Explain Garment Manufacturing Process in 10 Easy Steps

Mass production of clothing is normally operated in big factories with well-equipped facilities and dedicated teams of textile workers. Due to the need for mass production, lots of famous fashion brands are determined to outsource works to the overseas clothing manufacturers. This action is also known as Private Label Clothing, which aims to cut costs and make use of cheap labors oversea (since the fee of domestic manufacturers is often higher with similar products quality). Vietnam is one of the strongest representatives of Asia in manufacturing clothes for brands. Are you curious about how to manufacture clothing in Vietnam? Let’s find out in this article.

“Made in Vietnam Clothing” has slowly built up its reputation among international marketplaces. Vietnam Garment factory is now a guarantee for high-quality products and product delivery. Many famous brands have placed trust in Vietnam clothing line manufacturers. The process of clothes manufacturing in Vietnam comprises of 10 steps under strict supervision, including fabrics receiving and relaxing, form layout and cutting, fabrics laying, fabrics marking, fabric cutting, embroidering and screen printing, sewing, checking and laundry, fussing and pressing, packaging and shipping.

1. Fabrics Receiving and Relaxing

First and foremost, Vietnam garment factories receive fabrics from overseas manufacturers. The delivery often comes with big bolts of fabric with cardboard, while sometimes fabric may appear in piles, bags or plastic center tubes.

Despite the fabric forms, they are all delivered in giant shipping containers which require forklifts to unload. Workers stores the fabric bolts in a warehouse located in the factory. Then, of course, the arriving fabrics will be placed from a separated place from manufacturing ones.

Receive fabric in large quantities

The next step is to relax the fabric. In this guide of how to manufacture fabrics, fabrics relaxing may be a small part yet still a great contribution. The main goal is to relax and contract the fabrics to get them ready for manufacturing. With many stages in the manufacturing process, the fabrics undergo tension which may result in shrinking. Thus, fabric relaxing allows it to shrink first to minimize the shrinkage when customers’ use.

Simply put, workers load the fabric bolts on a spinner and feed them with equipment to relax the tension within the material. This process can also be done by automated machines with the same procedure. 

During the fabric relaxing process, manufacturers may also perform a quality check on the material. Workers lay a surface on the back of the fabric to spot any defect of the fabrics, for example, color inconsistency. If workers can detect flaws, the factory will return them back to the manufacturer.

2. Form Layout and Cutting

After having done with the fabric relaxing, workers cut them into uniform piles and spread them to enter the cutting process. The spreading can be done by a computer-controlled system. The spreading step is initial to detect fabric flaws, check the tension and slack and ensure the correct alignment of each fabric.

Based on the fabric type and size of the garment order, workers decide on the numbers of plies to spread. Then, they lay the patterns of the fabric on top of the spread on a computerized cutting system. A finishing result is a garment form in the desired shape. 

3. Fabrics Laying

The laying process requires certain steps and rules: 

Firstly, workers lay large pieces then arrange the smaller pieces. The smaller pieces can fit right in to save the fabric used in the process. This action will help to save a lot of money because work lay and cut hundreds of layers. To be more specific, there are several rules to ensure that the fabric is fully used and cost-saving. 

• The length of the garment needs to be parallel to the edge of the fabric.

• The pattern is placed on the right grain.

• The parts are placed on the edge of the fold.

• The laying process is done on the wrong side of the fabric.

• The design of fabric needs to be placed in the exact direction of the garment when laying paper patterns. Of course, no one wants a dress with upsidedown patterns.

• The checks and strips are ensured to match the seams

4. Fabrics Marking

This process can be done manually or by a computerized marking system. Firstly, the marker planner picks the full-size patterns then place them on the marker paper. If done correctly, this can also cost-saving. 

The marking paper is a printed paper with symbols to indicate the position of each component and make sure that each piece follows specific grain lines. Workers put pins or staples on the fabric in order to keep the marker stay in place. However, some manufacturers also use adhesive paper and heat them to seal to the top layer of the fabric. 

The markers play an important role to prepare for the cutting process. When entering the cutting room, a spreading machine arranges fabric inlays of about 100 layers and markers. This process is monitored by a supervisor to ensure correct operation.

5. Fabric Cutting

Cutting is the most crucial action happening in the cutting room. After finishing with the spreading, laying, marking, workers continue with the important stepping of cutting. As a common saying “Once it is cut, there is no going back”, and that saying describes exactly the only rule of the cutting room. 

Assumed if any problems occurred when cutting, the sewing process will be affected and so does the final result. Nothing can be done to fix serious defects like that. A cutting machine with the straight and sharp knife is used to complete the cutting process. 

6. Embroidering and Screen Printing

The embroidery and screen printing process requires direct requests from customers. For example, sports brands can give order to print specific images on the T-shirts and embroider their brand logos or other embellishments on the shirt. 

Embroidery machines in operation

More specifically, the production line includes 10 to 20 embroidery stations that automatically apply the same embroidery patterns on many garments at once. On the other hand, the screen printing process applies paint-based graphic on the garments. These printing machines use presses and textile dryers. 

7. Sewing

All the pieces of the garments are collected in sizes, colors, and quantities, then they are ready for the next step of sewing or stitching. Basically, this process is done by workers on the sewing machines. They are assigned with bundles of cut pieces and sew the same portion of the garment, then pass the portion to the next worker to sew the next part. 

Sewing machine operators working in manufacturing line

There are workers who only sew the collar of the shirt to the shirt body, then pass it on the next workers to sew the sleeves only. This rule optimizes the time to finish sewing a complete garment.

8. Checking and Laundry

There will be check and quality assurance at the end of the sewing line. Workers need to ensure correct assembly of the garment without any manufacturing flaws.

Clothing manufacturer has a specific standard of checking to properly ensure the garment quality. This process is done to minimize the percentage of garments rejected by customers. During the step of checking, workers can spot any stans, cosmetic flaws or spots on the garments due to the cutting and sewing process. Normally the spots or stains occurred because of markers in the precious process. Therefore, all garments are taken to the laundry right within the factory.  

9.Fussing and Pressing

These are two important steps that decide the finished appearance of the garments. While fussing puts the foundation, pressing makes the final seal on the garments. Hand irons with vacuum press table, scissors press, carousel machines, and steam dolly are the machinery operated to complete fussing and pressing. 

10.Packaging and Shipping

This is the final step in garment manufacturing, workers fold, tag, size, and package garments based on customers’ requirements. All garments are packed in protective plastic bags, then placed in cardboard boxes to be ready to ship to customers’ center.

Vietnam textile industry is on the rise of growing with clothing lines and the application of automated machines in many steps of making clothes. Among manufacturers in Vietnam, Elysia stands out as an experienced representative with years of experience. Check out their lines of casual and formal wear which has been loved by huge brands such as GAP, Zara and Royal Robbins. 

Source: https://elysiavn.com