This document discusses different types of garment production laboratories. Laboratories are typically smaller in size than factories, with production done in a more customized manner. Laboratories range from those that produce small series to those focused on single, custom garments. Some key features of laboratories include their emphasis on knowledge transfer between workers, their flexibility in production, and taking responsibility for complete garments. The document also examines issues around capturing the knowledge of skilled laborers, balancing social and business aspects, and innovating in the area of sewing.

1. T C B L E U P R O J E C T
M A R I A A D E L E C I P O L L A
E - Z A V O D
Task 4.3: Laboratories

2. What is a “laboratory”?
 A laboratory is distinguished from a factory mainly by size and staff.
 Sometimes a laboratory is part of a bigger production chain.
 Some laboratories only adjust “ready to wear” garments.
 Other laboratories lack expertise in cutting, so they use e.g. Burda Patterns
(http://www.burdastyle.com/).
 There are also highly specialized laboratories such as those for men's tailoring o
wedding gowns.
 In laboratories, each garment is made entirely by one operator or is island assembled
(i.e. one worker makes collars, one makes cuffs, another hems, and so on).
 Some laboratories work on demand one off, some sew garments cut elsewhere
according to sizes.
 In some laboratories, workers move freely between various workstations, talking to
each other.
 Compared to factories, there is greater accuracy in assembly and finishing in
laboratories.
 Laboratories produce a limited number of items for each model.
 Laboratories have great flexibility, because models can be changed with little effort.
 In laboratories, workers take responsibility for their work and have the satisfaction of
being able to complete part or all of the production cycle.

3. The heart of the laboratory: sewing
 Today in Europe, brand brochures,
vocational school textbooks, business
reports, trade-association research
papers and so on, place much
emphasis on the garment cutting
phase, where one is now able to cut
thousands of clothes at once. However,
little attention is paid to the
description of what happens in the
sewing department.
 Sometimes the advice is simply to “find
a factory”, in the sense of finding a
subcontractor abroad.
 There are many important activities in
laboratories that we will need to
explore further – including cutting –
but it can be argued that the key issue
for TCBL is to re-examine the potential
of the role of sewing.
An illustration from “Garment Construction Guide”, Union
Special Corporation, Technical Training centre, Huntly,
Illinois (published during 1970’, now difficult to find)

4. Innovation: everywhere except sewing
 Innovation in the clothing
industry has mainly addressed
pattern design, cutting,
placement, ironing, embroidery,
and quilting.
 Sewing has undergone little
innovation since the invention
of the sewing machine.
 Sewing is in fact highly
knowledge intensive: the
process is driven by the sewer’s
touch and ability to make many
micro-decisions on the spot.
 Sewing therefore represents a
significant innovation
opportunity for TCBL.

5. From laboratories to assembly line
 The labor-intensive role of sewing
creates a cost threshold, with
attempts to lower it with assembly
line production (and, more recently,
attempts at robotisation).
 But the specificity of garment
production makes it difficult to
reduce it to standard assembly.
 In the laboratories of the past,
knowledge was exchanged by
talking while sewing: how can we
recover that knowledge heritage?
 Each step in the sewing process is
rich with knowledge: the speed and
noise of industrial sewing machines
is ultimately destroying this value.

6.  We need to identify flexible forms of
production, somewhere between the
assembly line and artisan ateliers.
 Sewing is like cooking: recipes for the
same cake may differ, and people enjoy
exchanging them.
 Still, there is a tendency to ask for step by
step instructions, even though ultimately
everyone adds their personal touch (if
nothing else to avoid boredom).
 Sewing is ripe for promotion as a
“desirable” activity (think of the impact of
MasterChef on cooking). We may not all
become tailors, but we would pay greater
respect for fine garments.
The social dimension of sewing

7. Survivors and emergent models
 Small sewing workshops in
Europe are increasingly rare,
though many survive.
 Some survive by making custom
wedding gowns.
 Some still work for high fashion
and pret a porter (fasonisti).
 The few skilled men’s tailors
have increasing difficulty in
finding new apprentices.
 On the other hand, we are now
seeing new types of workshops
animated by the desire to make,
learn, share experiences and be
together. Some of these have a
social dimension, aimed at
vulnerable population groups.
A “sewing
café” and
a “sewing
Hub” in
Italy

8. Summary of Laboratory features
 Let us now try to identify the main features of both
“old” and “new” laboratories
 Mode of production
 Single: production of individual garments
 Series: small series using group techniques
 Mass production: highly organized and repetitive procedures
 Value added
 Knowledge: of fashion, fabrics, sewing…
 Social: interaction among workers and with clients
 Cost: reduction of costs through the organisation of work

9. Typologies of Laboratories
Type
N.
staff
Organisation of production Value proposition
Single Series Mass Knowl. Social Lowcost
Men’s tailor 1-3 10 0 0 7 3 0
Wedding gowns 2-10 10 0 0 6 3 1
Sewing lab (experimental)* 5-10 10 0 0 5 5 0
Shirt maker 2-4 7 3 0 5 2 3
Sewing café (hobby)* 5-20 10 0 0 4 6 0
Small laboratory 4-6 6 4 0 4 2 4
Home worker 1 4 4 2 4 2 4
Small factory (fasonista) 6-20 1 5 4 3 1 6
And synthesize for the main typologies identified:
* Emergent model of laboratory

10. Open issues
 Emergent models
emphasize social values:
what about business?
 How to capture and
transfer knowledge value
of e.g. men’s tailors?
 What benefits from
increasing the social
component of home
working?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Value propositions
Cost
Social
Knowl.