Imagine this: A trendy t-shirt in a store in New York, a denim jacket in Tokyo, or a school uniform in Dhaka—none of these garments exist overnight. They come through a step-by-step journey called the garments production process, and if you’re a beginner merchandiser, understanding this journey is your gateway into the world of fashion manufacturing.

Let’s unfold the cinematic story of how a simple design idea becomes a wearable product—and how you, as a merchandiser, become the key character in this reality-driven production drama.

Scene 1: The Beginning – Buyer’s Tech Pack

Every production story begins with a tech pack (technical package).

The buyer sends a tech pack to the manufacturer. This includes the garment’s sketch, measurement chart, fabric details, stitching type, trims/accessories, colorways, and more. This is the blueprint for production.

✅ Beginner Tip:

“As a merchandiser, your first job is to read and understand the tech pack. You must decode every detail. This avoids mistakes later.”

Scene 2: Consumption and Costing – The Math Begins

Now, the calculates consumption—how much fabric, thread, trims, labels, etc., are required for each piece. Based on that, costing is prepared.

Real Practice:

• Fabric makes up 60-70% of total garment cost.
• Wastage, shrinkage, and GSM (fabric weight) must be considered.

✅ Example:

“For a cotton polo shirt, you may calculate 0.85 meters of fabric per piece, then add 5% wastage. Final fabric consumption becomes ~0.89 meters.”

Once the FOB (Free on Board) price is negotiated and approved, the buyer places the purchase order (PO).

Scene 3: Sourcing Raw Materials

Now begins the hunt for the right materials.

As a merchandiser, you need to source:

• Fabric (knit/woven, dyed/printed)
• Trims & Accessories(labels, buttons, zippers, thread)
• Packing materials(poly bags, hangtags, cartons)

You collect PI (Proforma Invoice) from suppliers, make advance payments (if required), and chase up with suppliers to ensure timely delivery.

✅ Pro Merch Tip:

“Keep a sourcing tracker and follow up weekly. Time lost here will delay the whole production.”

Scene 4: Approval Stage

Before bulk production starts, all items listed below must be approved by the buyer.

• Lab-dip
• Fit Sample
• Trims & Accessories
• Strike-offs (for prints and Embo.)
• PP Sample

✅ Beginner Note:

“Lab dips are tested under different light sources (Daylight -D-65, Ultra violet-UV ) to ensure color matching.”

Scene 5: Pre-Production (PP) Meeting

This is the final planning session before bulk production begins.

✅ Attendees:

• Merchandiser
• Factory production manager
• Cutting/sewing/finishing Manager/Supervisors
• Quality control (QC) team

✅ They discuss:

• Approved samples
• Quality standards
• Special handling (e.g. placement print, embroidery)
• Timeline (TNA calendar)

After PP meeting, the green signal is given for bulk production.

Scene 6: Cutting Department

Bulk fabric arrives and gets relaxed for 12–24 hours.

✅ Then it goes through:

• Spreading – Laying fabric layers evenly.
• Cutting – Manual or auto-cutting by machines.
• Bundling – Pieces bundled by size & color.

This is a critical stage because wrong cutting = total loss.

✅ Beginner Alert:

“Double-check marker efficiency. A 1% saving in marker = huge cost benefit.”

Scene 7: Sewing Line – The Heartbeat of Production

The cut pieces are now stitched in an assembly line. Each worker does one operation: solder join, collar attach, sleeve join, label fix, etc.

✅ Merchandiser’s Role:

• Ensure approved sample is available on the line.
• Coordinate with line QC and supervisor.
• Monitor production output vs plan.

✅ Real Fact:

“A basic t-shirt has 8–12 sewing operations. A denim jacket may have 30+.”

Scene 8: Washing (If Required)

Some garments (especially denim) go through washing units:

• Enzyme wash
• Stone wash
• Silicon wash
• Pigment dye

These processes give garments a unique feel, color, and shrinkage control.

Scene 9: Finishing & Quality Control

After sewing (and washing), garments go for:

• Ironing
• Measurement checking
• Thread trimming
• Packing

Quality inspectors check for:

• Broken stitches
• Fabric defects
• Label accuracy
• Measurement tolerance

✅ Tip for Beginners:

“AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) system is followed. Learn AQL 1.5, 2.5, 4.0 levels.”

Scene 10: Packing & Shipment

Approved garments are packed as per buyer’s instruction:

• Folding style
• Hangtags
• Barcode stickers
• Polybags
• Carton dimensions

Then the goods are loaded into containers or air-shipped based on shipment terms.

The merchandiser sends the final shipping documents (invoice, packing list, BL/AWB) to buyer for customs clearance.

Real History of Garments Production in Bangladesh

Let’s rewind the clock.

Bangladesh’s RMG (Ready-Made Garment) industry began in late 1970s . The real breakthrough came with Desh Garments in 1978, in collaboration with Daewoo (South Korea) .

From only 120 workers , the industry has grown to over 4 million workers today—mostly women. Bangladesh is now the second-largest garment exporter in the world, after China.

Famous global brands like H&M, Zara, GAP, Uniqlo, and Primark source garments from here.

Final Words for Beginner Merchandiser

The garments production process is like a movie—full of characters, scripts, timelines, and real drama. As a merchandiser, you are the director who ensures everything runs smoothly from script to screen —or from tech pack to shipment .

✅ Key Reminders:

• Communication is your biggest tool.
• Be friends with Excel.
• Learn how to chase suppliers without being annoying.
• Build trust with your production team.
• Always stay 2 steps ahead in the timeline.

Remember, even the biggest merchandisers started with confusion and curiosity. Keep learning, stay sharp, and one day you will lead an entire production like a true industry hero.