{"id":3525,"date":"2026-10-21T16:20:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T08:20:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ahbabul-mustafa.com\/blog\/?p=3525"},"modified":"2026-10-21T16:20:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T08:20:06","slug":"can-you-give-an-example-of-by-type-4870-6b29db","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.ahbabul-mustafa.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/21\/can-you-give-an-example-of-by-type-4870-6b29db\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you give an example of ‘By Type’?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s up everyone\u2014let\u2019s cut right to the chase because if you\u2019re here, you\u2019re probably scrolling for real examples of \u201cby type\u201d in action, not some boring corporate jargon that sounds like it\u2019s pulled from a 2000s product catalog. For context, I\u2019ve run a small but tight-knit supply operation for the last 8 years\u2014we\u2019re the \u201cby type\u201d supplier people actually call when they don\u2019t want generic one-size-fits-all garbage, so this is from the trenches, not a textbook. By Type<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, let\u2019s clarify what \u201cby type\u201d actually means here, because half the time people mix it up with \u201ccustom\u201d or \u201cbulk.\u201d When we say \u201cby type,\u201d we\u2019re sorting every single product, component, or material we move into specific, non-overlapping categories that make sense for your<\/em> use case\u2014no vague groupings like \u201cindustrial parts\u201d that lumps together something meant for a factory robot and something meant for a backyard bird feeder. The mistake most new folks make is thinking it\u2019s just slapping a label on a box, but nah\u2014for us, \u201cby type\u201d is how we make sure you get exactly what you need, when you need it, no headaches, no returns because the wrong part showed up.<\/p>\n

Let me give you a super concrete, recent example that still makes me shake my head a little because it\u2019s such a perfect case of how \u201cby type\u201d works for both sides. Last spring, a small landscaping company (shoutout to them\u2014they\u2019re local to our area, do amazing work for small parks and backyard projects) hit us up panicking. They had a big contract: installing rain gardens for three new community parks, and their original supplier let them down hard\u2014they showed up with 50 cubic yards of generic mulch that was just \u201cwood chips,\u201d no categorization, and half of it was big splinters that would stick to people\u2019s shoes, not the fine, consistent stuff they needed to hold moisture. Also, they needed specific fasteners for the rain garden edging, but the supplier just dumped a random mix of screws, nails, and bolts that didn\u2019t fit the recycled plastic edging they\u2019d spec\u2019d.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s where \u201cby type\u201d came in, and saved their entire project. Normally, when a landscaping crew hits us up for mulch, we don\u2019t just send \u201cmulch\u201d\u2014we send it by type<\/em>, and we flag that for their use case first. Let\u2019s break down how that works for mulch alone: we split it into hard type and soft type, but then sub-divide hard type into fine (under \u00bd inch) for ground cover, medium (\u00bd to 1 inch) for pathways, and coarse (over 1 inch) for erosion control. Soft type is things like pine straw, which we split into long-straw for garden beds and short-cut for mulch paths. That landscaping crew needed fine hardwood mulch\u2014no splinters, consistent size, because it was for high-traffic community areas. We pulled that exact type from our stock, and because we label every load by type (we even have little color tags now\u2014blue for mulch, green for fasteners, so the delivery guys can spot it fast), we knew it was perfect for their project.<\/p>\n

Then the fasteners\u2014same deal. Their original supplier gave them a random pile, but we supply fasteners by type<\/em>, and we have a whole catalog split into type by application: for wood, for recycled plastic, for metal, for pressure-treated lumber, etc. They needed 2.5-inch stainless steel self-tapping screws, specifically designed for thin recycled plastic edging. When they told us that, we didn\u2019t send a generic box of screws\u2014we pulled the exact type, had it bagged and labeled so they didn\u2019t have to sift through a pile of 10 different screw sizes to find what worked. That\u2019s the \u201cby type\u201d difference\u2014we don\u2019t guess, we give you what\u2019s exactly the right category for your job.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s make this even more specific, because I know a lot of you reading this are in the manufacturing or construction space too, not just landscaping. Last year, I worked with a guy who runs a small custom furniture shop out of Portland. He was struggling with a local metal supplier that kept sending him scrap metal that was labeled \u201csteel\u201d but was a mixed batch of different types\u2014high-carbon, mild, alloy, all jumbled together. He kept having to sort through hundreds of pounds just to find the 16-gauge mild steel he needed for dining table legs, which ate up 8 hours a week of his time, time he could\u2019ve spent building furniture.<\/p>\n

He switched to us, and we started supplying his raw metal by type<\/em>. So every sheet he gets is marked clearly: Type 1018 mild steel, Type 4130 alloy steel, Type 304 stainless, etc. Not only that, when he orders a batch, we\u2019ll pre-sort it by the specific type he needs, so it\u2019s already separated when it shows up to his shop. That cut his sorting time by like 90%\u2014he told us later that he added 2 extra tables a month to his production, all because we used a simple \u201cby type\u201d system instead of dumping a random mix on his dock.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing that most suppliers don\u2019t get about \u201cby type\u201d\u2014it\u2019s not just a labeling trick to make their lives easier. It\u2019s actually a way to cut waste and save you money. For the landscaping crew, the generic mulch they got was half unusable\u2014they had to pay a guy to sift through 25 cubic yards of bad mulch to get the fine stuff, which cost them $1,200 in labor. For the furniture guy, the mixed metal meant he was wasting 10 pounds of high-carbon steel every week because he couldn\u2019t use it for his dining tables, which was another $30 a week down the drain. When they used our by-type system, they eliminated that waste entirely. We even track that for our clients\u2014we give them a little side note on each order that says something like \u201cBy-type mulch reduced your labor costs by $1,100 this week\u201d or \u201cBy-type metal cut your material waste by 8% this month.\u201d That\u2019s the real value, not just a fancy term.<\/p>\n

