GARMENT PRODUCTION

MANAGEMENTBY SANDRA CARR

PROCESSES OF GARMENT MANUFACTURING

• Pre-Production Processes - Pre-production process includes sampling, sourcing of raw materials, approvals, PP meeting.

• Production processes- cutting, sewing and finishing

• Post production processes - thread trimming, pressing, checking, folding and packing, shipment inspection, etc.

GARMENT PRODUCTION FACILITY

• The production facility will offer designers a manufacturing source to enable retail selling, regional and international exports

• Mass production

• Stimulation of the local fashion industry

• Generate revenue for the country

• Provide global standards

• Creation of jobs

• Provide training

WHAT IS PRODUCTION?

• Production describes the process by which concepts are made into a saleable physical product.

• In most cases, this means going from a small set of samples or prototypes to commercial quantities of the item or style, often across multiple sizes, colours and patterns.

PRODUCTION PLANNING

• Based on orders, a designer will decide on how many garments of each style he/she will need.

• The designer will engage with the production facility to fill orders

• Cut to order is the safest method, where you cut and produce only against orders.

• Cut to stock involves greater risk, where cutting is based on estimates of projected sales.

• Cut to stock is necessary for basics to enable production to be spread out over time.

CUT AND SEW PROCESS

GETTING BUYERS’ ATTENTION• As a designer you need to do research to find a good match.

• Designers must take the time to find stores that could be a fit for their aesthetics and approach them one by one.

• Being at a trade show is a good way to catch buyer’s eye. Designers are able to show their best designs and prices to potential buyers.

• International fashion shows and other fashion events where buyers attend.

• Marketing your brand to online platforms.

CONSULTATION AT THE PRODUCTION FACILITY

• The facility will offer Tech Pack training, samples, and production runs.

• Ideally a designer will come with a solid plan and the production facility will help with whatever is needed (tech packs, samples, and/or production)

TECH PACK• It is one of the most crucial tools to developing your product and

making the communication process more efficient between designer and manufacturer.

• Think of a Tech Pack as the blueprint for each garment. Just as a builder would never just start building a house without a detailed plan, a designer should never produce a garment without a detailed Tech Pack.

• The Tech Pack tells the (factory) all the information that’s needed to successfully transform your design into a product that’s exactly how you envisioned it.

• Many new designers overlook this vital step.

• Tech packs save time and money

THE IMPORTANCE OF TECH PACKS

• With a tech pack, designers are more likely to get a sample or product made correctly with minimal errors.

• Supplying a tech pack to a manufacturer gives them a concrete guideline to your product, so without one it can be difficult for manufacturers to translate your idea into an actual product.

• It also allows the manufacturer to make a product without having to refer back to the designer several times.

• When creating products, manufacturers can reference the tech pack to make sure they aren’t overlooking any aspect of your design.

HOW TO MAKE A TECH PACK

• Designers can use Adobe Illustrator to create a tech pack.

• Designers can also work with a technical designer.

• When creating a tech pack with Adobe Illustrator, you can export them into a PDF to send digitally.

• Designers can also find templates online that can format the layout.

DETAILS OF TECH PACK

• A tech pack is an informative sheet that designers create to communicate with a manufacturer all the necessary components needed to construct a product.

• Typically designers will include measurements, materials, colors, trim, hardware, grading, labels, tags, etc.

• Any crucial aspect of your design needs to be described in your tech pack.

• The more detailed a tech pack is, the less room there is for error.

RISKS OF PRODUCING WITHOUT TECH PACKS

• Making a garment without first creating a Tech Pack is basically like tossing eggs and flour into a bowl without a recipe, and expecting a gourmet cake!

• Without a Tech Pack, you might be envisioning a Cotton Blend sheath dress with strategically placed cutouts, but what you receive from the factory is a Poly Blend shift dress with appliques.

RAW MATERIALS• Ordering the materials to produce garments may be done by the

manufacturer or designer.

• The volume of the piece goods order and the origin would affect the cost.

• Piece goods buyers must also consider:

• The amount that may be required for reorders

• Trimmings

• Fabric quality and dye lot matching

PRODUCTION COSTS• Production costs are mutually determined by the manufacturer and the

designer.

