A garment production unit (garment export house) performs various activities from receiving production orders, material sourcing to cutting and sewing to finishing to shipping the packed garment to their buyers. According to the functions a production unit is divided into various departments, like sampling, production planning, apparel merchandising, cutting, sewing, finishing, etc. This article will cover the major activities and functions of the sewing department in a garment manufacturing unit. The department is also called production departments.
Major functions of the sewing department
The sewing department in a garment unit plays a vital role in the production process, ensuring that the various parts of a garment are assembled efficiently and accurately. In the production process flow, sewing department starts working on the garment once they receive the cutting panels from the cutting department. The sewing department is handled by line supervisors, line leaders, floor in-charge. This department is assisted by industrial engineers, quality control team, machine mechanics, sewing operator trainings, data recorders, MIS team, etc. All the activities performed by these professionals are considered function of the sewing department.
Here are the primary functions of the sewing department:
1. Receiving cuttings
The sewing department receives the cuttings from the cutting department, and they verify the quantity received from the department. The same is recorded in their record book. If the bundling is required, sewing department takes care of bundling the cutting before loading to the line. They are responsible for storing bundles and maintaining cleanliness.
2. Collecting Trims and accessories from the store:
For the garment stitching, operators need sewing threads and different types of trims like tapes, labels, elastic, buttons, zippers. These trims are collected from the trim store. This department is responsible for rewinding the threads into smaller tube from the bigger thread spools. This help distribution of sewing thread cone (tubes) to the sewing operators.
3. Style analysis
The line supervisor reviews the product sample (style design) and analyzes the operation requirement to assemble the garment. They also estimate the operation time and full garment stitching time. Based on the style analysis, sewing department estimate daily production target. Where applicable IE department assist them in style analysis and estimating production target.
4. Line layout and line setup
For every new style, the sewing department arranges the sewing machines based on the operation flow and machine requirement. They allocate sewing operations to the workstations and define operators who will be working on which workstations. This activity called line set up.
5. Assembly of Garment Parts:
The sewing department is responsible for stitching the individual components of a garment (like sleeves, collar, body pieces, etc.) together. This requires attention to detail to ensure the correct parts are joined with precise measurements.
6. Garment Checking:
The department is involved in monitoring the quality of the stitching, ensuring that seams are secure, threads are consistent, and the overall garment is defect-free. Quality checks are typically done at various stages during the sewing process. In the assembly lines, partially stitched garments are checked inline checkpoints. The fully stitched garments are checked at the end of line. Depending on the quality control requirement, a production can deploy roving quality checkers who used to check garments of all sewing operations taking the semi-stitched garments from sewing workstations.
7. Operating sewing machines:
To assemble the garment parts into full garment sewing operators run the sewing machines. The sewing department operates various types of sewing machines, such as lockstitch machines, overlock machines, buttonhole machines, and others. Operators need to have expertise in using these machines for different functions.
8. Shape correction of garment parts:
If the sewing line receives incorrect cuttings of garment parts, sewing operators trim the access edges while stitching the operations.
9. Threading and Trimming:
After sewing, the sewing operators are responsible for trimming excess thread, cleaning up loose ends, and ensuring. If operator is not available for this task, additional helpers are employed for thread cleaning and thread trimming.
10. Ironing and folding activities
For certain sewing operations, preparation of the garment components is required like, fusing of welt pocket, fusing collar, folding check pocket using template. Marking on the garment components for certain operations for defining position, like marking for button position on the front placket, marking for folding line, etc.
11. Specialized Sewing Tasks:
This can include tasks like attaching labels, zippers, buttons, or embroidery. Each of these tasks requires specialized machines and skilled operators.
12. Production monitoring and production control:
The department focuses on ensuring production runs smoothly and efficiently, optimizing workflow to meet production targets and deadlines. Production control is done through data capturing, line balancing, production capacity study of sewing operators.
13. Collaboration with Other Departments:
The sewing department works closely with other departments, such as cutting, finishing, and packaging departments, to ensure seamless production. They collaborate with merchandisers and quality assurance team for the product quality standards.
14. Maintaining Equipment:
Regular maintenance and cleaning of sewing machines and tools are also part of the department’s responsibilities to ensure they operate at peak performance.
15. Training and Skill Development:
Sewing department staff may be involved in ongoing training to improve their skills and adapt to new sewing techniques, machines, or garment trends. Major training is required for sewing operators who joined as trainee. For operator training sewing department gets operator trainer.
16. Operator earning calculation:
In piece rate production environment, the line supervisor is responsible for estimate the piece rate of garment operations. Later calculating the operator earning based on the piece rate and their production volume. If the company pay operators by SAH earing, sewing department is responsible for defining hourly rate for the operators and accurate operation SAM.
17. Data collection report making:
Sewing department is responsible for keeping record of all inhouse materials (cuttings, trim) and outgoing material from their department. They are responsible for preparing daily production report and WIP report by production lines, style, by operator. This department also makes hourly production report to monitor the production progress throughout the day. During the production and post-production, department prepare quality checking report and analyze the quality performance.
Conclusion:
The functions explained in this article are the summaries form of the sewing departments activities. Thy are responsible for each and every activity involved in running the production process smoothly and getting quality garment on time. Further depending on the production methods, certain processes like quality checking, garment finishing, ironing, garment folding and packing either performed within the sewing floor or these tasked are done in a separate section called finishing department. So, you can include these garment finishing tasks as part of sewing department's function as per the need.
I hope you have got an overall view in terms of various functions of the garment sewing department in a garment manufacturing unit. Read the functions of the other departments in a garment factory by clicking the following topics.
Related Topics:
Functions of the merchandising department in a garment factory.
Functions of the Quality Control Department in a Garment Factory
Functions of the Cutting Department in a Garment Factory
Functions of the Finishing Department in Garment Factory
Functions of the Packing Department in a Garment Factory
Functions of the Washing Department in a Garment Factory
Functions of the IT Department (EDI) in a Garment Factory