Fabric is transformed into clothes through the process of <a href="https://smokearmory.com/types-of-apparel">apparel production</a>, also known as garment production. When garments are manufactured in a factory, the term apparel production is employed. Traditionally, apparel factories have been classified into two categories: domestic and export.
At any given time, a factory creates a large number of <a href=" https://smokearmory.com/">apparel</a> for a certain style or design. Before beginning production on an order, the manufacturer must complete various operations known as pre-production. Sampling, costing, production planning, raw material acquisition, and production pattern creation are all part of the pre-production process. The production functions include fabric cutting, printing, embroidery, stitching, thread clipping, washing, ironing, folding, and packing.
• Sampling
Sampling is a procedure in which a factory creates garment samples based on a design given by the buyer. This is often referred to as the stage of product development. At various stages, samples are required to acquire the buyer's approval of a design. Proto sample, Fit sample, Size set sample, Salesman sample, production sample, Top of production (TOP) sample, and shipment sample are the names given to samples according to the stages of development.
• Costing:
Profit is the most important aspect of every firm. As a result, accurate costing of a product before order completion is critical. The total cost of raw materials, direct labor, and direct and indirect overheads are referred to as garment costing. After generating a sample or obtaining a buyer's sample, the factory must send the garment's FOB (freight on board) price. A garment manufacturer's FOB is determined by a cost sheet that includes raw material costs, total direct labor expenses for each step, and factory overhead. The sum of the garment cost, manufacturer margin, and taxes is known as FOB.
• Production Planning:
After receiving an order, the manufacturer plans for the order's raw material requirements. Fabrics, sewing threads, packing materials, hang tags, and other accessories are examples of raw materials. The factory schedules when to begin cutting, when to submit a pre-production sample, when to finish sewing and finishing, when to conduct final inspections, and when to ship. Job responsibility for various processes is defined during the production planning stage.
• Cutting
Fabrics are piled on a table layer by layer up to a particular height at this stage. The cloth is then cut into garment forms or patterns and separated from the layer using a cutting machine. Fabric layering is possible using both human and automated methods. After that, the cut parts are numbered, packed, and sent to the sewing room.
• Sewing or Stitching:
Sewing machines are used to join garment panels together in the sewing room. Sewing converts 2D cloth patterns into 3D forms. The machine is operated by an operator, and garment sections are linked together with sewing threads. Sewing machines come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Machines are chosen according to the seam and stitching requirements. Sewing machines are generally laid in a raw state in the industry. Cut portions are fed into the line at the beginning, passed through the line, and a full garment emerges at the end. Individual operators operate each machine, and each operator sews only one or two garment processes.
• Thread trimming:
After sewing, use a hand trimmer to snip all dangling threads. This process can also be accomplished with the use of automatic thread trimming devices. All loose threads within a garment are also removed. A basic quality requirement is that the garments have no loose threads and a long tail.
• Washing:
This procedure is used when the buyer requests that the items be washed or have particular finishes applied to them. Although the buyer does not require washed garments for orders, light color garments are washed to remove dirt and stains.
• Finishing:
This step usually entails inspecting the clothing, double-checking the measurements, ironing, and spotting. After the clothes are sewn, a quality checker inspects each piece to ensure that the garments meet the buyer's quality standards. Normally, visual appearance and measurements are checked.
• Packing and folding:
After pressing, each item is folded with tissue or card stock. Folding differs from one product to the next, as well as from one buyer to the next. Plastic Kimble or threads are used to connect hang tags, special tags, and price labels. After that, the folded and labeled clothing is placed in a polybag. Internal quality controllers randomly inspect clothing while packing to verify that they