What are the Different Steps Involved in Cutting, Sewing and Finishing departments?

Departments such as Cutting, Sewing and Finishing are primary departments of a garment factory. The name of the departments itself explains that what are the main functions of these departments. Within each department there are number of steps through which raw materials are passed to make a finished and packed garment. These steps or sub-processes may vary product to product. Most common steps in each departments in apparel industry have been listed below.

Cutting Department:

The main role of a cutting department is to cut garment components from fabric rolls or fabric thans as per style specifications. And send cut components to sewing department in bundles. A cutting department of a garment manufacturing unit includes following sub-processes

• Fabric relaxation
• Fabric spreading / layering on cutting table
• Marker making
• Cutting - manual cutting (using scissors), machine cutting, automatic cutting.
• Numbering of garment plies (parts)
• Shorting and Bundling
• Inspection of cut components
• Shorting of printed and embroidery panels
• Re-cutting of panels
• Fusing garment components

Also Read: Cutting room overview

Sewing Department:

Sewing Floor

Sewing department is the heart of a manufacturing unit. Cut components are assembled in sewing department in assembly line. List of sub-processes those are done in sewing department includes.

• Making garment parts
• Sewing full garment
• Making garment accessories like dori, tabs, cords etc.
• Checking of stitched garments
• Alteration work of defective garments

Also read: Apparel Manufacturing - an overview

Finishing Department

In Finishing department garments are nicely pressed and packed into poly bags. A finishing department has following sub-processes.

• Washing of garment (Some factories may have separate washing department) 
• Buttoning and button holing 
• Thread trimming 
• Checking of washed / unwashed garments 
• Stain removing 
• Ironing or Pressing 
• Final checking of garments after ironing 
• Mending / repair work 
• Tagging 
• Folding and packing 

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