Who Does True Classic Use for Warehousing & Fulfillment?

True Classic uses Stord as their primary third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment partner.

Introduction to True Classic: Premium Menswear Reimagined

Founded in 2019, True Classic has quickly established itself as a leading premium menswear brand. Starting with a single T-shirt design in six colors, the company has expanded to over 50 apparel categories, including polos, activewear, underwear, socks, denim, and dress shirts. This rapid expansion has been matched by impressive business growth, with the company surpassing $100 million in revenue by 2021 and grossing $250 million since its launch.

True Classic's mission centers on providing high-quality, affordable, and well-fitted apparel for everyday men while making a positive social impact. The brand has a strong charitable focus, having donated over 250,000 shirts to homeless veterans, shelters, and schools since July 2024, and partnering with the Tiny House Project to address homelessness in the veteran community.

With a global reach extending to customers in 192 countries and 9 retail locations, True Classic has established a significant market position in the competitive menswear sector, while maintaining a lean operational structure of just 55 employees - a testament to their efficiency-focused business model.

Why True Classic Needed to Optimize Fulfillment

In December 2024, True Classic faced a significant supply chain disruption when Mexico made substantial changes to its IMMEX program targeting apparel and textiles. These regulatory changes effectively restricted imports to True Classic's Mexico distribution centers, threatening their entire supply chain operation. For a rapidly growing brand with a global customer base, this sudden disruption presented several critical challenges:

• Operational disruption: The immediate halt of imports to Mexican distribution centers threatened to create significant inventory management issues
• Potential cost increases: Like many similar brands facing this regulatory change, True Classic was at risk of steep increases in fulfillment costs
• Customer experience concerns: Any supply chain disruption could negatively impact delivery times and overall customer satisfaction
• Scaling challenges: With their rapid growth trajectory, True Classic needed a fulfillment solution that could scale with their business while maintaining efficiency

This situation created an urgent need for True Classic to find a partner that could quickly establish alternative fulfillment operations while maintaining their customer service standards and supporting their continued growth.

Partnership Details and Results

True Classic's partnership with Stord delivered impressive results, turning what could have been a devastating supply chain disruption into an opportunity for operational enhancement. The most notable achievements include:

• Rapid implementation: Stord established a new fulfillment hub in Hebron, Kentucky in just 19 days, allowing True Classic to resume operations in under 30 days without any customer disruption
• Seamless integration: The implementation of Stord's Order Management System (OMS) provided seamless integration with True Classic's marketplaces and sales channels
• Enhanced visibility: True Classic gained real-time order and inventory visibility across their supply chain
• Optimized shipping: Stord's Parcel and Last-Mile Optimization software ensured optimal carrier selection for every package, improving delivery times and reducing costs
• Business continuity: Despite the significant regulatory disruption, True Classic maintained uninterrupted service to their customers across both DTC and B2B channels

What makes these results particularly impressive is the speed at which they were achieved. Moving from a disrupted supply chain to a fully operational new fulfillment solution in less than a month demonstrates the agility and capability of the Stord platform.

The Stord Solution

Stord implemented a comprehensive fulfillment solution for True Classic that addressed both their immediate crisis and positioned them for future growth. The key components of this solution included:

1. Strategic fulfillment hub: Establishing a new fulfillment center in Hebron, Kentucky, providing strategic positioning for efficient nationwide delivery
2. End-to-end technology integration: Implementation of Stord One Commerce, their comprehensive Order Management System, which connected seamlessly with True Classic's existing platforms
3. Multichannel support: Supporting both DTC e-commerce fulfillment and B2B retail distribution from a single integrated system
4. Intelligent order routing: Automated systems to ensure orders are fulfilled from optimal locations
5. Real-time visibility: Providing True Classic with complete transparency into inventory levels and order status across their supply chain
6. Shipping optimization: Using Stord's Parcel software to select the most efficient and cost-effective shipping options for each order

Beyond the technology and logistics capabilities, Stord demonstrated exceptional responsiveness in helping True Classic navigate a crisis situation. Their ability to launch a complete fulfillment operation in less than three weeks highlights their agility and commitment to customer success.

Lessons for Other eCommerce Brands

The True Classic and Stord partnership offers several valuable insights for other eCommerce brands seeking to optimize their fulfillment operations:

1. Build supply chain resilience: True Classic's experience demonstrates the importance of having contingency plans for supply chain disruptions. Working with a flexible 3PL provider enabled them to quickly pivot when regulatory changes threatened their operations.
2. Prioritize technology integration: The seamless integration between Stord's systems and True Classic's sales channels allowed for a rapid transition without disrupting the customer experience. Brands should evaluate 3PL providers not just on warehouse capabilities but on their technology stack and integration capabilities.
3. Consider geographic strategy: Strategic placement of fulfillment centers can significantly impact delivery times and costs. True Classic's new Kentucky-based operations positioned them well for national distribution.
4. Value agility and speed: In today's fast-changing retail environment, the ability to quickly adapt to unexpected changes can be a significant competitive advantage. Stord's ability to establish new operations in 19 days exemplifies the kind of agility brands should seek in their logistics partners.

Is Stord Right for Your Business?

While Stord proved to be an excellent partner for True Classic, each business has unique fulfillment needs. When considering whether Stord might be the right 3PL for your brand, evaluate these factors:

• Business scale: Stord's solutions are particularly valuable for mid-market and enterprise brands with significant order volume and multichannel sales strategies
• Growth trajectory: If your brand is experiencing rapid growth like True Classic, Stord's scalable infrastructure can accommodate increasing volume without service disruption
• Channel mix: Stord excels in supporting both DTC and B2B fulfillment, making them suitable for brands with diverse sales channels
• Technology needs: Brands that value real-time visibility, order routing optimization, and seamless integration with existing systems will benefit from Stord's technology-forward approach
• Crisis resilience: Companies concerned about supply chain resilience should consider Stord's demonstrated ability to quickly establish operations in response to unexpected disruptions

To determine if Stord is the right fit for your specific needs, consider using Fulfill.com's 3PL matchmaking service, which can help identify the optimal fulfillment partner based on your unique requirements.

Final Thoughts

The partnership between True Classic and Stord exemplifies how a modern, technology-enabled 3PL provider can help transform a potential business crisis into an opportunity for operational enhancement. By establishing a new fulfillment hub in record time and implementing sophisticated order management and shipping optimization technologies, Stord enabled True Classic to maintain uninterrupted service to their customers despite significant supply chain disruptions.

For growing eCommerce brands, this case study highlights the value of partnering with 3PL providers that offer both operational excellence and technological innovation. In today's dynamic retail environment, having a fulfillment partner that can adapt quickly to changing circumstances while maintaining service quality is increasingly becoming a critical competitive advantage.

Whether you're facing a supply chain disruption like True Classic or simply looking to optimize your fulfillment operations, the right 3PL partnership can be transformative for your business. Consider evaluating your current fulfillment strategy to determine if it provides the resilience, visibility, and efficiency needed to support your growth objectives.