What is Garment Packaging?
Garment packaging is the final process in the production of garments, which prepares the finished merchandise for delivery to the customer. These operations come under the materials handling methods and are no less important than other systems used in the factory. After completing the entire manufacturing task, apparel is required to be packed. After packing, it is placed in cartons as per instructions and then it is stored in a store section before it is delivered to the respective buyer.
Packaging refers to the container that carries a product. Two basic objectives of packaging are preventing any damage to the product during transportation and enhancing the features of the product to the consumer for a sale of it. Packaging has two major functions:
- Distribution
- Merchandising
The main purpose of distribution packaging is packaging the garment in a way that it allows the garment manufacturers to transport the garment at a minimum cost and in the shortest time to the retailer or purchaser, without deteriorating the quality of the product. The merchandising function deals with showcasing the garment product in a way that it stimulates consumer desire for purchasing the particular product.
Types of Packaging Forms:
The basic types of packaging forms used in garment and allied products are
- Bags
- Boxes
- Cartons
- Cases
- Crates
- Twine
- Wrappers
List of Garment Packaging Materials and Accessories:
The following are the most popularly used packaging materials and accessories in garment industry:
1. Plain poly bag: Used in packing of apparel as a primary packing material irrespective of garment types used.
2. Gazetted poly bag: It is commercially known as Bopp poly bags or self-adhesive bags. It is like normal poly bag but there will be a self-adhesive provision and extension at one side of the poly bag.
3. Poly bag with hangers: Is used both in the hanger pack as well as stand-up pack.
4. Back support board: This is used to achieve correct folding size both in flat pack and stand-up packing methods. It is made of cardboard and placed under the garment. The back support enhances the shape of the garment.
5. Inner collar band: It is made of plastic. It is used for packing shirts and is placed inside the shirt collar to provide support to the collar and give it a good shape.
6. Outer Collar Band: It is made of poly vinyl chloride sheet and is used along with the inner collar band to provide support to the collar.
7. Butterfly: It is used to give a raised appearance to the collar points to enhance its presentation. It is used on the neck button between the collar points. Single layer, double layer and bubbled butterfly are the different types of butterflies used by packers.
8. Plastic clips: Plastic clips are used to hold the folded edges of the garment in position. It is made of plastic. Depending on the required firmness of the grip, Plain and gripper types are the different types of plastic clips used by the packers. The gripper type gives a firmer grip than the plain type.
9. Pins: They are made of metal and are used to join two parts of a garment together. It holds the fold of a garment firmly and ensures that the fold stays in place. Plain and ball head pins are the two different types of pins used by packers.
10. Clothes hanger: It is used mainly for the hanger pack method of packing.
11. Collar inserts: To make the collar flat and stiff at the edges.
12. Hang tags: Hand tags are an information card that is attached to the garment.
13. Nylon tag pins: Used to attach tags with the garments.
14. Tissue paper: It is used in all types of packing to ensure that the pressed garments remain crease free.
15. Crepe paper: Crepe paper is used to prevent creasing and crushing of a garment.
16. Cello tape: It is an adhesive tape used for sealing the carton.
17. Carton: Carton is the most important container for shipment of goods.
Types of Carton Boxes Used in Garment Packaging:
a) Folding Cartons: These are the cartons produced in a flat manner and then assembled into the box shape. Folding cartons (paperboard cartons, or paperboard boxes) are some of the most common types of boxes for packing.
b) Rigid Boxes: Rigid boxes (set-up boxes) are tougher and do not fold or collapse as like folding cartons.
c) Corrugated boxes: Corrugated boxes are commonly referred to as brown cardboard boxes and are used for outermost packing. Cartons are made of multiple plies of a special type of paper. Number of plies indicates the quality of the carton, like 3 plies, 5 plies and 7 plies. The packages are packed into small cartons called inner cartons and placed inside the main or master cartons. This way of packaging keeps the garment safe and away from damage.
d) Inner carton: Inner cartons are smaller cartons used for individual products. An outer carton often contains a number of inner cartons. For example, an outer carton must contain forty shirts and they should be divided into four inner cartons.
Conclusion:
Garment packaging plays an important role in the garment production process, ensuring that finished products are delivered to consumers in proper condition while also facilitating efficient transportation. The packaging not only protects garments during transformation but also serves to enhance their appeal to potential buyers, contributing to effective merchandising. Various materials and accessories, such as poly bags, hangers, and collar supports, are employed to maintain the quality and presentation of garments.
References:
- Handbook of Textile and Apparel Costing by Rathinamoorthy, Surjit and Vishnu Vardhini
- Apparel Merchandising by R. Rathinamoorthy and R. Surjit
- Apparel Manufacturing Technology by T. Karthik, P. Ganesan, D. Gopalakrishnan
- Garments Merchandising by M.A. Kashem
- Practice of Garments Merchandising and Management by Engr. Md. Faruq Hosen
