SAMPLING DEPARTMENT

Sampling department directly co-ordinates with the merchandising and production

department. Sampling is done to see how the product will look like when produced in bulk
and to check whether there are any discrepancies in the pattern that are made according to the
buyer’s specification.
Merchandiser procures order from the buyer. The buyer sends spec sheet, sketches, fabric
details, embellishment details, stitch type etc. to the merchandiser. The merchandiser files
this information along with the details regarding costing, proto, fit, correction, size set and
approval in to a style package and hands it over to the sampling head.

TYPES OF SAMPLES
- Proto sample
- Fit sample
- Sales sample
- Pre-production (PP) sample
- GPT Sample (Garment Performance Test)
- Sealer sample
- Size set
- Pilot run sample
- TOP sample (Top Of Production)

STAGES OF SAMPLE MAKING

♦ Proto Samples
- Made for style approval
- Substitute material can be used
- Made by using the spec sheet sent by the buyer
- The pattern maker makes the pattern for the proto sample using the
measurement chart given in the spec sheet
 - Only one size out of the size-set is made (generally the medium size).
- One proto sample is kept for own counter and rest all sent to the buyer for
comments/approval. It is checked basically for fit and construction.
- It is first checked by the nominated QA and then sent to the buyer QA
- The comments are received by the merchandiser and samples are made again
incorporating the comments

♦ Pre-production samples:
- Made by using actual fabrics and trims
- It should have accurate dimension and within required quality standards.
- 5 pieces of any one size is made, generally the size of which the proto sample
was made.
- 1 piece kept for own counter and rest sent to the buyer for approval.
-
♦ GPT samples:
- GPT- Garment Package Test
- Garment samples are made for laboratory inspection and testing.

♦ Sealer Sample
- This is the sample used as a reference for bulk production
- Needs to be maintained till shipment for any reference
- No changes can be made after sealer sample is approved.

♦ Size-set samples:
- This is done after grading of the pattern is done.
- Five pieces of each size is made.
- Size set is internally passed by the nominated QA.

♦ Pilot run sample:

- These samples are produced in modular batch (pilot run batch).
- This is the 1st sample produced in a batch.
- Cutting for the pilot run is done in the cutting section unlike other samples for
which cutting is done in the sampling section
- It is made to check grading of all sizes in batch production.
- After pilot is approved the bulk cutting starts
 - 5 pieces of each size and of each color is made during the pilot run.

♦ TOP sample:
- TOP- top of Production sample
- Sample produced in the actual batch after batch setting and line balancing is
finished
- First 20-50 pieces of each size produced in the batch is sent to the buyer for
approval.

♦ Salesman Sample:
- 10 to 100 pieces made according to the demand and requirement of the buyer.
- Buyer uses it to show to the retailers know the customers response and
estimate order quantity.

♦ Add samples:
- These samples are made for the advertisement or promotional purpose asked
by the buyer, before confirmation of the order.

Start

Fabric Sourcing Accessory stores Merchandising

Test Test Carry on test

on fabric and
garment as per
buyer
Count Buttons requirement

Color laces and

Construction
twill tapes On meeting
buyer
requirement,
Color fastness Color fastness samples to be
to washing test and elastic sent to
external lab to
get approval
Color fastness
to crocking Lining fabrics

Dimensional
stability to Dimensional
washing Stability

Fabric Strength
Corrugated box
 End

CAD DEPARTMENT

Apparel manufacturing companies has its own CAD department for varied style garments.
CAD can be done either manually or with the use of some software or in computerized way.

FUNCTIONS OF CAD ROOM

CAD department is responsible for the following functions:

 Determining cutting average for costing
 Making the most efficient marker
 Development and alteration of patterns
 Development of size set pattern by grading
 Embroidery graphics making
 Digitizing the pattern

BASIC WORKFLOW

Firstly the merchandiser sends the following documents to the CAD room:
 Approved style sheet and spec sheet containing all the measurements.
 Graded measurement spec sheet.
 Fabric detail sheet containing information like fabric form (open roll or folded form),
roll size, GSM, type of fabric, style no, vendor, buyer etc.

FABRIC AUDIT DEPARTMENT

The main objectives of this department are:

 Analysis of defects in the fabric by various methods.

 Selection of fabric according to AQL.

Inspection is done on the following grounds:

 Shade segregation
 Width segregation
 Inspection of fabrics for defects.
 Shrinkage test for light weight fabrics as well as for heavy weight fabrics.
 The fabric is checked in full width form only.
 The quantity is checked, whether the mentioned length of the roll is correct or not.

