Picture this: You’re eagerly awaiting the new branded sweatshirt your company sent out as a thank you gift for such a great quarter. But when you finally receive it, you find that its quality is, well…awful. The fabric seems thinner than it appeared in the email, the seams are already fraying, or the design looks like it could peel off after the first wear. I bet this scenario was pretty easy to imagine because something like it’s probably happened to you — and I’m willing to bet it impacted your relationship with the company you got it from. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to control merch quality across large, global companies.

One of the biggest pain points associated with branded merch is the inconsistency when executing on a global scale (usually because every region is using their own vendors). At Imprint Engine, we work with global clients whose audiences are scattered all over the world, so brand consistency and quality control are critical steps in our global production and distribution process. If you’re wondering how to control merch quality on a global scale, this article is for you!

Need to Skim? Key Takeaways:

  • Merch quality control is more important than ever now that audiences are keenly aware of what a well-constructed, high-quality product should look and feel like.
  • Keeping processes in-house such as custom technology development, product design and production is critical in controlling merch quality.
  • The best way for global companies to maintain a consistently positive brand image is by partnering with vendors who value quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.

Table of Contents

  1. Why merchandise quality control matters
  2. How we use quality control to develop your product
  3. How we keep development in-house and prioritize sustainability

 

Why Quality Control for Your Merchandise Matters

Merch quality control matters because customers are more aware than ever about what good quality looks and feels like. We don’t cut corners because we value our reputation for producing and/or sourcing goods that are constructed well enough to last a lifetime. In an increasingly competitive clothing industry, your reputation matters to us, too! By prioritizing quality control, we can help you avoid disappointed customers, dissatisfied reviews, and decreased sales.

How We Use Quality Control to Develop Your Products

We Get to Know Your Brand

We start every project the same way: Learn everything we can about your brand, your needs, and your long-term goals. This way, we can recommend the right types of brand experiences and optimize your budget to create the best possible result. Here are a few ways we do this:

  • Understand your brand pillars so we know what matters most across the company
  • Do a deep dive on your geographical footprint
  • See where we can build you efficiencies to keep things consistent while on budget
  • Source and suggest on-brand products that can be produced and fulfilled worldwide

Read about how we did this for Uber Eats.

We Keep Development In-House

Quality is much easier to control when every step of the project takes place in-house. From design and production to fulfillment and technology integrations, our team personally manages each step to ensure consistent customer satisfaction. That also means working with the right global partners that match our quality expectations.

In-House Design, Production, & Decoration

Our Imprint Engine roster is stacked with creative artists that know how to create and execute innovative product designs. The key is knowing how to design for the production process, which most graphic designers don’t consider until things go to print. Our in-house design, production, and decoration process includes:

  • Fully custom product design
  • Company brand asset kits
  • Logo creation & development or refinement
  • Hand-drawn and digital illustrations
  • Custom graphics for marketing materials 
  • Global product sourcing
  • Screen printing
  • Embroidery 
  • Laser engraving/etching
  • Heat transfer
  • Pad printing
  • Dye sublimation
  • Hand-sewn tags & patches
  • Product & lifestyle photography 
  • Product & lifestyle video

Read in-depth about our in-house decoration techniques.

Technology Solutions

Thanks to our talented team of developers, we’re able to leverage technology in every step of your brand experiences, so that they can be consistent for your entire company. Here are some examples of our technology solutions offerings:

  • Custom web development 
  • Custom store development & features
    • Unique e-commerce functionalities
    • Personalized user experience 
    • All stores built, maintained, and updated by our in-house teams
  • Custom functionality or UI
    • Tailored user interfaces
    • Interactive web features 
  • Advanced user permission/team viewing control

Custom Integration Development

Through our IEX platform, we can connect many of your favorite apps to make your experience management super dynamic. IEX provides full access to our support teams, global infrastructure, and our reliable technology so you can manage your brand experiences on a global scale.

  • Automate consistent experiences like new hires, anniversaries, etc.
  • Connect & manage access with SSO 
  • Integrate & connect with your favorite apps
  • Real-time inventory streaming 
  • Product reports (global, location, department + more

Read about how our global operations give you a local presence around the world.

We Choose Reliable, Sustainable Products

The best way to be sustainable is by choosing products that people won’t want to get rid of. We work on an ongoing basis to use vendors, products, and services that have a minimal impact on the environment though our Imprint Impact program. This process includes: 

  • Considering a product’s lifecycle
    • Making products that can be used again and again to replace single-use disposable items
    • Working with popular, high-quality brands that will stay relevant, stylish, and in people’s wardrobes for a long time
  • Opting for biodegradable or compostable products
  • Finding products that are recycled or up-cycled
  • Maintaining a diverse group of vendors managed by all walks of life
  • Working with small businesses and local companies around the world
  • Weeding out any organizations that use forced labor
  • Reducing our own carbon footprint through environmentally-friendly shipping practices 
  • Donating extra products, financial contributions, and our personal time to organizations that are doing good work
  • Working with vendors with aligned missions

We currently work with over 100 vendors and suppliers that are eco-friendly in their offerings and production methods. Here are just a few of our favorites: 


We’re Perfectionists for Your Brand

Above all, we strive to make you look good to your end consumers by ensuring the final product is top-notch. Our quality control team looks for a range of imperfections or errors when assessing the quality of your merch. These include: 

  • Consistent seam measurements
  • Uneven hems or collars
  • Untrimmed threads
  • Seam strength
  • Fabric composition, weight, and thickness
  • Pattern alignment 
  • Stitch accuracy 
  • Fit & sizes 
  • Functionality testing (zippers, buttons, hooks, snaps, etc.) 
  • Visual inspection for stains, snags, or irregularities 
  • Consistent & correct packaging & labeling

Build High Quality Global Brand Experiences With Imprint Engine

The integrity of your merchandise can easily be tied to the integrity of your organization. Offering high quality products to your teams, clients, or prospects is key to maintaining a high quality brand. Let’s create a brand experience that gets people talking — in a good way! Contact us to get started.

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