L4
Drop 01 / Sourcing Plan

From blank to first sample.

The next move is not a bigger catalog. It is a controlled first sample run: fast blanks for apparel, swim-specific OEM for pool credibility, a China ODM tee pilot, and one restrained mark system across all lanes.

01 Black tee White LANE4 chest
02 Black swim cap White L4 both sides
03 Box swim brief White L4 hip mark
Supplier routes

Run tee, apparel, and swim in parallel.

A

Fast blank route

Use existing apparel blanks to prove silhouette, print scale, athlete styling, and first sales confidence.

  • United Athle 4411-01 / 5508-01 / 5942-01 tees
  • 5763-01 hoodie and 5765-01 sweat pants
  • 7220-01 jacket and 7219-01 track pants
  • 1880-01 nylon shorts or 5199-01 sweat shorts
B

Swim OEM route

Keep the water-facing pieces credible. Test stretch, chlorine durability, print adhesion, and real pool use before selling.

  • Square-cut training brief / box swim brief
  • Black body with one-color white L4
  • Sublimation vs heat-transfer test
  • Size spec and care-label confirmation
C

Cap route

Treat the swim cap as the community signal. Black silicone with white L4 should be the first visible pool-deck icon.

  • Custom silicone cap inquiry
  • Both-side L4 print
  • Blank cap placement proof if MOQ is high
  • Curved-surface distortion check
China OEM route

Use China for the private-label tee after the control sample.

Week 01

Control

Make Japan-side 4411-01 tee samples first so print scale, back rubber label size, and athlete styling are visible.

Week 01-02

Shortlist

Find 8-10 China tee suppliers. Message 5-8. Prioritize existing 260-300 GSM boxy bodies over full custom patterns.

Week 02-04

Sample

Pay for samples from two factories. Compare collar recovery, shrinkage, print hand feel, and rubber-label attachment.

After pass

Pilot

Run 50-100 pcs total, black 70% and greige/natural 30%. Keep it one tee style before expanding the China order.

Decision Use Guardrail
ODM body first Cheaper, faster, and enough for the first L4-TEE-01 pilot. No copied labels, no copied product names, no blind bulk deposit.
Two-factory sample Compare fit, fabric, sewing, print, and label quality before negotiating production. Reject suppliers that cannot send size chart, GSM, wash guidance, and real sample photos.
Inspection before shipment Use written tolerance and AQL-style defect criteria before the pilot leaves China. Critical defects are zero tolerance: wrong logo, copied artwork, wrong label, severe stains, or missing care label.
Open China OEM small-lot plan
Body shortlist

Start with proven bodies, then custom where it matters.

Product Candidate Use Source
Hero tee United Athle 4411-01 Heavy black/greige tee with small LANE4. Official
Hero tee ODM China 260-300 GSM boxy body Private-label L4-TEE-01 pilot after domestic control sample. Plan
Light tee alternate United Athle 5508-01 Pool-deck wearable big tee if 9.1 oz is too heavy. Official
Hoodie United Athle 5763-01 Back lockup sample and editorial fleece piece. Official
Sweat pant United Athle 5765-01 Heavy relaxed lower with L4 thigh mark. Official
Track set 7220-01 / 7219-01 Cotton-like nylon training jacket and pant. Jacket Pant
Training shorts United Athle 1880-01 Nylon short for pool deck, gym, and street styling. Official
Box swim brief Swimwear OEM Use OEM, not generic blank, to test pool durability. Fules
Swim cap Custom silicone cap Black silicone cap with white L4 both sides. Sanwa
Sample batches

Do not sample the whole catalog at once.

Batch A

Brand Signal

Black tee, greige tee, black cap, black box swim brief, off-white hoodie.

Batch B

Uniform Set

Track jacket, track pants, sweat pants, nylon shorts. Use after Batch A print scale is approved.

Batch C

Refinement

Tonal embroidery, woven 1994 labels, neck label, hangtag, and packaging system.

Vendor questions

Ask for feasibility before price chasing.

Apparel printer

Can they source exact body numbers, print matte on cotton and nylon, handle small embroidery, and provide one pre-production sample?

China tee ODM

Can they provide a 260-300 GSM boxy tee sample, rubber label options, 50-100 pc pilot, and inspection acceptance?

Swimwear OEM

Can they make a square-cut training brief, recommend mark technique, and provide chlorine-resistance guidance?

Cap vendor

Can they print off-white L4 on black silicone both sides, and can they proof curved-surface distortion before bulk?

Open Markdown sourcing plan