What is Garment Manufacturing?
Garments are produced mainly on two bases. The first one is tailoring based and the second one is industrial based. The making of garments for a particular man, taking his body measurements is called tailoring based garments production. Making of thousands pieces of garments for male, female, boys or girls taking standard body measurements based on a specific design and different sizes is called the industrial based garments production. In this article I will discuss about industrial garment manufacturing process flow chart.
To make a complete garment depends on some steps and techniques. Garment manufacturing process starts from order receiving and end to the dispatching shipment of the finished garments. If we explain it, then it involves many processing steps like product design, fabric selection and inspection, pattern making, grading, marking, spreading, cutting, bundling, sewing, pressing or folding, finishing and detailing, dyeing and washing, QC and finally ending with a finished garment. Garment manufacturing process can be quite complex and may vary depending on the type of garment, materials used, and the scale of production.
In this garment manufacturing process flow chart, it helps to understand how raw materials are moved from one process to another process until they are resolved into the required garments.
For the large scale of apparel production some processing steps or sequences are involved in the garment manufacturing technology. Here I will mention garments production flowchart, which should follow when you make a garments.
Flow Chart of Garment Manufacturing Process:
Step by step garment manufacturing processes are discussed in below:
Design Development
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Fabric Sourcing
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Basic Block
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Working Pattern
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Sample Garments
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Approved Sample
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Costing
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Production Pattern
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Grading
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Marker Making
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Fabric Spreading
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Cutting
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Sorting/Numbering and Bundling
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Sewing
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In-line Inspection
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Ironing and Finishing
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Tagging
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Final Inspection
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Packing
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Garments Cartooning
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Dispatch Shipment
Explanation of Step by Step Garment Manufacturing Process:
Design Development: It is the first step in garment manufacturing process. This step involves coming up with creative ideas for the garment’s appearance, style, and features, often based on fashion trends or customer preferences.
Fabric Sourcing: Fabric, trims, and accessories are sourced from suppliers based on design requirements and quality standards. This step ensures the availability of the right materials for production.
Basic Block: The basic block, or pattern block, is a foundational pattern template created using standard body measurements. It serves as a starting point for developing various garment designs while ensuring an accurate fit.
Working Pattern: The working pattern is a refined version of the basic block that includes design features and style elements. It is adjusted to match the approved sample garment and serves as a guide for bulk production.
Sample Garments: Sample garments are produced using the working pattern to test and evaluate the design, fit, and construction before proceeding with mass production.
Approved Sample: Approved sample is the final version of the garment that has been accepted by the design team and buyers. It serves as the reference for mass production.
Costing: Costing involves calculating the production expenses, including material costs, labor costs, overheads, and other associated expenses. This helps determine the garment’s price and feasibility for production.
Production Pattern: The production pattern is the final version of the pattern, based on the approved sample garment. It is used in the manufacturing process to cut and sew the garments.
Grading: Grading involves scaling the Production Pattern to create various sizes of the garment. This ensures that the garments fit accurately across different size ranges.
Marker Making: In this step, the Production Pattern is used to create markers, which are templates for optimizing fabric layout during cutting, minimizing fabric wastage.
Fabric Spreading: Once the marker is ready, information about the marker length is sent to the spreading team. Spreading is the process of superimposing fabric layers to get the required number of garment pieces. One layer of the fabric is known as ply or layer whereas multiple number of layers ready to be cut are known as lay or spread.
Cutting: Fabric pieces are accurately cut following the production pattern and marker outlines, resulting in individual garment pieces ready for assembly.
Sorting/Numbering and Bundling: Numbering and bundling is the next process after cutting. Each bundle is labeled. The label contains the information i. e. pattern, size, number of pieces, etc. The objective of this labeling is to avoid mixing of different sizes during stitching. Now each piece in a bundle is numbered. For example, the top most ply is given number 1 and the lowest ply is given number 30 in a 30 pieces bundle. The objective of this numbering is to avoid shade variation during stitching.
Sewing/Stitching: The process of joining of fabric to make a garment is known as stitching. Skilled workers use sewing machines to assemble the garment pieces, following the production pattern.
In-line Inspection: Ongoing quality inspections are conducted during sewing to identify and rectify defects early in the production process.
Ironing and Finishing: Garments are pressed and finished to give them a polished appearance.
Tagging: Labels and tags with essential information such as size and care instructions are attached to the garments.
Final Inspection: A thorough quality check is performed on the finished garments to ensure they meet the required standards.
Packing: Garments are folded, packed, and prepared for shipment or distribution.
Garments Cartooning: The packed garments are placed into cartons or boxes, ready for bulk shipping. This packaging process ensures that the garments remain organized and protected during transportation.
Dispatch / Shipment: The finished garments are dispatched for distribution to retailers or directly to customers, completing the garment manufacturing process. Proper logistics and shipment procedures ensure timely delivery and customer satisfaction.
Conclusion:
Garment manufacturing process involves a series of operations that transform fabric into finished garments ready for sale. It’s essential for garment manufacturers to maintain efficient production processes, quality control measures, and ethical standards to produce garments that meet consumer requirements and comply with regulations. Apparel manufacturing is a dynamic industry that combines creativity, technology, and skilled labor to bring fashionable clothing to the market.
