When changing golf glove manufacturers, bring an identified physical reference and a current specification, then approve new samples before ordering bulk production. A familiar product name or photograph cannot guarantee an identical result from a new supplier. The handover should show what must stay consistent, what may change and who approves the new version.
Decide whether you need continuity or a redesign
Write down why the range is moving and which product decisions are still open. A transition intended to preserve the fit needs a different brief from a new collection that deliberately changes material, closure and artwork.
Separate required features from preferences. Identify the customer experience you want to retain: finger proportions, palm fit, material feel, closure position or the appearance of a particular print. “Same as before” does not tell the new factory which of those details controls the decision.
Use our manufacturer comparison guide to evaluate the partner. This handover checklist begins once you are preparing to develop the product with that partner.
Build a reference pack you are authorised to share
Gather the current specification, approved artwork, material descriptions, packaging files and an identified physical glove. Check that the files belong to the version actually sold. An old development folder can contain rejected ideas that look deceptively complete.
Use files and references your brand is authorised to provide. Do not assume another supplier's patterns, tooling or confidential working files transfer automatically. Confirm which development assets are available and which work the new manufacturer will need to undertake.
A worn glove can explain customer experience, but include an unused reference where possible. Mark any known differences between the reference and the product you now want. Our tech-pack checklist helps turn those materials into a coherent brief.
Check the fit rather than copying the size letters
Record how the glove is measured and which pattern or fit range the measurements describe. The same printed size can represent different proportions. Sending a sample labelled large is a starting point, not a complete size specification.
Texpak works from regional starting patterns and can adjust them for a brand, with physical samples reviewed before production. Agree which sizes and wearing hands must be sampled to answer the transition questions. Do not approve a whole range solely because one glove fits the owner's hand.
Keep measurements, marked photographs and reviewer comments attached to the correct sample version. The wear-trial plan can help organise a practical comparison after the initial fit review.
Confirm materials, colour and construction again
A material description from the former supplier may not identify the exact source or construction. Discuss the intended feel, thickness, panel materials, trims and decoration with the new manufacturer. Ask to compare actual samples rather than approving a substitute from its name alone.
Texpak has its own tannery and performs leather preparation, cutting and stitching in-house. That gives the team a way to discuss a defined leather brief. It does not mean a new leather sample will automatically match an unidentified material from another supply chain.
Synthetic materials can also become unavailable. If a replacement is proposed, record it and review the resulting glove. Our leather-variation guide explains a separate issue: the small natural differences that can occur even within an agreed leather programme.
Create a new approval record
Use a short transition table to prevent old and new references being mixed:
| Item | Record before production |
|---|---|
| Product and fit | Reference sample, new sample version and agreed changes. |
| Materials and colour | Approved construction and physical appearance reference. |
| Artwork and packaging | Current files, dimensions and approval owner. |
| Quantities | Individual gloves by design, colour, size and wearing hand. |
| Schedule | Sampling, approval, advance payment, production and delivery milestones. |
Do not treat the old supplier's approval as approval of the new factory's sample. Resolve differences explicitly. A change that looks minor on screen can still require another sample or artwork revision.
Plan the overlap before promising availability
Review current stock and the date by which the new goods are actually needed. Allow for development, revisions, production and transport as separate stages. Avoid committing retail launch dates while the main fit or material decision remains open.
Texpak's typical sample preparation is one to two weeks; revisions and discussion can extend development. Typical production is four to six weeks from receipt of the agreed advance payment. These are planning estimates to confirm for the project, not a guarantee that a supplier transition can fit inside one production window.
Identify how your team will distinguish the new version in stock and customer information. Review its first delivery against the new approval, using the goods-receipt checklist. Send Texpak your transition brief with target markets, references, estimated quantities and the required arrival date so the discussion starts with the real development work.