Case Study · Hickies
From China to Mexico: How Hickies Nearshored Injection Molding
Hickies, the innovative no-tie shoelace company, moved their injection molding production from China to Mexico — cutting lead times by 85% and reducing total landed cost by 28%.
The Challenge
Hickies relied on Chinese injection molding factories for their signature elastic lacing system. With tariffs climbing past 25%, ocean freight costing $8K+ per container, and 120-day lead times making inventory planning nearly impossible, the economics no longer worked.
They needed a manufacturer who could handle high-precision injection molding for their patented TPE material — with the quality consistency their retail partners (Nordstrom, REI, Amazon) demanded.
The Solution
Reshore identified three qualified injection molding factories in Querétaro, Mexico with the exact tonnage and material capabilities Hickies needed. Within 6 weeks, tooling was transferred and first articles were approved.
The transition included full USMCA compliance documentation, raw material supplier matching in Mexico, and a JIT delivery schedule that eliminated the need for 3-4 months of buffer inventory.
Before — China
- ✕120-day lead times from order to warehouse
- ✕25%+ tariffs on Chinese imports
- ✕$8K-$12K per ocean freight container
- ✕3-4 months of safety stock required
- ✕Quality issues discovered weeks after shipment
After — Mexico
- ✓18-day lead times, order to warehouse
- ✓0% tariffs under USMCA
- ✓$800-$1,200 per truck shipment
- ✓1 month of buffer inventory (JIT)
- ✓Real-time QC with same-week corrections
The Results
Total landed cost reduction including tariff elimination, freight savings, and inventory carrying cost reduction.
Lead time compressed from 120 days to 18 days — enabling responsive inventory management and faster retail replenishment.
Combined savings from tariff elimination, reduced freight, lower inventory carrying costs, and fewer quality-related returns.
“Moving production to Mexico was the best supply chain decision we've made. The quality is equal or better, and we can respond to demand in weeks instead of months.”
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