: Logically, the cost of raw material can be controlled if we monitored the fabric consumption and utilization. So, what are the factors that affect the consumption and hence the cost of the fabric. Check this post to know more.

2. • As much as about 70% of the expenditures of apparel production
have been dedicated to the cost of raw material which includes
fabric and trims.
Introduction
• By controlling the raw material costs, one can substantially decrease
the investment cost for a company, thereby directly affecting its
profits.
• If fabric wastage at different levels of production process could be
minimised, it would directly affect the fabric savings.
• Many solutions, technical and otherwise, have been devised to solve the
crisis of fabric wastage (or in general, fabric saving) in the garment
industry.

3. • Some of those were found to be immediately effective to some
extent, like, CAD, cut-plan software etc. &
• Some which were mastered over time with practice, like, better
marker making and precise consumption calculations for different
garments.
• But, regardless of all the efforts put in, wrong fabric consumption
prevails as a giant in the garment industry which costs a company
much of its profits without them even realising.
Introduction

4. • Fabric consumption can be defined as the amount of fabric required to
make a garment.
• Hidden behind this definition are numerous other factors like, fabric
type, garment type, size ratio, etc. which directly impact the
consumption calculations.
• If all these parameters are to be taken into account, the exact
calculations and objective establishment of results becomes difficult.
• In cases like these, precision in the estimation of results becomes
important.
• Although, the methods that have been formulated to either correct the
calculation of fabric consumption or to control it, give limited results.
For this reason, it is important to control the consumption at a
primitive level.
Fabric
Consumption

5. Markers:
– Marker making can effectively alter fabric utilization. Typically, a marker
containing more number of garments will be more efficient and consume
(hence, waste) lesser amount of fabric.
– For example, a 7-way marker will have more number of pieces which can be
fit together in a marker so as to optimise the fabric utilised than a 2-way
marker.
Areas affecting
Fabric Consumption
Fabric repeat size or prints:
– Solid colour fabrics will be easier to deal with while making of markers and
laying of fabric.
– Also, in case of solid colours, fabric consumption will be much lesser than
for stripes, checks or other prints.
– The repeat size also directly affects the fabric consumption. If the repeat
size is bigger, consumption will be more.

6. Fabric Width and Shrinkage:
– Fabric width and shrinkage are the key criteria while grouping of the fabric
during cutting.
– The width of the fabric determines the area available for making a marker
and therefore, more fabric width will give more efficient markers. And
grouping of similar widths while laying of fabric ensures least amount of
fabric wastage.
– Shrinkage of the fabric is the ratio by which a fabric deviates from its original
dimensions. If the shrinkage is more, fabric consumption will be more and if
it is less, fabric consumption will be lesser as well.
Areas affecting
Fabric Consumption

7. Centre-selvedge variation and other fabric defects:
– In case of defects like these, the marker will be not as efficient and would
substantially increase the fabric consumption.
– These defects are mostly unavoidable and can be worked along to an extent
through effective marker making.
Grain:
– In case of specific style requirements or garment parts like the waist band,
fabric needs to be cut on bias.
– The fabric consumption for these styles is higher than the ones cut straight
on grain.
Areas affecting
Fabric Consumption

8. • These were some of the major factors affecting fabric consumption.
• Other factors which affect can be symmetry of the garment, better size
mixes, nature of the fabric or even the manual handling of fabric during
spreading and cutting.
• Some of these factors are unavoidable, but others can be put into practice
to significantly reduce fabric wastage, optimise fabric utilization and
minimise fabric consumption at different stages of garment making.
Conclusion

9. For an elaborate insight on the topic,
visit www.stitchdiary.com
Do you know any more factors
that affect fabric consumption?