Working Procedure of a Garment Export House

Garment export house is a manufacturing company, that is formed primarily to manufacture garments and exports the manufactured goods to the other countries. For the apparel and fashion brands they garment suppliers. 

In an export house, most work forces are sewing tailors and helpers. Export house has small number of staff compared to total number of workers. Export order processing is carried out through various processes. Work is divided within different departments and each department works on the responsible jobs.

Total processes are divided into two categories – pre-production process and production process.

Garment export house based in Bangladesh

Picture: Shop Floor of a garment export house | Image source: https://qz.com/

Working procedure in sampling (Pre-production)

Pre-production activities involve sample making, development of print and embroidery design, sourcing of fabric and trims and other item like packing accessories.

Everything is sent to buyer /local buying office for approvals. Development of pattern, grading of patterns etc. Merchandising department of an export house is responsible to look into pre-production activities.


Working procedure for production order

The working procedure of an export house completely depend on the resources available in a garment factory. Another factor that decides the working procedure is the product an export house makes in their factory. Here we have listed working procedures in a sequence. 

  1. Receiving order from Buyer 
  2. Style analysis
  3. Fabric sourcing 
  4. Checking and testing of Fabric 
  5. Make PP sample
  6. PP Sample approval
  7. PP Meeting (preproduction meeting)
  8. Production pilot run cutting 
  9. Pilot run sewing and finishing
  10. Analysis of Pilot run garments 
  11. Approval for bulk cutting 
  12. Bulk cutting start – After the approval of PP sample and pilot production run, factory starts cutting fabrics in bulk. The cutting processes itself involve many sub-activities.
  13. Feeding cut components to sewing lines 
  14. Stitching of garments 
  15. Thread cutting 
  16. Garment washing 
  17. Finishing of garments 
  18. Checking of garment prior to heat press and after pressing 
  19. Folding and Packing 
  20. Garment inspection by buyer representative (third party inspection)
  21. Shipping documentation and shipping approval from buyers
  22. Shipment dispatch.

Some production activities are outsourced by the garment export houses. Outsourced worked include panel printing, garment printing, Embroidery work, cut panel washing and garment washing.

You see the garment making in the export houses goes through a long chain. Sewing of garments is done in a line where number of operators works on the same garment.

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