TECH PACK:

Tech pack is an instruction guide for procedure of the garment

manufacturing. This is a graphical and written document which
indicates the design specification, fit specification, procedure for
manufacturing the garment, measurement and sizing of the garment.
Buyer communicates the tech-pack with production merchandiser in
order to get the desired outcome with the desired quality and
aesthetics. The provision is made in tech-pack to control the quality of
the product throughout the production procedure. Specification sheets
provide important details to ensure the correct execution of garment
patterns into finished garments. It helps to produce accurate samples,
which improves turnaround time and simplifies communication during
all stages of manufacturing and quality control. Tech pack includes
detailed technical diagrams, construction notes, finished garment
measurements, fabric yields and material and trim details. It is
normally tailored in terms of the format and information provided to
suit the company's needs. Tech-pack provides base for communication
to everyone related to production purpose by providing the information
about the measurements and technical design, product development
by providing the information about the silhouettes and measurements
etc. For quality department it provides the point of measurement and
seam specification, fit specification. Once tech-pack for any style is
frozen, the production department must be able to go ahead with the
manufacturing process without having to refer back to the designer for
any aspect of production. The merchandisers are thus able to go ahead
and ensure that the required material as per the tech-pack is made
available to the production department, in the right quantities at the
right time. The marketing department can use this document in their
presentation, particularly to the large format stores and their key
customers. The preparation of a tech-pack and using it to manage and

Internal & External Communication:

Communicate with buyers, buying houses and material suppliers. On
the other hand they are responsible for downloading information
received from buyers, like buyer comments on the sample, buyers
requirement on new developments, pricing details of raw materials etc.

Internal communication includes providing information to accounts

department, shipping and documentation department, souring
department etc.

Garment Sampling:
Without sample development export house can not think of doing
export business. Sampling is one way to attract customers for bulk
orders. Merchandising team take full responsibility of developing
samples at various stages, like Proto sample, size set sample,
salesman sample etc. They source all required material for the the
sampling, download sample construction to sampling master and
sampling tailors. Send samples to buyers for approvals.

Lab dip Development:

Lap dip development for dyed fabrics and take approval on lap dips
from buyers. This is done from fabric suppliers.

Accessories & Trims Sourcing:

Finding suppliers for accessories and trims for the samples and bulk
orders. Negotiation on pricing and sourcing of trims. Take approvals of
trims and prepare trim card for production team.

Preparing Production file:

They make production file for production and quality department with
all necessary information required to process bulk orders. They
handover production order to production head and production process
starts from cutting to final inspection.

Preparing of Bill of Material:

Merchandising team is responsible for making consumption of fabric
and trims for bulk orders. Once consumption is approved they make
Bill of Materials (BOM) and raise purchase order to source all raw
materials.

Production Follow up:

Once production started, merchandisers do continuous follow up for
production with in-house production team and subcontracting
factories. This way they keep production and shipment delivery on
rime.

Taking responsibility for inspections:

Buyer follow third party inspection of finished goods. Merchandiser
takes the responsibility to communicate with inspection agency, offer
them packed shipment and forward inspection report to buyers.

Follow up of Shipment:
Last but not the least, they do follow up of shipment with buyers and
send shipment related document to buyer.
Introduction:
Product development is the very first stage of introduction of new
style. The concept of new style or design is developed by fashion
designer which is merely a design or sketch on the paper. Product
development is the process where that sketch or design is converted in
to a 3D form garment, with all technical and aesthetic approach
keeping in mind. The first stage is of organizing the thoughts and
collecting images (Mood board) from designer. It captures the mood or
flavour of the design project, as well as reflects the target customer,
sometimes designs are developed target costumer keeping in mind.
The in-depth study & close examination as well as market forecasting
of the costumer stimulates the ideas about colours & textures which
influence choice of fabrics. Colour palette is selected with the
important shades and identifying the market and customer taste,
historic data from marketing team and saleability of the developed
product. Methods such as dyeing, printing, applique & manipulating
the fabrics convert the stimulated ideas into required textures & drape
of the garments. At the stage of developing fabrics for Swatch Board,
practicalities of achieving the effects hardly matters whereas
innovation is highly demanded. Designing a collection is concerned

with decisions of taste, choice and sensitivity and relies on the market
forecast.
In present global scenario and fast fashion era product development
becomes the business strategy for the whole supply chain of the
fashion industry. Now a days product development is done at every
stage of the fashion industry. Typically product development is done by
following institutions.

