How I helped Catch Rhys with Supply Chain Struggles to Sourcing Success
If you’re not already obsessed with Catch Rhys, then you’re about to be! Catch Rhys is a responsible jewellery brand providing timeless classics for everyday wear in gold and silver, their no plating policy means you come away with stunning jewellery that really does last! Apologies in advance if your wish list is about to pile up!!
Founder of the brand, Catch, is passionate about building a brand that acts responsibly at every level. Catch first heard me chatting about ethical manufacturing practices on the The Fashion Brand Clinic podcast with Elizabeth Stiles, and as a founder Catch was feeling a lack of control of her supply chain with ongoing frustrations. So, she reached out to see if I can help her find the perfect suppliers and support her to move into her next stage of the business plans.
Catch Rhys had a number of issues that needed solving in the supply chain:
Traceability in the supply chain, when you work with suppliers who are wholesalers, you don’t often get a full sight across your supply chain, this is super tricky when you want to ensure you are buying responsibly at every level.
Stock management, buying from wholesalers can mean you are at the mercy of their business decisions, when you grow, it can make sense to move directly and have greater control over your stock. Catch wanted to go direct to find trusted suppliers that align with her brand values, sustainability goals, transparency and quality standards.
Going direct meant that Catch could have more control of the development process, providing her customs with the classic styles they were crying out for! As well as fulfil her goal to move the whole product range into recycled metals! This is a huge amount of work and really was not easy, but with determination, we did it!
Catch and I started working together on a sourcing project back in 2021, after this project was complete, it was difficult to manage this additional workload and area of the business, which leads to additional stress! Production management can quickly become overwhelming and Catch didn’t feel she could dedicate the required time and skills needed to push supplier relationships forward. I then started working on production management on behalf of the brand, working closely with Catch sharing knowledge and experience in how you can best work with your business partners in a way that benefits all. Production is often a stressful and demanding part of a product business, so using my experience to manage these processes efficiently means that Catch can put the best of her skills to use in her business.
Italian Sourcing Trip: Together we travelled to Italy to source reliable suppliers, this was extremely beneficial as we could sit and talk to suppliers face to face, giving us a much better idea of who really understood the brands needs. The trip was great and allowed us to build a database of suppliers for the brand, taking away the frustration of sending multiple emails day in and day out and making it much more personal from the get go.
Building Trusted Partnerships: Through dedication and hard work, Catch Rhys successfully established exciting partnerships with suppliers who embraced the brand's values. This enabled Catch Rhys to expand its product range, offering classic styles in both gold and silver, each beautifully crafted from recycled metals.
Ongoing Support and Ethical Practices:
I am still working closely with the team at CR to support production management and goals.
Sourcing initiatives to foster robust supplier relationships.
Ethical practices to ensure alignment with brand values at every stage.
Nurturing positive supplier relations to build enduring partnerships.
Transitioning to fully recycled metals, amplifying sustainability initiatives.
Efficient production management, saving time and stress.
Future production planning, optimising marketing and sales strategies.
The results of our collaboration has meant that Catch is able to focus her time where needed in the business, she can grow with confidence in her supply chain and product ranges. Having peace of mind with your supply chain can be a game changer for a product business. Production processes are not often smooth sailing and issues do appear, however, Catch now has the support she needs to keep everything moving forward.
A strong supply chain is what will allow you to sustain your business, as well as grow the business, and putting values at the forefront means you can achieve your vision with confidence and clarity! The reward also comes from sharing this journey with your customers, being open about the challenges in the supply chain and your goals for moving forward. Customers want to see transparency and authenticity from the brands they love, and when you do the work behind the scenes, it gives you the confidence to be open with your customers.
If you want to explore working together, enquire here!