Corporate uniforms and business clothing from MM Careerwear

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The Manufacturing Process

Regardless of what type of garments are being produced, the Manufacturing Process remains essentially the same. For ease of understanding the process can be broken down into 5 main parts: Pattern, Cutting, Garment Construction, Quality Control and Packing & Dispatch.

1. Pattern

Pattern cutting
An approved design has to be taken from a two-dimensional drawing and transposed as individual sections into pattern pieces, which (when sewn together), will create a three-dimensional garment.

From this original pattern, sample garments are produced, so that any adjustments can be made before the pattern is Graded (i.e. made into other sizes). With each adjustment, new pattern pieces are cut and sample garments are produced, until the final pattern and finished garment is approved.

It is at this stage that final trimmings, buttons and finishes are confirmed so that a complete and final sample can be used during bulk production.

Grading
The final pattern needs to be graded. This means that each pattern piece is either increased or decreased, to make the patterns for the whole range of sizes that need to be produced.

It is this grading, and the final sample designs, which create a specification for the garments. This specification or "spec" will be used as the benchmark against which all garments are Quality Controlled.

Digitalization
Most Cutting is now computerized. To accurately cut the individual components, the pattern needs to be converted into a digital format which the cutting machines can read. This allows the computer, before it cuts, to create a Marker.

Marker
For the most efficient utilization of the available fabric, markers are created which dictate which pattern piece is placed where on the fabric, how many layers of fabric are cut at any one time and which sizes are cut together.

As a general rule, if your size range goes from ladies 8 - 24, then you would interlock sizes 8 and 24 together, 10 and 22 etc, as they will probably represent the smaller quantities of garments required, and use respectively the least and most amount of fabric per garment.

2. Cutting

Laying Up
The fabric is laid up onto the Cutting tables with the correct number of layers (or ply) of fabric. It is essential that the fabrics are laid with the pattern and weave in the correct direction before the Cutting begins.

Cutting
Once the fabric is laid up, and the pattern digitized, the garments are cut into their component parts. These blocks of component parts are then divided into the optimum bundle sizes for the machinists to sew.

3. Garment Construction

Make Up
The component parts are usually sewn together as piecework. This means that numerous individual machinists work on one garment at a time, each one being a specialist in a particular aspect of that garment. The basic garment is then passed for Finishing.

At various stages of the manufacturing process, intermediate and random inspection is used to monitor quality standards. This is called Quality Control.

Finishing
The final touches are added to the garments such as buttons and buttonholes, bartacking etc before it is passed to pressing. Pressing is exactly what it sounds like; Steam pressing ensures that the garment looks at its best.

4. Quality Control

Measurements
Each garment is measured to ensure that it is to the original "spec", although every garment is given an acceptable tolerance. A garment can be above or below specified measurements to this tolerance amount.

Make Up Checks
All the individual component parts of the garments are checked. The key areas are (i) the seams, (ii) that there are no flaws or stains on the fabric, (iii) that any special requirements have been met and (iv) that all the finishing touches are correct.

Only once a garment has passed a rigorous Quality Control will it be passed for Dispatch either to the Customer or (in the case of stock ranges), to the Warehouse.