Key Responsibilities of a Garments Merchandiser

Introduction to Garments Merchandising

At first we need to understand the term “Garments Merchandising”. “Garment” is an alternative term of apparel or cloth which we need to wear in our everyday life all over the world and “Merchandising” means developing, producing buying and selling of any goods or products or services for the local or international market. So, “Merchandising” is the bridge between the buyer and seller. If we combine this English two terms “Garments Merchandising” then the meaning of garments merchandising becomes like the following definition.

All the activities involved in procuring export order of any garment of any particular design for a specific quantity, analysis of the garment requires producing the garments, production scheduling & exporting the garments within fixed time frame may be called garments merchandising.

From the above definition of garments merchandising it can be clearly said that procuring a garments export order that is export L/C, production of those products as per buyers satisfaction within limited time is not an easy task. The activities which are involved in garments merchandising is normally done by an experienced & expert person called garments merchandiser. “Garments Merchandiser” is the most important key person of garments production & garments export sector.

Role of a Garments Merchandiser

The main role of Garments merchandiser is to collect garments export order (Export L/C), produce the garments, export the garments on time & earn profit for the organization. To perform those functions successfully need lots of knowledge, experience & tremendous effort for a Merchandiser.

Duties & responsibilities of a Garments Merchandiser

     ·         To procure or collect an export garments order.

     ·         To estimate the time action (T&A) plan to export of those garments as per limited fixed time.

     ·         To ensure the booking of raw materials (Fabric & other trims) placed to the supplier needed for the garments to manufacture and export.

     ·         Checking Proforma Invoice (PI) and term of payments properly given by the supplier.

     ·         Placing the PI for opening Back to Back L/C to give payment to the supplier.

     ·         To monitor the collection of raw material as per the T&A plan.

     ·         To ensure the quantity & quality of raw material collected from supplier.

     ·         Following the sampling process strongly as the export order totally depends on it.

     ·         To select the garments factory if needed.

     ·         To monitor the garments production progress as per T&A plan.

     ·         To monitor the desired quality level of the produced garments.

     ·         To monitor garments packing instruction.

     ·         To monitor the shipment arrangements as per T&A plan.

     ·         To maintain continuous liaison with buyer.

Fazle Bari Ranga

Asst. Merchandiser

Ha-Meem Group

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Garment Washing Symbols and Meanings

When we buy a garment it looks nice and ok but when we use it, it becomes dirty day by day and becomes unfit to wear. So to wear it again, we’ve to clean it. Then the questions come in our mind that how we will clean it and iron it so that the dresses become ready to wear. Then we search for garments care instructions. The care instructions are given by the care symbols attached with the garment.

Garment Care Label is a label by which we can take care of a garment. In a garment care label we can see many care instructions. When we want to clean a garment we should follow the care instructions. It defines the machine wash should be warm, normal cycle or the garment should be tumble dry low or just tumble dry etc.

The apparel manufacturers attach the care symbols in care label which suits the best for a garment. Before attaching a care label the apparel is tested under different tests for care instructions like Dimensional stability, Appearance after laundering or dry cleaning, Colorfastness to Actual Laundering or Dry Cleaning, Colorfastness to laundering: Accelerated, Colorfastness to crocking, Bleaching and Ironing. When the garment passes under these tests, the care instructions are fixed for the garment.

Now I’ll describe the Garment Washing Symbols and Meanings in AATCC methods as below Images –

Washing Care Symbols and their meanings –

Bleaching Care Symbols and their meanings –

Drying Care Symbols and their meanings –

Ironing Care Symbols and their meanings –

Dry Cleaning Care Symbols and their meanings –

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Different types of Textile Testing methods

Most of the people among us have heard the different types of Textiles and Garments Brand and Buyer name like CK, Dockers, Kohl’s, Kmart, H&M, C&A, Levi’s, Gymboree, American Eagle, Gap, Walmart etc. I would like to inform you that Walmart, Inditex, Gap, Levi’s, American Eagle, PVH, H&M, Esprit, S. Oliver, Mothercare, C&A, George etc. are the top Garments Buyer in the world. These Buyers produce their products with their own brands name and also with other brands name. Such as, H&M produces their products with their own brand name H&M. PVH produces their products with their own brand name PVH, CK and also different brands name like JC penny, Kohl’s, GH Bass etc.