Product development by global buyer:

From the buyers point of view the product development is the creating
individual style within the line. The typical product development
process at buyers stage can be given as

Product development process starts after market forecast, itis the

process of creating each individual style within the line. After the
research phase of line development is completed, silhouettes are
developed, fabrics and trim selected, prototypes made, and
specifications are created. The resulting styles are analysed to
determine manufacturing costs. These steps are all part of the product
development phase of the line development process. The first steps of
silhouette development and fabric selection are approached in
different ways by different designers and companies. Many companies
base their lines around fabric and print designs. Their designers start
by selecting fabrics and then create silhouettes for those fabrics. These
designers are fabric driven.Other designers are silhouette-driven.
They design silhouettes and then select fabrics that are compatible
with the silhouettes. Both processes achieve the same end result
unique garment styles.
This type of product development is done either by buyer along with
buying house. Product development is the essential part of the line

development after market forecast is done. Without product

development line cannot be developed. The essential parts of product
development are
Fabric selection: fabric selection is done based on aesthetics as well
as technical demand of the garment. Following things need to consider
while selecting the fabric for product development.
Fibre content.
Fabric constructionbasic structure.
Texture and engineered effects created by weave configurations
and
Yarn selections.
Prints.
Colour range.
Performance characteristicswear factors, care requirements,
sewing
Compatibility and drape.
Versatility for use in multiple styles.
Price and terms.
Availability.
Minimum order quantities.
For fabric selection designer visits textile mills, fabric studio, design
studio.
Silhouettes: Silhouette development involves transforming garment
ideas into final garment Sketches or technical drawings, which are
hand or CAD renderings of the front and back of a garment, including
stitching details. Technical drawings usually do not include body
silhouettes and are used where construction and styling details are
critical to the design.

Proto type development: after Silhouette is developed, tech pack is

developed and development sample are developed. Objective is to see
the aesthetic and manufacturing ability of the proposed style.
Costing: Costing is done at the stage of sample development to see
the market feasibility of the product for sales and to decide the profit
margin.
Advantages of product development by buyer/ buying
specification:
Buyer makes the market forecast, hence the understanding of
market is better.
The recent trends are decided by buyer.
The colour, prints and patterns are developed by byer which is
based on market forecast.
Buyer is totally responsible for the success of developed style.
Disadvantages product development by buyer/ buying
specification:
The process of product development is long and tidies process for
buyer;ifbuyer doesnt have in-house production capability.
Buyer needs to depend on either buying house or garment/textile
manufacturer for development of lab-dip, strike-off, and samples.
The cost of product development at this stage is higher.
Though buyer does the market forecast but buyer may has
limitation on technical knowledge and production feasibility of the
style.

Product development by garment manufacturer

Product development is the business policy of the organization which
includes the development of the new designs and styles within the
organization. This activity brings the more business to organization, by
showing pro-activeness in design development buyer also impress. The
role of production merchandiser in this activity is plays very important

role. Production merchandiser must keep update to buyer time to time

about the product development done by organization.

Motivate the buyer to give the design development to the organization

instead of doing themselves. Whenever buyer visits to the
organization, presentation of new colour, prints, embroidery patterns
and desk loom developments is done by production merchandiser.
Presentation of new designs developed by PD department. Try to
convince the buyer to select the designs from presentation. A very
good presentation and convincing ability of production merchandiser
brings more business to the organization.
Role of production merchandiser in product development
Product development is become business policy of the
organization, as merchandiser is the bridge between buyer and
manufacturer, merchandiser can understand the buyers knowhows of the market and new development can be done
accordingly.
Merchandiser not only follows the export order but, he/she must
be aware of the new trends in market related to fabric, colour,
patterns, style, designs etc.

 Cost calculations are the main role played by the merchandiser.

At product development and sampling stage only cost is
calculated and quoted to buyer.
Merchandiser must insist in-house design studio(if available)or
product development team to come up with new ideas and
designs and style.
At the same time merchandiser should convince buyer to give
development to the factory if capacity is available.
Merchandiser knows what buyer wants hence at the time buyer
visit to factory, merchandiser can present the new developments
i.e. desk looms, lab-dips, strike-offs, newly developed design in
garment in front of buyer or send to buyers office for selection
purpose.
Merchandiser must use convincing ability to make sure that buyer
will accept some designs.
The important role of merchandiser plays is follow-up of buyer as
well as sampling department to make sure that development
should go smoothly.
Advantages:
Production merchandiser can control product development
process in better way.
Pro-activeness of merchandiser can bring the more business to
the organization.
The cost of product development is lesser when it takes place in
manufacturing organization.
Manufacturing organization may not charge the cost of product
development to the buyer if buyer is regularly giving orders to
the organization that is the benefit to the buyer.
Disadvantages:
Merchandiser may not aware fully about the buyers requirement
of style and designs for that particular season. If it is so then
whole work will be wasted.

