The Invisible Risk: How Our Proactive EN-71 Upgrade Saved a 500,000-Bag Order

What is the difference between a supplier and a partner? A supplier fulfills an order. A partner protects your brand, often from risks you don’t even see coming.

This lesson was cemented for us around 2002, with a massive order of 500,000 transparent heat-pressed bags for a French client.

By Shirley Lee
Founder of King Fly | 40+ Years Industry Veteran

A New Standard on the Horizon

At the time of quoting and sampling, the client had no special requirements for the material. However, after the order was confirmed but before we purchased the raw materials, our team learned that France was about to implement a new regulation: all imported PVC materials had to meet the strict EN-71 standard.

This was an “invisible risk”—a storm gathering on the horizon that our client was unaware of.

Our duty was clear. We immediately informed the client of this new regulation and asked if they wanted to upgrade the material to be EN-71 compliant, which would incur a higher cost. Their reply was simple: “No, thank you.”

The Choice Between Cost and Conscience

This was a critical moment. We could have followed the client’s instruction to the letter, saved the cost, and fulfilled the contract as written. If the goods were blocked at customs, the responsibility would not have been ours. But that is the thinking of a supplier, not a partner.

My thought process was simple: we cannot, in good conscience, manufacture a product that we know might cause a disaster for our client, just to save some money. The higher cost was a small price to pay to avoid a massive mutual risk. I made the decision to proceed with the more expensive, EN-71 compliant material, without charging the client extra.

The Phone Call That Validated Everything

Nearly a month and a half later, with the 500,000 bags produced and ready for shipment, I received an anxious phone call from the client. He had just heard rumors that his shipment could be blocked at French customs if the material wasn’t EN-71 compliant. He asked, with a sense of dread, “Is our material compliant?”

I was able to calmly and confidently tell him, “Please don’t worry. All the materials we used meet the standard.”

The sense of relief in his voice was immense. In that moment, we didn’t just save a shipment; we forged a partnership built on a level of trust that goes far beyond purchase orders and contracts. That loyal partnership flourished for many years, and the memory of that trust continues to inspire our work today. It taught us the ultimate lesson: a true partner doesn’t just ask what you want; they understand what you need.

Disclaimer: To honor our highest commitment to client confidentiality, the images featured are for technical demonstration only and do not depict the specific products from the case discussed.