APPAREL-INDUSTRY

(FINISHING & PACKING)

                  Hello Everyone!!!!  Today we all are going to discuss about an final  stage of Apparel industry which important in terms of final outlook, appearance and finished stage of Garment. This is the last step of garment manufacturing  After stitching these pcs are passed in finishing area for buttoning ironing folding packing and cartoninig for attractive appearance. So let’s start……

FINISHING

Flow chart of finishing department in garment industry:

Received sewn garments from sewing room

↓
Initial quality check
↓
Washing
↓
Button attached
↓
Tread trimming
↓
Ironing/pressing (inside)
↓
Quality inspection (inside) process wise
↓
Ironing / pressing (outside)
↓
Quality inspection (outside) process wise
↓
Re-pressing
↓
Inspection overall (out looks)
↓
Accessories attached
↓
Folding
↓
Shade sorting
↓
Poly packing
↓
Quality audit
↓
Prepare a packing list
↓
Assorting
↓
Carton pack
↓
Final inspection
↓
Record the documents

Garment finishing department’s function are discussed below:

Received sewn garments from sewing room:
Here, sewn garments are received from sewing department for finishing the garments.

Initial quality check:
Here stitched garments are initially checked by the quality controller. If their found any repairable or washable defects then garments need repair works in finishing section. But if found major sewing defects, fabric faults then again send to the sewing department for correction.

Washing:
For wash garments, 100% check is required after receiving the garments from the sewing department. Defective garments should be rectified and reject pcs should be sorted out. If there are any faults like oil marks, stains, other dust and spots then garment washing must be needed. Some spots are removed by using spot remover and dust and stains are removed by using machine wash inside the finishing section.

Button attached:
Button, button holes, snap button, eyelets are attached on garment in finishing section.

Tread trimming:
Garment uncut treads are trimmed by helper in finishing section. Otherwise it creates major or minor defects in garment.

Ironing/pressing (inside):
To remove unwanted wrinkles or crease mark, garments are pressed by using steam iron. For getting actual garment measurement vacuum tables are used for garment ironing.

Quality inspection (inside) process wise:
After complete the inside ironing then inspect the quality of garments.

Ironing / pressing (outside):
If the inside garments quality inspection is done then it passes for outside pressing.

Quality inspection (outside) process wise:
Check the outside garments quality like measurement, placement of collar etc.

Re-pressing:
When all the quality (like inside and outside) inspection is complete then garments are placed for re-pressing.

Inspection overall (out looks):
Here, quality inspector ensures the overall out looks of garments.

Accessories attached:
All kinds of garments accessories like hang tag, price tag, barcode etc are attached here.

Folding:
Garments are folded here as following the buyer’s instruction.

Shade sorting:
Quality inspector checks the color shade sorting on garments. They calculate a shade number for each sample based on how close its color shade is to the standard.

Poly packing:
After folding and color shade sorting garments are poly packed here as per buyer requirements.

Quality audit:
Quality audit can be performed in the sewing section as well as in the finishing section. It is very effective quality control activity to achieve the quality target. Quality audit is done prior to final inspection.

Prepare a packing list:
In this stage, finishing in-charge prepare packing list for cortoning and garment shipment also. After preparing packing list finishing department inform it with apparel merchandiser.

Assorting:
Before cartoning finishing in-charge must confirm and follow the color and size wise assorting system.

Carton pack:
Here all the garments should pack to send the garments safely in to the buyer.

Final inspection:
If all the above processes are perfectly done, then apparel manufacturers are organized pre-shipment or final inspection on garments. After finished the garments, factory top management, merchandiser, production manager, QC, Finishing inspector and buyers representatives are to do this final inspection.

Record the documents:
All details documents about production to shipment must be recorded or file up in the official desk.

How to check finishing quality in garment:

To get defects free garment, finishing quality control is the first priority for the apparel manufacturer. Finishing quality control generally done in different sections in during finishing process. These are following below:

Check list for initial stage of finishing process-

1.       Thread cutting

2.       Butting attaching

3.       Ironing / pressing

4.       Folding/ poly packing: Make sure that, they are follow the buyer instructions or not.

Check list for the pre-final and final inspection:

1. Packing list: Make sure that the packing list is perfectly ok or not.

2. Carton: Check the following items carefully.

·              Quantity

·              Measurement / dimension

·              Labeling / shipping mark

·              Carton sealing

·              Carton strapping

·              Carton paper

·              Carton ply

3. Quantity of product per carton

4. Assortment/ Ratio

5. Product is king / folding shape.

6. Color shade (for solid color): When fabrics come in to garment factory against any order from abroad/ local fabric dyeing factory, it’s found different color shade roll in the same color i.e. slide light, slide dark, slide tone different for this reason garment factory to control shade variation works perfectly.

Here I have mention some solution and tips for color shade inspection.

·              8” x 8” size fabric cut from every roll.

·              Marking roll number by permanent marking pen at back side of cut piece.

·              Every cut piece joints each other and makes a blanket.

·              Then it washes into standard approval shade.

·              Garment factory now segregate same color tone in one bundle and shade grading A, B, C, D.

·              First A shade roll cutting by pattern then B, C, D, shade separately.

·              After garment making shade level attached on body.

·              Then go to washing plant for standard washing.

·              Washing plant done shade level wise washing in respective wash.

·              After wash if any big shade variation found then again rewash to match with buyer approval standard.

·              Final quality checking time, garments go to finishing section for thread cutting, butting attached, iron and poly.

7. Finishing accessories availability: Different types of finishing accessories are used in finishing section to make a quality garment and for attractive appearance. Quality control depends on following points:

·              Quantity

·              Quality

·              Placement/ position

·              Information

8. Product quality:

·              Stitching

·              Shape/ appearance

·              Positioning/ placement

·              Dirty stain

·              Spots

·              Fabric

·              Trim and accessories (quality and placement)

·              Measurement / specification of product. 

PACKING

Packaging or Packing Section in Apparel Industry:

Packing includes the activities of designing and producing the container for a product. This includes two levels of packing. First the “primary or inner packing” in which the apparel is packed in a poly-bag or transparent pouch or inner carton box. The second is the “secondary or outer packing” in which the primary packing is packed in a corrugated carton box which facilitates the easy and safe transportation of the apparel. 

There are certain other packing materials also attached to the apparel for the purpose of good appearance or identification or giving information’s to the customers. These include tags, barcode stickers, insert card, size and color stickers, hangers, hologram stickers etc. 

The apparel is packed as per the requirements of the buyer which may be a single or combo or bulk packing. Assortment ratio is also an important factor in the outer packing which means the ratio of sizes and colors to be packed in one carton box. 

Types of Apparel Packing or Packaging:

There are four types of assortment followed in clothing manufacturing factory. Those are presented in the below with their details explanation:

1. Solid size and solid color:
In case of solid size and solid color assortment, apparel carton box will have only one color and one size of apparel.

2. Solid size and assorted color:
In case of this assortment, the apparel carton box contains one size of apparel but all colors. 

You may follow Apparel Checking Methods | Quality Checking List of Apparel Industry

3. Assorted size and solid color:
In this assortment, the apparel carton box will have all sizes but only one color.

4. Assorted size and assorted color:
In this assortment, the apparel carton box contains all sizes and all colors of apparel. 

You may follow How to Calculate Finishing Cost and Finishing Rate in Textile Industry?

Apparel Packaging Process Flow Chart:

The following process sequence has to maintain during apparel packing in the finishing department of apparel industry:

Tagging
↓
Folding
↓
Inner or poly bag packing
↓
Outer or carton packing
↓
Strapping the carton