ACCESSORY STORES DEPARTMENT

Functioning of the Department

The department first receives a PO copy from the merchants, which the merchants would
have sent it to any one among the three above mentioned supplier types. As soon as the
accessory department comes to know about the date on which they will receive that particular
material they make a note of it in their database that they will be receiving that material.

Once the material reaches the stores on the prescribed day and date the concerned person
verifies the materials against invoice/ Delivery Challan and packing list which they would
have received from the merchant as already stated.

After it is confirmed that the received materials is according to the documents then they carry
out a quality inspection and this inspection is carried out irrespective to the type of the buyer.
The company carries this inspection as per AQL standard.

MERCHANDIZING DEPARTMENT
Merchandising is a process through which products are planned, developed, executed and
presented to the buyer. It includes directing and overseeing the development of product line
from start to finish. Marketing and merchandising department is a team of merchandisers and
marketers work together under a profit controls head. Merchandisers communicate with the
buyer for their requirements. The teams are made according to the buyers being handled.

The main functions of Marketing Merchandising are:

- Product Development
- Costing
- Ordering
Marketing Merchandising is to bring orders, product development and it has direct
contact with the buyer.
 Product merchandising is done in the units. This includes all the responsibilities from
sourcing to finishing such that first sample onwards, the product merchandising work
starts and ends at shipment.

CUTTING ROOM
BASIC WORK FLOW

Cutting department receives the order for cutting a garment style from the production
manager. Cutting order is an authorization by the production manager to cut a given amount
of styles, from the spreads. It comes in form of a package file that carries the following
details:
 Sampling average, weight of garment (base fabric consumption only), and other trims
averages.
 Measurement sheet
 Design worksheet of the garment
 Purchase order
 Fabric requisition sheet
 CAD mini marker
 Marker planning- length of lay etc., size ratio and colors in which the patterns are to
be cut.

ACTUAL CUTTING PROCESS

 Spreading

Spreading is the process of superimposing plies of fabric on a horizontal table in a

manner, which permits these plies to be cut simultaneously into product components
acceptable for assembly. For this, first of all a thin brown paper sheet is spread on the
cutting table using an adhesive tape to prevent the bottom plies from shifting during
cutting. Then the actual spreading process begins with the laying of first fabric layer
on this brown sheet and subsequently the other plies are laid.

 Cutting
The lay is cut with the help of electrically powered straight knife cutting machines or
CAM m/c. The machine is moved through the lay following the pattern lines of the
marker and the reciprocating blade cut the pieces of the fabric progressively. Notches
are also added. For smaller components like collars, ribs etc. that need high accuracy,
band knife-cutting machine are used. It is a non-portable cutting device, which cuts
the fabric as it is passed across the blade. The garments are kept aside as and when
they are cut.
Sorting and Ticketing
The pieces cut out from the lay are now sorted out size wise. All the components of
one garment size are bought together. It is very important to take care that pieces cut from
two different bolts (bundles) of fabric are not mixed up. This is because within a lot there are
bolt-to-bolt variations in the color shade. The sorted pieces are now ticketed. Ticketing is the
process of marking the cut components for shade matching precision, and sequence
identification. The worker secures one end of the stack and puts on the ticket using ticket gun.
The ticket contains the size, bundle number and piece number and serves as important means
to track the parts of the garment in the assembly line from start to end.

Cut panel checking

The ticketed panels are now sent to the checking area for inspection of every individual piece
for any objectionable faults. Panels having faults like wrong grain line, inappropriate size,
incorrect shape and any fabric defects like holes, cut, shade variations etc. that are not within
the acceptable quality parameters, are removed from the cut lay. A cutting component
checking report is filled for the total quality cut, checked and approved. The rejected pieces
are sent back and an equal number of fresh panels are separately cut, replaced in the set and
ticketed with the same number as the rejected ones.
Other mend able faults are marked with an alteration sticker and passed on. This is spotted
out during garment finishing or washing.

Bundling
The checked components of one style and in one size are now clubbed and bundled using
ties. The size of bundle depends upon the requirement of the production plant. Each bundle
will contain pieces of the same style and same size only. The cutting department issues the
amount required by the production department when asked for.

Embroidery
The cutting department is responsible for sending the cut components of a style for
embroidery as stated in the production process. Blocks of panels are sent for embroidery,
which are re-cut after receiving back. To avoid mixing of the patterns the panels of the same
size are stitched together temporarily before dispatch for the embroidery.

Fusing
Fusing is also carried out in the cutting room itself. The parts to be fused are separated from
the bundle. The fusing material is cut according to the size of the components to be fused.
The components along with the cut fusing material are kept between two papers sheets and
the pack is passed through the fusing machine. By means of the temperature and the pressure
fusing takes place at a particular speed and for a particular time. The pack comes out at the
other end on the conveyors and the pieces are removed and re bundled.

