How We Saved $100,000 Worth of Jeans from the Landfill (And Turned It into a Win for Abbreviated Customers)

@mikemonnette Manufacturing clothes is tough, and sometimes mistakes happen. This sort of thing happens to the biggest companies in the world, but they have channels to sell error merchandise. It might end up in an outlet store, at a liquidator like TJ Maxx, or somewhere else, but since I run a smaller, niche brand, I decided to handle the liquidation myself and give customers the opportunity to get something from @abbreviatedapparel at a lower price. We've also adjusted our process to make sure this doesn't happen again. Donating is a nice idea of course, but the manufacturer wouldn't have paid to have them shipped anywhere, so this was the best option that also got him some of his money back as well. This is still a very new business and I still haven't paid myself anything, so I'm not in a position to cover the donation either. These are available at abbreviated.shop (link in bio). #independentfashion #smallbusiness #sustainability #fashion #menswear #mensstyle #style #clothes #dogoodthings #abbreviatedapparel ♬ original sound - Mike

 

Getting clothes made is an iterative process, but a straightforward one—at least, most of the time. It starts with me sending the manufacturer a design. They send me back a "proto sample," and unless I have tweaks to make, I approve it so production can start. Simple, right?

But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. And in this case, things went way off track.

When production was completed on a batch of jeans—in two washes I was really excited about—I received the final sample for approval before the goods were shipped. That’s when I noticed something alarming: the jeans didn’t match the proto sample.

Here’s what went wrong:

• The wrong thread color was used. It wasn’t subtle—the stitching didn’t have the sleek, cohesive look we’d agreed upon.
• Too much processing was done on the front and back. This gave the jeans a more “worn-in” look than intended.
• Extra distressing was added to the hems. Not only was it unnecessary, but it also threw off the clean aesthetic I’d envisioned.

Technically, I wasn’t on the hook to pay for these. They didn’t match the agreed-upon standard, and the manufacturer was responsible for the mistake. But here’s the thing: since Abbreviated is a niche brand that makes clothes specifically for shorter guys, there’s no big secondary market for these jeans. If I rejected them, they were likely headed to the landfill—something I couldn’t feel good about.

So, I decided to get creative.

I went back to the manufacturer and negotiated a lower price for the batch. They agreed, and I took the jeans off their hands. Now, instead of wasting perfectly good—albeit slightly flawed—clothes, I’m turning this into an opportunity for Abbreviated customers.

Here’s how it works:

• If you think these jeans are good enough for you, you can grab them at a discounted price. They’re still made with the same care and quality you’d expect, even if they don’t perfectly match the original vision.
• If you’re a stickler for the details, the corrected version of the jeans is available too.

This experience taught me a lot about problem-solving and turning challenges into wins. It also reinforced my commitment to reducing waste wherever possible. So whether you choose the discounted pair or the corrected version, know that you’re part of a solution that keeps clothes out of landfills and gets them into the hands of the people they were made for—you.