Clothing Factory: What Goes Into Making Your Garments

Clothing factory is not simply a place where people cut and sew the clothes.

For a clothing brand, this is the stage where an idea has to turn into an actual product that is capable of being produced repeatedly. It may sound straightforward on paper, but it involves fabric, pattern, samples, cutting, stitching, finishing and checking.

Knowing these machins and processes better can help brands communicate with factories more effectively and prevent most factory problems.

From an Idea to a Product

The very beginning of any production is the product information.

The brand may have a full tech pack with the measurements and construction details. It may have a finished reference sample. Or they may just have a drawing of the style and a general idea of the finished garment.

Accessible information is an influence on how the development process begins.

The manufacturer may require particulars of such things as measurements, fabric requirements, construction details, trims, branded design etc, prior to making the first sample.

Fabric Sourcing Comes First

The fabric can also affect the look and final result of the garment in a variety of ways.

Weight, composition, stretch, texture, color, drape, finish etc – the look and hand of the product can vary.

As well as the style of design, the choice of fabric is crucial to any outfit. This is also determined by the type of garment.

For example a light weight woven fabric can make a good summer shirt whereas a heavy weight knitted fabric may be better for a hoodie. Activewear may need to be stretch and moisture managing while workwear may need to be more hard wearing.

In the case of custom production, the choice of textile is therefore considered as part of the product development.

Pattern Making and Sampling

The garment needs to have a pattern once the basic needs have been identified.

The pattern guides how the few pieces of fabric will be cut and joined together. Once the pattern is madeeven very minimal alterations to it can have an effect on the overall fit.

A first muslin is then made up to see how this works as a real piece of clothing.

Wherereflection can bring out those wrinkles we might not see originally on paper.

Could be the victim. Longest of the three bodies. However, may appear more distorted than in real life, because he would be even shorter than in the image.

The sleeves require alteration.

The collar could be uneven.

The fabric might not act as you expect.

The proposal is then seems to check the quality of the sample, and can make the change before the bulk produces.

Preparing the Fabric for Cutting

After the sample and specifications are approved, start production.

Fabric is laid and layered prior to cutting. The layout of the lay is designed to maximize the usage of the material, whilst ensuring the pieces are formed and the grain directions are correct.

The fabric can then be cut to the agreed patterns.

The cut pieces are usually bundled together by the mill in order for them to progress through the various processes.

It does matter how precisely your cuts are to how the finished garment fits. If they are rough and uneven a small error can have a big effect.

Sewing and Assembly

The cut pieces are then moved through to sewing and assembling.

Most of the operations are process able in each workstation, but some of these operations will be processing at different workstation depending on the garment.

One operator could be doing the main panels, another operator handles the sleeves, and yet another operators takes care of the collar, pocket, cuffs, or whatever else.

Of course, the arrangement of the production line must be according to the product itself and its design.

Depending on the product concerned, one range of operations can be far simpler than another. For example, a T-shirts may just need a fairly simple series, but a more structured jacket or fashion garment could have many more operations.

Good production requires maintaining these processes at the same level from the first piece to the last.

Printing, Embroidery and Other Details

Some garments need more than cutting and sewing.

Is the brand required to be screen printed, heat transferred, embroidered, labels, patches, wash, special finished or another process?

Must these processes fulfill the corresponding approved specifications.

Placement is key to logos and prints. The color must be uniform. The embroidery must compliment the fabric and design.

You may think the details are insignificant, but they will be have an undesirably effect on the appearance of the final product.

Quality Control Is Not Just a Final Inspection

At the very latest, quality control should begin when the garments are not packed yet.

It is much simpler to pinpoint problems while production is in progress.

For each product, appropriate action should be taken. For example, a check could cover fabric quality, measurements, stitching, construction, colour, printing and embroidery, labels and finishing.

The final inspection remains significant; it need to be in whatever is going to be a production control process.

The aim is to identify issues before a large quantity of garments is produced.

From One Sample to Bulk Production

Producings one batch is completely different then making a hundred, or thousand garments.

A sample may be individually modified.

It is necessary to follow the same specifications in multiple bulk productions.

Which indicates the approved sample, measurements, fabric specification, construction, colors and finishing specification have to be recorded.

Consistency is also critical when a brand requires repeat buying.

Customers consider the costumer to be the same if it has the same appearance and feel when they buy it again.

What We Do at JiuvelWear

We at JiuvelWear collaborate with clothing labels who are in need of what cannot already be purchased off the peg.

We can identify to work from a tech pack, a design, a reference sample or an idea of a product.

The process can sometimes involve the fabric sourcing, pattern making, sampling, fitting, final adjustment, custom branding, bulk production and quality control.

We accept that each brand has particular needs.

For some, a relatively generic private label product is all they require. On the other hand, there are those who need to have a totally custom garment manufactured to their own exact specifications.

The process product combination should be selected according to the product rather than the process should be regardless of the project.

What to Send a Clothing Factory

The more precisely a product is specified, the easier it is to develop and manufacture.

Where possible, provide brand with a tech pack, design drawings, reference samples, measurements, fabric quantities needed, logo file and number as well as any special construction or finishing instructions.

There is no requirement to have everything figured out prior to reaching out to a manufacturer.

Without a reference garment or product concept, the manufacturer will explain what information is required for sampling.

The main point is to make the proposed product as distinct as possible.

Choosing the Right Production Approach

There should not be one set manufacturing process for every clothing project.

The most basic retailer requires only a selection of finished products.

A new brand could be launched as a private label product.

Another brand could decide to adapt an existing clothing.

A relatively new clothing retailer might require entirely custom made merchandise based on its own designs.

These approaches differ in their requirements, cost, and development time.

Our team also collaborates with brands at JiuvelWear to identify the most cost-effective method of production for their desired product.

From Idea to Finished Garment

A clothing factory encompasses a diversity of stages of production.

The fabric must be correct.

Must work.

It is necessary to analyze the samples.

Needs to be precise.

Sewing must be kept uniform.

Its final specifications should be in line with the specifications that those it is needed to accomplish have already approved.

And, quality needs to be control all through.

This is what converts a design into a garment, which can be produced on a much larger scale.

If seeking a garments production manufactory to design and produce, JiuvelWear is able to make from your sketch, tech-pack, reference sample or product specification. Feel free to provide us your information and let us identify the way of sampling and production accordingly.