The flow chart for garment production involves many different departments. The process usually takes between 45 and 90 days from the time an order is received to the time it is shipped. The timeline may vary depending on the designer’s requirements and the size of the buyer or supplier.
Small buyers or suppliers may not follow all the steps involved in making a product, while larger buyers or suppliers will follow a more detailed production process. In this article, we will discuss the garment production flow chart that is typically followed by medium-sized manufacturing units.
The production process begins with order confirmation. Before confirming the order, the buyer may request various types of samples to check the quality and to understand the designer’s vision. Although many designs may be considered during the development phase, only those that are approved will be produced.
Once the order is confirmed, the next step is sample development. Even after showing different mock-up samples, additional samples, such as fit, photo, pre-production, and production samples, may be required. These samples serve a variety of purposes, including customizing the style and design. If any changes are needed, the buyer or designer will provide feedback.
The process of sourcing and producing materials runs at the same time as sample development. This process includes sourcing fabric from knitters or weavers, as well as trims and accessories. If the factory or manufacturer has its own arrangement to knit or weave fabric, they will need to source the yarn and produce it themselves. Other necessary items, such as buttons, sewing thread, zippers, tags, labels, insert cards, ribbons, drawstrings, and packaging materials, should be available before cutting or stitching the fabric.
The next step is cutting the fabric. Based on the approved sample, fabrics are cut into pieces. Smaller factories may do this manually by laying the paper with the pattern drawn, while more advanced factories use laser cutting machines to increase productivity and reduce cost and time.
In accordance with the approved sample, the production unit will customize the design. Designers may require the latest trends in printing, dyeing, or embroidery. In the case of dyeing, the process is done before cutting. Printing may also be done before cutting, depending on the printing style’s requirements. After these customizations are done, the fabrics go to the stitching floor.
Stitching is the main task of production, where all cut pieces are assembled into a complete product. Advanced factories use computerized sewing machines, and sewers must be familiar with different types of machines and how to operate them. Labels, such as care, logo, size, and batch labels, are attached in this stage.
The final stage of production is packing. After obtaining approval on the packing fold and accessory details, the packaging process begins. Barcodes, insert cards, hang tags, price tags, and any decorative packaging items are attached to the product in this stage.