• Elements include:

• Materials

• Trimmings

• Production patternmaking, grading and marking

• Tech Packs

• Spreading and cutting

• Assembly

• Finishing

• Freight

• Duty and VAT

PRODUCTION PATTERN

• There are four steps to the process of creating a pattern for a manufactured apparel product:

• Grading

• Marking

• Spreading

• Cutting

GRADING

• Most apparel products come in various sizes. Patterns have to be created for each size. This process is called grading.

• Grading can be done by:

• A CAD software program

or

• By hand on paper

MARKING

• Marking is the process that uses a computer or paper to create an outline of the shape of the pattern piece .

• The markers are then placed on the fabric in a way ensure the least amount of wasted fabric possible.

SPREADING

• Spreading is to place multiple layers of fabric so they can be cut into pieces ready for assembly.

• Spreading can be done by hand or by machines known as Spreaders

CUTTING• The cutting process usually involves one of two primary types of

machines:

• Electric Cutting Knife

• Automated Cutting Machine

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

• Contractors schedule production and garment assembly in time to meet shipping dates.

• The production schedule, is a reverse timetable usually covering six months.

• The Production facility’s capacity must be considered in planning the production schedule.

• Computerized inventory control has made planning more accurate.

WOMEN’S APPAREL

• In the women’s apparel industry, four to six collections a year are typical. A traditional calendar guideline used by the fashion industry for decades.

• Spring I• Sell Dates: August - October

• Delivery: Late January - March

• Fashion Week in New York takes place in September as does New York Market week.

• Spring II / Summer• Sell Dates: October - January

• Delivery: Late March - May

• Fall I / Transition

• Sell Dates: Late January - March

• Delivery: Late Middle of July – August

• Fashion Week in New York takes place in February.

• Fall II

• Sell Dates: March - April

• Delivery: Late September

• Holiday

• Sell Dates: May - June

• Delivery: October

• Resort / Cruise

• Sell Dates: June - August

• Delivery: Late November through mid-January

GARMENT ASSEMBLY

• Apparel assembly usually involves one of four basic methods:

• Tailoring/Whole Garment

• Progressive Bundle/Piecework

• Unit Production

• Modular Manufacturing

PROGRESSIVE BUNDLE/PIECEWORK

• Each operator does different parts of the assembly process

STANDARDS OF QUALITY CONTROL

When measuring the quality of a finished product, there are two different types of quality to consider

• Design Quality

• Manufacturing Quality

DESIGN QUALITY

• Design quality takes into consideration the features that are part of the design of a garment.

• Certain sewing techniques and seam finishes are used on higher quality garments that would not be seen on garments of lesser quality – i.e.. bound seams, top stitching etc.

MANUFACTURING QUALITY

• Manufacturing quality considers the care with which a garment has been created.

• Workers in this area of inspection would look for:

1. Color defects

2. Construction defects

3. Sizing defects

SHIPPING TO RETAILERS

• Garments are checked for quality, divided into groups according to style, color and size and put into stock.

• Standardized purchase orders make pulling orders to fill easier, faster and more efficient.

• Orders transmitted via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) are automatically translated in Advanced Shipping Notices (ASN’s) and invoices.

• ASN’s are sent to stores so they know what to expect.

• Bar-coded boxes are prepared for shipment, with packing slips and addresses, allowing for on time delivery and quick checking at the destination.

MARGINS/MARKUPS

• Many designers ask what a reasonable margin target should be.

• The answer, of course, varies depending on the size of your business, its overhead, development, sampling costs and many other factors.

• Most companies try to achieve close to 50 percent margins at wholesale and over 70 percent in retail. But again, there are no hard and fast rules, as each circumstance requires different treatment.

PRICI NG• Designers needs to take into account the objectives of the business.

• If the product is highest quality, a higher price should be used to signal high quality to the consumer.

• Exclusive designer fashion labels and luxury holiday businesses apply this strategy (using “premium” or luxury prices).

• Competitors – this is really important. Competitor strength influences whether a business can set prices independently, or whether it simply has to follow the normal market price.

• Costs – a business cannot ignore the cost of production or buying a product when it comes to setting a selling price. In the long-term, a business will fail if it sells for less than cost, or if its gross profit margin is too low to cover the fixed costs of the business

THANK YOU!