This document discusses lean manufacturing and its implementation in the garment industry of Bangladesh. It first provides background on lean manufacturing, noting that it aims to eliminate waste and improve quality, safety, and worker morale while reducing costs. It then discusses the readymade garments industry in Bangladesh and its importance to the economy. At the time of the survey, many production managers in the industry lacked education in lean tools. While some industries used some lean tools, there was lack of interest in fully implementing lean systems. The document then provides data on 5 garment companies, finding that 60% were familiar with lean but 40% were not, and that while one company planned to implement lean within a year, others currently had no plans to do so

1. INTRODUCTION
A systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste (non-value-added activities)
through continuous improvement by flowing the product at the pull of the customer in pursuit
of perfection.
Lean is a continuous improvement philosophy which is Synonymous with Kaizen or the
“Toyota Production System”. The history of lean management or lean manufacturing is
traced back to the early years of Toyota and the development of the Toyota Production
System after Japan’s defeat in WWII when the company was looking for a means to compete
with the US car industry through developing and implementing a range of low-cost
improvements within their business.
In brief, lean management seeks to implement business processes that achieve high quality,
safety and worker morale, whilst reducing cost and shortening lead times. This in itself is not
unique to Japan. What sets lean management apart, and makes it particularly effective, is that
it has at its core a laser-sharp focus on the elimination of all waste from all processes.
We have listed down 8 preferred lean manufacturing tools which are mostly applied by
garment industry.
5S Visual displays
Standardization of work process Quick Changeover.
Error proofing Kanban
Problem solving. Workload balancing.
.
. .
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2. BACKGROUND OF SURVEY
Readymade Garments Industry is very essential for earning foreign currency in Bangladesh.
Now-a-days Bangladesh financial sector is very dependent upon this sector. The garments
sector is woven, knitting, sweater and many more. Readymade garments exports various
garments product in foreign market. The industry makes shirts, ladies dress, shorts, trousers,
and others for U.S.A, U.K and other European countries. They use high tech machineries to
produce a quality garments product. They also add new machineries to increase their
production line. They have a mission and the vision is profit maximization and contribute to
our national economy. The merchandising philosophy of readymade garments is to keep good
relation with their buyers. The garments Industry maintain a good relationship with every
buyer. Hard working and commitment maintenance is their main strategy. They always try to
satisfy their buyers. In this perspective the merchandiser always try to do their merchandising
activities in due time. The merchandiser of this company is not very much skilled person.
More over him has no assistant. For this reason, sometimes the company face problem. So,
here readymade garments can recruit high skilled people with giving standard salary. The
readymade garments should improve their product quality, packing system, internal
environment, and other merchandising activities to satisfy their foreign buyers.
At the survey time we are facing some problem. Most of the industry’s production manager is
not well educated. They don’t have any knowledge at the field of lean manufacturing. Some
industries follow little bit of lean manufacturing tools. They don’t have interest to follow all
lean tool in their industry. This is not possible to follow lean manufacturing tool for RMG.
Name of the Garments Company
1. Ama Syntex Ltd
2. Habitus Fashion Ltd.
3. Banika Fashions Ltd.
4. SIF Textile Industries Ltd.
5. Y.K. Sweaters Ltd.

3. Familier
60%
Non
Familier
40%
Lean Familirity
SIF Textile
21%
Habitus
Fashion
52%
Ama
Syntex
27%
Implement Lean Tool
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DATA ANALYSIS
I. Familier with lean elements (5 RMG)
Lean Familirity
Familier 3
Non Familier 2
II. (a) RMG Already implement lean tools
Implement Lean Tool
SIF Textile 3.83
Habitus Fashion 9.33
Ama Syntex 4.83

4. Planned
60%
Not
Planned
40%Other
40%
Not Planned to
implement lean system
0%
Implement lean system
within next one year
Within next one year
(b)Not planned To implement lean system
Not Planned to implement system
Planned 3
Not Planned 2
(c) Planned to implement lean system within next one year
Implement lean system within next one year
Within next one year 0
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