 The quality requirements of the buyer nay not match.

There may be capacity of sampling or product development
department to produce the new style, but there may be
possibility that production floor may not be able to handle the
style
Merchandiser may have limited knowledge of the market, trends,
running style, sales background of the buyer, brand image.
Hence there are limitations for merchandiser to go for product
development.

Product development by design studio:

In globalization era product development process is also outsourced by
buyer. The typical product development process by design studio can
be given.

The process of product development is similar to what buyer is doing

but only third party or individual design studio is involved in the
process. Buyer asks design studio to develop the new designs,
sketches, style and colour. Design studio develops designs according to
market forecast of buyer, by keeping brand image in mind.

Advantages of the process:

Buyer gets the advantage of expertise in design studio.
Buyer need not to see the sourcing part for the product
development.
The risk is transfers to the design studio.
With involvement of third party product development sharing of
knowledge is happens.
The resources can be combined.
Increasing the speed of product development process as design
studio does that job.
Buyer gets the advantage of latest technology in design studio.
Disadvantages:
More cost is incurred for buyer.
Dependency is more on design studio.
Design studio may not be able to understand the buyers
perception about market though buyer shares data.
There is reduction in knowledge gain about technology, new
trends and technical aspects of product development.

Conclusion
Globalization makes product development process heart of fashion
industry.The apparel product developer is involved through the entire
process from concept to delivery.Since the product developer works in
tandem with the merchandiser, having a strong background in
forecasting and mathematical skills is a plus. The costing is estimate at
product development phase hence; it is very easy for buyer to
estimate the MRP of the garment. Accordingly marketing plans can be
developed. For manufacturers point of view product development is a
business tactics. To sustain in the business manufactures takes active
part in product development process. For design studios or third party
product development organization it is opportunity to work globally.

With product development entrepreneurship can be possible as

standalone design studio are run by single person or group of persons
who are expert in the field.

Introduction
Production Merchandising is a function of multiple activities performed
by a person which are either parallel or inter connected. Some of them
are interdependent and others are independent of each other.
Merchandising involves planning and execution of the export order with
the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, at the right
price. It is concerned with all the activities necessary to provide buyers
with the merchandise they want to buy and when and where they want
it and at prices they can afford and are willing to pay. Hence it involves
making execution plans, understanding the buyers need regarding
quality and cost, follow up of running order, effective communication
with buyer. The term 'Merchandising' has always been a magic word
and hot pick of the cake in the field of apparel and fashion
merchandising. Most of the persons who want to pursue a career in the
apparel field want to become a merchandiser. What makes this so
much attractive and important isreputation, responsibility and career
growth.
The functions of production merchandiser can be summarised
as:

Over the years of the growth of merchandising as a discipline in the

apparel export industry, there have been many changes in the job
profile of the apparel merchandiser to perform these functions. It has
charges from a simple to a much more complex job transcending
almost all departments and functions in an apparel export house. This
has led to a change in the skills required for the job and evolution of
the discipline of export merchandising. Merchandising has been to a
large extent a function which was never clearly defined not distinctly
performed in the Apparel export industry. On one hand the
merchandiser had the job of getting orders and execute them; donning
the role of production
coordinator in the same
breath.
Functions of production
merchandising
1. Product
development
Product development is
the business policy of the
organization which
includes the development
of the new designs and
styles within the
organization. This activity
brings the more business
to organization, by
showing pro-activeness in
design development buyer also impress. The role of production
merchandiser in this activity plays very important role. Production
merchandiser must keep update to buyer time to time about the
product development done by organization. Motivate the buyer to give
the design development to the organization instead of doing
themselves. Whenever buyer visits to the organization, presentation of
new colour, prints, embroidery patterns and desk loom developments
is done by production merchandiser. To present new designs developed
by product development department. Try to convince the buyer to
select the designs from presentation. A very good presentation and
convincing ability of production merchandiser brings more business to
the organization.
2. Sampling

