MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

1. BESPOKE MANUFACTURE

   • Also known as Jobbing. Used to manufacture one off garments and Haute Couture. Clothing made to a buyers specification. The term is historically linked to Men’s Tailoring. Bespoke clothing is traditionally cut from a pattern drafted from scratch for the customer, and so differs from ready-to-wear.

2. HAUTE COUTURE

   • French for ‘high sewing’ ‘high dressmaking’ ‘high fashion’. Exclusive custom fitted clothing. Created by hand from start to finish. High quality expensive fabrics. Extreme attention to detail. Time consuming, hand executed techniques.

3. BATCH PRODUCTION

   • A textile product is created stage by stage over a series of workstations, and different batches of products are made. Set quantities are made to order – 4 to 20,000. Useful for seasonal fashion products. Cost is lower than one-off manufacture. If a batch does not sell – production can cease.

4. MASS PRODUCTION

   • Large quantities of identical products are made continuously. Automated machines are utilised highly, reducing labour cost, improving speed and efficiency of manufacture. T-Shirts, supermarket jeans, workwear, school uniform.

5. PRODUCTION ORGANISATION SYSTEMS

   • Synchronised/Straight Line System
     • Work flows in a straight line through a series of workstations. Each step is synchronised and timed so that the time spent at each station is the same. Each operator performs the same operation over and over, on identical parts of successive garments.
     • Adv’s: Short distances between stations, precise planning of production times, visible production progress.
   • Progressive Bundle System
     • Work order is less controlled/rigid. Organised into 2 sections, one specialises in a major sub-component (Collar/Cuff), or the assembly of two or more sub components. Work is balanced between each section according to time required.