A lot of people ask me, \u201cWhat\u2019s the difference between \u2018by type\u2019 and \u2018just ordering the right product\u2019?\u201d Let\u2019s clarify that too, because that\u2019s where the confusion hits. If you order \u201cfasteners for plastic edging,\u201d that\u2019s just a product order. If you order \u201cself-tapping screws, Type 23, 2.5 inches, stainless steel, for thin recycled plastic\u2014by type,\u201d that\u2019s using the system to make sure you don\u2019t get anything outside that specific category. I\u2019ve had clients tell me they thought by-type was just \u201cmore labels\u201d until they had a load show up that was 100% what they needed, no returns, no sorting. Last quarter, a construction company in Seattle had a concrete pour for a parking garage, and they needed a specific aggregate type\u2014Type 57 stone, which is 1-inch to 2.5-inch crushed limestone, meant for structural concrete. A big national supplier sent them Type 8 stone, which is smaller, meant for drainage, and they had to shut down the pour for 3 hours to sort through it. We sent their by-type batch, labeled, sorted, and it was exactly what they needed\u2014they didn\u2019t lose a minute of time.<\/p>\n

Now, I know some of you are thinking, \u201cWait, this sounds like something only people with specific niche jobs need.\u201d No, it works for small stuff too. Last month, a lady who runs a local dog groomer hit us up for grooming tables. She needed the non-slip mats that go on the tables, and she got quoted for \u201crubber mats\u201d from a big box supplier. We supply mats by type<\/em> too\u2014so instead of generic rubber, we split them into type by grip, thickness, and water resistance. She needed a mat that was medium-thickness, high-grip (so dogs don\u2019t slip), and water-resistant for frequent cleaning. We sent her exactly that type, and she said the generic mat she had before was so slippery her clients kept jumping off the table, but this one\u2019s been perfect for months. That\u2019s the same by-type system, just scaled for a tiny business.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a little behind-the-scenes stuff that most suppliers won\u2019t tell you\u2014we started doing by-type because we got sick of hearing clients complain about the same problems. 10 years ago, when I first started in this business, I\u2019d get a call every week from someone who got the wrong stuff, had to pay extra to return it, and was behind on their project. I realized the root of 90% of those problems was that suppliers weren\u2019t sorting their inventory by clear, use-specific types\u2014they were just grouping everything together under vague terms. So we rebuilt our entire stock system around by-type: every item has a unique type code, every load is packed to match that code, our sales team is trained to ask you specific questions about what your project needs so we can match the exact type, not just the general category.<\/p>\n

We also don\u2019t overcomplicate it. You don\u2019t need to memorize a bunch of weird codes\u2014we make it easy. If you tell us, \u201cI need mulch for a high-traffic community garden,\u201d we already have that type listed under our garden supplies category. If you say, \u201cI need screws for thin plastic edging,\u201d we pull that exact type from our fasteners section. No extra hoops, no confusing jargon, just us giving you the right stuff for your job.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re reading this and you\u2019ve ever dealt with a supplier that sent you the wrong thing, made you sort through a random pile, or charged you for stuff you didn\u2019t need just because it was \u201cpart of a bulk order,\u201d that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re here to fix. We don\u2019t do generic. We don\u2019t do vague. We do by-type, because it\u2019s the only way to make sure you get exactly what you need, when you need it, no headaches, no waste.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re working on a project\u2014whether it\u2019s a small home renovation, a big construction job, landscaping, furniture making, whatever\u2014and you\u2019re tired of the same old supply problems, hit us up to chat. We can walk through your specific needs, explain how our by-type system works for your project, and get you a quote that makes sense. No sales pitches, no pressure, just real answers from someone who\u2019s been doing this long enough to know what works and what doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

By Emotion<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2022). Best Practices for Material Sorting and Inventory Management in Construction and Small Business Operations. U.S. Department of Labor.<\/li>\n
  2. National Association of Landscape Professionals. (2023). Landscape Supply Efficiency: Reducing Labor and Material Waste Through Categorized Product Sourcing. NALP Industry Report.<\/li>\n
  3. American Wood Protection Association. (2021). Standard Specifications for Wood Fasteners by Type and Application. AWPA Technical Bulletin.<\/li>\n
  4. American Society for Testing and Materials. (2022). Standard Classification of Steel Alloys for Custom Manufacturing. ASTM International.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Shenyang Magic Life Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    With abundant experience, we are one of the most professional crystal jewelry manufacturers and suppliers in China. Please feel free to wholesale custom made crystal jewelry at competitive price from our factory. Good service and quality products are available.
    Address: No.85-11 Kunshan West Road, Huanggu District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
    E-mail: jane@ziyuaqua.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.ziyuaquas.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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