Sampling is one of the main processes in Garment manufacturing and

it plays vital role in attracting buyers and confirming the order, as the
buyers generally places the order once satisfied with the quality and
responsiveness of the sampling. Sampling is the most crucial and most
important stage of fashion merchandising. Sampling department
makes samples on the basis of the specification and requirement by
the buyer. Sampling in merchandising may be defined as The concept,
perception and ideas of fashion designer developed into product
samples, in systematic stages of product development, with technical
and quality clarity in a development. The role of merchandiser plays
the crucial role as the follow up of the samples is important aspect.
Buyer passes some comments to the merchandiser after submitting
the sample. These comments are needed to understand and
communicate with the sampling department. Get changes from the
sampling and resubmit to buyer. Follow up with buyer to get approvals
of the sample.
3. Costing
Costing is the very dynamic process, and it is the most important
function performed by merchandiser. Merchandiser should have
knowledge of costing and its calculations. While calculating the cost of
the garment merchandiser keeps following things in mind.
Fabric consumption
Trims
CMT
Value added services: printing, embroidery, washing, applique
Testing
Transportation and logistics cost
Profit of the manufacturing organization
Currency exchange rate
The role of merchandiser does not end only after calculating the cost,
but after quoting the cost merchandiser need to negotiate with buyer
on cost of the garment.
4. Planning (Time and action calendar)

Production merchandising is an interdependent activity. Successful

merchandising is outcome of effective preparation and follows up of
time and action calendar by all departments. Time and Action Calendar
or TNA, a most important jargon used in fashion merchandising, it is an
effective way of coordination and following up of important milestones
in preproduction processes to ensure timely delivery within stipulated
delivery date. Despite claims of being practically in use by most buying
and manufacturing organizations, the follow-up of orders/styles during
the pre-production processes are not fool proof and there are several
myths which need to be redressed claims. Production merchandiser
prepares the TNA by keeping things in mind like production capacity,
lead time of buyer, holidays etc.
5. Communication
Communication is a most important aspect of any export order
process. In production merchandising there are various tools used to
communicate with buyers in order to proceed further in export order
like quality manual, purchase order, packing list, colour way
communication, style no. tech pack. Buyer communicates each and
every aspect of on-going and future style with merchandiser only.
Merchandiser must be able to communicate with buyer and with
internal departments effectively to process the export order effectively.
There are several modes of communication like telephone, email,
actual meetings, fax etc. merchandiser must aware of etiquettes to use
these modes of communication.
6. Coordination
Coordination is the major aspect of fashion merchandising, one need to
coordinate with all the departments within the organization and
outside the organization in order to run the export order successfully.
Coordinating with other department is the one of the major
responsibility of a production merchandiser. A production merchandiser
has to coordinate with the other departments so as to complete its job
and to following the production activities. Factory merchandiser uses
different formats and documents to coordinate within the factory like
BOM, production file, tech pack. Some of them are need to create by
factory merchandiser some of them are provides by buyer. This type of
coordination referred to as internal coordination. Production
merchandiser needs to coordinate with buyer asbuyer also takes the
follow up from merchandiser. Merchandiser provides the formats to the
buyer like production status report, packing list, TNA etc.

7. Sourcing
For garment export house fabric and trims are the raw material which
needs to be outsourced. Sourcing is basically determining the most
cost efficient vendor of materials, production, or finished goods at the
specified quality and service level. It is closely associated and an
important part of apparel merchandiser's responsibility. Materials
basically include piece goods that will be cut and converted into the
garments. Not only does the fabric have to be appropriate and suited
to the garment design and end use but it must also be made available
at the precise time when it is needed. Thus, lead times play an
important role in the sourcing and placing orders for the materials
required for the production. Lead times required from a supplier can
vary from as little as two weeks to as much as nine months. Trims are
all the materials other than the piece goods that are required to make
up a garment. Findings require the same careful planning as the piece
goods. As soon as the fabric is in the stores, then only the sourcing of
the threads start because the colour of the thread must match the
buyer's requirements. The ordering of the threads must be complete
by the time fabric is cut ready to be feeded to the sewing
lines.Sourcing department along with apparel merchandiser plays the
vital role to execute and shipment of export order successfully.
Merchandiser must make sure that all approvals related to fabric and
trims should be coordinated with the sourcing department in given
timeframe.