Various Departments in Garment Industry.

The apparel industry has a complex organizational structure with various departments and positions involved in the manufacturing process. The figure below illustrates this structure, which includes:

1.Merchandising department: The process of merchandising is critical in the apparel industry as it involves planning, developing, executing, and dispatching orders to buyers. Successful order processing is guided and supervised by the merchandising team.

Two types of merchandising are typically done in a garment unit as mentioned below:

• Marketing merchandising: Marketing merchandising focuses on product development, costing, and ordering, and involves direct communication with the buyer.

• Product merchandising: On the other hand, product merchandising is conducted within the apparel unit and includes all responsibilities from sourcing to finishing. This type of merchandising ensures that the final product meets the desired quality standards and specifications.

2.Sampling department: The sampling department works closely with both the merchandising and production departments to ensure that the final product meets the buyer's specifications. Its primary objective is to anticipate the appearance and fit of the finished product when produced in bulk, while also identifying any pattern inconsistencies. By doing so, the sampling department helps to determine the necessary fabric, thread, and accessory consumption needed for the final product. This information is critical to ensure that the production process is efficient and that the final product meets the quality standards and specifications.

3.Fabric sourcing department: The fabric sourcing department is responsible for determining the best sources and methods for procuring fabrics. This department works closely with the merchandising department to ensure that the required fabrics are delivered within the scheduled time and budget. Their goal is to obtain high-quality fabrics at a reasonable cost and to ensure that they are delivered in a timely manner to support the production process.

4.Purchasing department: The sourcing department primarily focuses on finding and acquiring fabrics for production. In contrast, the purchasing department is responsible for procuring not only fabrics but also accessories and trims needed for the final product. Therefore, while the sourcing department is solely focused on fabric sourcing, the purchasing department has a broader scope that includes sourcing all materials required for production.

5.Fabric inspection department: The fabric inspection team has two primary objectives. Firstly, to identify and analyze fabric defects using various standardized methods to ensure that only high-quality fabrics are used in production. Secondly, to select fabrics according to the accepted quality level (AQL) of 1.5. This AQL level serves as a benchmark for acceptable levels of defects in the fabric, and the inspection team ensures that the fabrics meet or exceed these standards. Through their efforts, the fabric inspection team helps to maintain consistent quality standards throughout the production process.

6.Accessory stores department: Upon receiving raw materials or accessories, the apparel manufacturing unit typically completes the process through documentation provided by the merchant. These documents serve as proof of the delivery and contain essential information regarding the materials or accessories, such as the quantity, quality, and specifications. By documenting the receipt of these materials, the manufacturing unit can ensure that the correct materials were received and can easily track inventory levels.

7.Planning department: Once orders are received from merchants, pre-production meetings are conducted with relevant departments to ensure all requirements are understood. The production department then assigns the style to a specific line with the necessary capacity to complete the order on time. The planning section is responsible for estimating the order quantity, planning the cut date (PCD), breaking down the order, and creating an operation breakdown based on the specific manufacturing unit. These planning activities are critical to ensuring that the production process runs smoothly and that orders are fulfilled on time while meeting quality standards.

8.Laboratory department: A well-equipped laboratory or testing center is an essential component of the apparel manufacturing industry. This facility should be equipped with all necessary instruments and equipment for testing fabrics and accessories. In cases where specific tests required by buyers are not available within the facility, they should be outsourced to external laboratories authorized by the buyers. By ensuring that all testing is completed to the required standards, the laboratory helps to maintain the quality of the final product and meet customer expectations.

9.Machine maintenance department: The quality of garments can be negatively impacted by poorly maintained machines. To prevent this, regular maintenance is crucial, and it can be classified as either breakdown or preventive maintenance. The goal of breakdown maintenance is to minimize downtime by repairing machines quickly when they fail. Preventive maintenance, on the other hand, is focused on prolonging the lifetime of machines by conducting regular upkeep, such as cleaning and replacing worn parts. By ensuring machines are properly maintained, the apparel manufacturing unit can reduce the likelihood of production disruptions and improve the quality of the final product.

10.CAD department: In large-scale garment industries, there is typically an in-house design department responsible for creating various garment styles. The CAD department plays a crucial role in this process, with the following functions:

• Determining cutting averages to calculate costs
• Creating the most efficient cutting marker
• Developing and altering patterns
• Creating size set patterns by grading
• Digitizing the pattern for efficient storage and retrieval.

By performing these functions, the CAD department helps ensure that the apparel manufacturing unit can efficiently and accurately produce high-quality garments in a timely manner.

