Pre-Production Processes in Garment Manufacturing

Preparation & conducting of pre-production meeting in factory required for production planning in factory Pre-production meeting in factory:

Pre-production meeting – once pre-production (PP) sample is approved (also called sealer sample) and most of the trims are sourced, merchants or production planning department conduct pre-production meeting with production team, quality team and sourcing team. All-important comments, procedures to be followed, dos and don’ts are discussed. Scheduling of PCD (planned cut date) and shipment date is announced to all teams. Production plans, Material planning and line planning – to start production on time and ship the order on time planning is must. Planning is needed for material sourcing, production capacity, line planning. Scheduling of jobs and responsibility is defined at this stage.

How to Calculate Carton & Poly Consumption in Apparel Industry?

Carton & poly consumption is a very important matter in readymade garments sector. Every garments merchandiser should have clear idea about it. Though there are so many garments merchandisers, whom have no correct idea about carton & poly consumption. As its importance in garments merchandising, today I will present here an easy method for carton consumption calculation in apparel industry.

Carton & Poly Consumption methods:

Carton consumption

Suppose,

Length = 60 cm

Width = 40 cm

Height = 40 cm

=2(L+W+Allounce 5cm) * (W+H+Allounce 2.5cm)

10000

 = 2(60+40+5) *(40+402.5)

10000

= 17325 / 1000

=1.7325 sqm

Different types of care label symbols & there use?

HAND WASHES UP TO 30º C/86ºF

 MACHINES WASH UP TO 95ºC/203ºF

 MACHINES WASH UP TO 95ºC/203ºF GENTLE CYCLE

Merchandising activities on Quality control

The main objective of quality control is to ensure that goods are produced to the first customer (Direct Order) and hopefully to the second customer (Recorder/Alter order/ new order) as well. If both customers can be satisfied then the manufacturer products are more likely to continue to be in demand. Satisfactory quality can only be ensured through (from the manufacturer pint of view)

• Knowing the customers‟ needs.
• Designing to meet them
• Faultless construction- manufacture.
• Certified performance and safety.
• Clear instruction manuals.
• Suitable packing.
• Prompt delivery.
• Feed back of field experience. 

Satisfaction quality can be ensured from the customer from the customer‟s point of view by

Merchandising activities on production follow up

Production plan After receive a purchase order from buyer merchandiser have to sit with production planner to make a production plan. Production plan contain below things

• Planned date to start knitting/ weaving to make the required fabrics.
• Planned date to start dyeing to color the fabrics.
• Planned date to start cutting fabrics.
• Planned date to start sewing the required garments.

Preparation of packing list before final inspection

There are many kind of packing system is used in Apparel Industry. Here are many kind of packing system is used in Apparel Industry. Some packing name given below:

1. Flat packing
2. Standard packing
3. Hanger packing

The back side of the packing some specifications are included for attracting the buyer. In the store room is used `VIM‟ card in these vim card some information is included such as buyer no, order no, style no, fabric qty. 

Preparation of shipping samples & sending to buyer through proper packing & documentation

Shipping: The procedure of transporting an item, usually through the email. Shipment is a very basic, common way of getting an item from one place to another, or from one person to another. This process can be done physically or by transporting commodities or cargo by land, air, and sea.

Shipping sample is prepared before shipment but it is send to buyer when final inspection is completed. This is an important sample to buyer that’s why sample department take extra care to make it. It is send to buyer by air for going early.

Sending Procedure of Shipping Sample:

• Making according to the measurement sheet.
• Quality check.
• Ironing.
• Labeling.
• Poly bagging.
• Forwarding letter.
• Measurement sheet.
• Finally re-check.
• Send to buyer by courier

Approval procedure & follow chart of sales samples

Sample is made when price is confirmed and orders are placed, usually is M size in all color combinations of expected order. Buyer held a meeting with its customer and records their response on order quantity per color, size etc. and finally place order to their vendor. Sales sample basically use catalogue buyer.

What are the deviations in general activities and expectations of Industrial Engineering department in apparel industries?

Generally in Bangladeshi apparel industries industrial engineering department contribute a little than the expectation from them and in maximum factories this department is as a show. But if industrial engineering department can focus their knowledge and activities in major two areas (I.e. factory cost reduction & maximize CM earning) then that department can be magic stone or role players of Bangladeshi apparel industries. Generally in the following cases we can mark the deviation:

1. Operation development:
Very few industrial engineers utilize their knowledge & experience in operation development. But it is very essential to focus on that case because through the continuous operation development we can simplify our operation, reduce possibility of operation deviation (I.e. defects), and reduce operating cost. Therefore we can surpass our competitors with low production cost & better product quality.

2. Problem solving:
It is very rare that industrial engineers attack the root cause of the problem. Instead of this they seek for temporary solutions. They never think that, that problems may arise again. Actually we should make some core projects to identify & eliminate the root causes of the problem. If we can do that projects in a proper manner then it can be guaranteed that our organization will face minimum problems and infrequently that ultimately will help to reduce production loss time and may ensure right first time product quality.

Sending quality samples to new buyer for better understanding of workmanship of factory

Samples play a vital role to get new order. Without quality sample suppliers cannot develop a new business, so sample should be better quality before bulk production. For that reason when we send quality sample to the buyer we have to follow something, those are: