORT’s stores in various European regions, we arranged sea freight in 3 batches, tracked the logistics trajectory throughout the process, and ensured that all goods arrived at the designated European warehouses within 35 days. This perfectly connected with INTERSPORT’s peak season stocking plan and guaranteed sufficient supply for all stores.

Cooperation Achievements & Client Recognition

●  Timeliness Achievement: Within the tight 80-day timeframe, we efficiently completed the R&D and confirmation of 36 samples as well as the mass production and delivery of 600,000 units, finishing the entire process 5 days ahead of schedule. This ensured that the client successfully caught up with the European outdoor sales season and avoided market losses caused by delayed delivery.

●  Quality Achievement: The entire batch of products passed INTERSPORT’s global outdoor bag quality inspection, with no units rejected due to quality issues. Core indicators of each category exceeded the standards, and the after-sales repair rate was controlled below 0.2%, far exceeding the client’s expectations and completely resolving its previous quality crisis.

●  Cooperation Achievement: With our excellent emergency response capabilities, strict outdoor bag quality control, and efficient supply chain integration capabilities, we became a long-term core supplier of INTERSPORT and continued to receive subsequent outdoor bag procurement orders from the brand.