11.Cutting department: The cutting department typically receives a cutting order from the production manager, who has authorized the production of a specific quantity of garment styles. The cutting order sheet includes various details, such as:

• Sampling average: This refers to the average measurement of the garment sample used for quality control purposes.
  
  
• Garment weight: The weight of the fabric used for the garment.
  
  
• Trims averages: The average measurements of any additional materials used in the garment, such as buttons, zippers, or pockets.
  
  
• Measurement sheet: This provides the precise measurements required for each garment size.
  
  
• Garment design: This outlines the specific design of the garment, including any unique features or embellishments.
  
  
• Purchase order: This is the document authorizing the purchase of materials needed for production.

• Fabric request sheet: This specifies the type, quality, and quantity of fabric required for the production of the garments.

• Marker planning: This involves determining the most efficient way to lay out the pattern pieces on the fabric to minimize waste. It includes details such as the length of the lay and the size ratio, as well as the colors in which the patterns are to be cut.

12.Production department: In order to begin the manufacturing process, the production department requires several essential details, including:

• The garment style: The garment style determines the specific placement of sewing machines to be used during the production process. Based on the design of the garment, the production team strategically positions the sewing machines to ensure a seamless manufacturing process.

• Number of operators required: Capacity planning involves determining the required number of workers to complete the production process. This essential planning stage ensures that the necessary labor resources are available to meet production targets and complete the manufacturing process efficiently.

• Batch information: This specifies which batch the garment style will be installed in.

• Daily production target: The amount of garments that need to be produced each day.

• Production quantity breakdown: This outlines the quantity of each size and color to be produced.

Once the production department has received all of the necessary information, they send a request to the cutting department for the cut parts. Once the components have been assembled, a line check is performed to ensure that the shade matching and measurements are correct. This quality control check helps to ensure that the final product meets the required specifications and is consistent with the overall design of the garment.

13.Industrial engineering department(IE): The industrial engineering department is responsible for coordinating with various departments involved in the garment manufacturing process. This department provides a comprehensive plan for the production of the garments, including details on the consumption criteria for threads and trims, categorization of operator skill levels, and other relevant aspects. By working closely with other departments, the industrial engineering team ensures that all necessary resources and information are available for a successful manufacturing process.

14.Embroidery department: The embroidery department is only involved in the manufacturing process when a particular garment style requires embroidery. In such cases, the merchandisers provide the department with the garment panel, style, and embroidery details. Additionally, the department receives a sample of the garment with the embroidery already done as a reference to ensure consistency in the manufacturing process.

15.Fabric washing department: Once the assembly and inspection process is complete, the garments are sent to the washing department for any necessary washing or finishing according to the specification sheet for the particular garment style. This department ensures that the garments are properly treated to achieve the desired final look, feel, and texture as specified in the garment specification sheet.

16.Quality assurance department: The quality assurance department plays a critical role in maintaining and controlling the quality of the garments throughout the manufacturing process. To achieve this, the department divides the work into different stages, categorized into three major groups: pre-production unit, cutting audit, and sewing unit. By categorizing the manufacturing process into these three stages, the quality assurance team can effectively monitor and control the quality of the garments at each stage of production.

17.Finishing department: The finishing department is the final section in the garment production process before packing and dispatch, and it plays a crucial role in the final appearance of the garments. This department is responsible for several processes:

• Trimming: This involves removing any extra threads from the stitched areas of the garments.

• Inspection: The garments are inspected according to the AQL 2.5 system and any buyer-specific requirements.

• Pressing: Garments are pressed or finished based on the method of folding during packing, after they have been inspected.

• Tagging: After fabric inspection and pressing, garments are sent for labelling, including size labels, price tags, and any other miscellaneous labels specified in the specification sheet.

• Packing: Garments are packed in carton boxes. The two main types of packing in the garment industry are individual packing of garments in poly bags and folding garments without placing them in poly bags before organizing them in carton boxes.

18. Training department: The workers' training department in the apparel industry is responsible for training new employees and providing ongoing education to existing ones. This department ensures that workers have the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently. It also helps to improve productivity, reduce errors, and maintain high-quality standards. Additionally, the department may provide training on topics such as safety, health, and compliance with regulations. Overall, the workers' training department plays a crucial role in the success of apparel companies.

In addition to these departments, there are various positions in management, such as the factory manager, production manager, and managing director. There are also administrative and support staff, including accounts managers, marketing managers, and HRD managers. This complex organizational structure allows the apparel industry to efficiently produce high-quality products that meet customer demands.