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
Functioning of the Department

The production floor will receive the details like,

 the style or the garment,
 number of operators required,
  the batch for which the style has to be installed,
 any extra kinds of machines that are to be used for the particular style,
 target for each day
 Breakup of the production quantity.

After receiving all these details they send a request for the cut parts from the cutting and
sorting section and the request is sent to the accessory stores for all the accessories that are
required for the particular style then they start the production for the new style.

Once the cut parts is received from the cutting and sorting section then the parts are prepared
and assembled according to the line that is planned. After the assembling of the parts is done
then there will be a line checking, where the shade matching and the measurements are
checked and sent.

During the process of garment making there exists two types of checking, they are
 In-line checking.
 End line checking. – Here there exists both AQL audit and normal checking.

The production managers help the planning department during planning or allocating a
particular line for the style by telling them the capacity of the line and also telling them about
the skills of the operators.

The supervisor plays a vital role in the production floor. He/she manages the entire batch
which is been allocated to them and they have the following functions to perform:
1. They have to convey the proper stitching method to the operators.
2. Guide the operators when they face difficulty in making an operation and teach
them the most suitable and an easy method of performing the task.
3. Check if the entire operator in the batch/line is busy with the work being allocated
to them.
4. If the operator does not have any material to work on then the supervisor has to get
him/her their material and ask them to work.
5. Complain the production managers if the operators are not performing their best.
6. Have to maintain a proper communication between the operators and the
management.

WASHING DEPARTMENT
Functioning of the Department

Once the garment has been finished with all the operations then they are sent to the washing
department for the washing or finishing that has to be done for that particular style according
to the buyers specifications and hence it plays a vital role in the final feel and the texture of
the garment which has to match the specifications of the buyer.

The merchandiser after getting the sample done, they bring the original sample that will be
sent to the merchants by the buyer and they will also get the sample done in the factory and
then they show both the samples and the specifications and ask the washing department to
match the factory sample with the buyer sent sample with respect to the feel and the texture.
The washing unit checks the garment for the different aspects like:
 Type of the material
 Texture of the final garment
 Appearance of the garment.
 Types of labels that are been used in the garment.
 Dye stuffs used for the garment (if it is a colored fabric).
 Dye / ink used in the labels that are being attached to the garment.
 Types of threads used for in sewing.
 Types of chemicals that should be used to get the desired finish.
 The after effects of those chemicals on the fabric.

FINISHING DEPARTMENT
Functioning of the Department

The finishing department is the department which comes after all the departments and it plays
an equally important role in the final appearance of the garment. This department includes
majorly of the following steps,
 Trimming:
This involves the removal of the extra threads from the garment at the stitched areas.
 Inspection:
The inspection carried out here is according to the AQL system and sometimes it
depends on the buyer also i.e., if the buyer emphasizes for a 100% inspection then the
company has to do as specified.
 Semi – pressing:
This happens when a garment is difficult to inspect in the crushes manner as it comes
from the washing department hence, they do a partial pressing for the garments and
then inspect it and trim it and then send it to the complete pressing process.
 Pressing:
The pressing is done after the garment has been completely inspected and the
garments are pressed on the basis of how they will be folded during packing.
 Tagging section:
Once the garments are been done with the inspection and complete pressing then they
are sent for tagging the labels and the labels include the size labels, price tags and
miscellaneous labels if any required by the buyer. Once the tagging is done the
garments are folded according to the buyer’s specification and also they are either
folded plainly or sometimes they are folded after they are put to the hangers as per the
buyer’s specifications again.

The packing material, PCB details, number of size ratios that are supposed to be put
in are all suggested by the buyer and the packing is done according to these
specifications.

 Packing:
The packing is generally done in the carton boxes and there are several criteria for the
packing of the garments they are as follows,
There are generally two kinds of packing the garment,
 1. The garment is individually packed/wrapped in the poly bag whose design will
be specified by the buyer i.e., either with the hanger attached or plain poly bag
packing and then the entire garments (as per the packing criteria) is arranged
in the carton box.
2. The other method is that the garments are just folded and arranged in the
carton boxes without putting them in the poly bag.

The packing criteria followed in each carton box as already mentioned is done in different
ways which is as follows:

 Solid Packing:
In this method of packing, the carton box includes garments of single color and same
size.
 Ratio Packing:
In this method the carton box includes garments of same color but of different sizes
according to the ratio.

 Mixed Packing:
In this method the carton box includes garments of different colors but of same size or
garments with different colors and different sizes in a particular ratio form.

After the packing is done the garments are kept in the godown/stores until the buyer sends the
buyer QC for the inspection purpose before delivering them and once the QC check them
according to the AQL system and then decide if the garments has to be accepted or rejected.