Different buyers use different Textile testing methods. Most of the American Buyers like JC Penny, Target, Walmart USA, Carter’s, Kohl’s, Bass Pro Shop, Marks Work Wear House, LF USA, SHGS, Shopko Lands End etc. use AATCC methods and rest others like Levi’s, Gap, Gymboree, American Eagle etc. use both AATCC and ISO methods. The European Buyers like Mothercare, Koton, George, Esprit, Siplec, s. Oliver, Tom Tailor etc. use BS/ISO methods. Some Buyers like H&M, C&A, M&S use their own methods. Some buyers like Best and Less uses Australian methods, Walmart Canada uses Canadian methods.

Details about different types of Textile Testing methods

There are different types of Textile and Garments Testing methods such as –

• American Society of Testing &Materials (ASTM)
• American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• European Norms (EN)
• British Standards (BS)
• British Standards for European Nations (BS EN) 
• Deutsches Institut fur Normung (DIN) 
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
• Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) 
• TAPPI

Now I’ll describe some of the above methods as below table for example and for your clarification –

Test Methods	Brief Description
AATCC 20	Fibre analysis. This method is used to identify the fibres used in Textile products. In this method chemical, physical and microscopical techniques are used.
AATCC 8	Colorfastness to crocking. This method is used to identify the amount of color transferred from dyed textile surface to another surface due to abrasion.
ASTM D1683	Seam Strength. This test method is used to determine the seam strength in woven garments by applying a force perpendicular to the sewn seams.
ASTM D2594	Stretch Properties. This test method is used to determine the stretch and growth of knitted fabrics composed of Lycra.
ISO 3071: 2006	pH value of Textile. This test method is used to determine the pH value in the Textile materials.
ISO 14184-1 : 2011	Formaldehyde content in Textile. This method is applied to test Textiles in any form to determine the total amount of free formaldehyde in Textiles.
EN 14689	Leather. This method is applied to leather products for physical and mechanical tests to determine bagginess, creep and relaxation.
BS 3424-5:1982	Coated fabrics test method. Methods are 7A, 7B and 7C. This method is used to determine the tear strength of coated fabrics.
BS 4098:1975	This test method is used to determine the comparison, thickness and recovery characteristics of floor coverings made of Textiles.
BS EN 13542:2001	This test method is used to determine the compressibility of quilted Textiles.
BS EN 13895:2003	Monofilament Textiles. This test method is used to determine the tensile properties of Textiles made of monofilament yarns.
BS EN ISO 9073-4:1997	Non-woven Textiles. This test method is used to determine the tear resistance of Non-Woven Textiles.
BS EN ISO 105-E01:2013	Colorfastness to water. This test method is used to define the amount of color transferred from dyed textiles in presence of water.
JIS L 1041:2011	Formaldehyde content in Textiles. This test method is used to determine the amount of formaldehyde content in Textiles.

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Different types of Garments Wash used in the Wet Process

In garments washing there are two processes. One is wet process and another is dry process. The process which we do in the wet condition is called wet process. In wet process we use different types of garments wash. Now we will describe them as follows:

Rinse Wash

Rinse wash is done only by water and slight detergent and backstainer. This shade is dark and not so much different from its raw denim. This process has some problems like color fastness to dry rubbing, wet rubbing and washing fail.

Rinse Washed

Garments Wash

Garments wash is a combination of rinse wash and softener wash. At first rinse wash is done and then softener wash is completed. In this wash color will not reduce. Generally the garments remain almost tonally unchanged. Garments wash also has some problems like color fastness to dry rubbing, wet rubbing and washing fail.

Garments Washed

Enzyme Wash

This wash is so called because enzyme is used in this wash. Normally washing means enzyme wash. After this washing the garments become nice to look at. According to the requirement of shade the enzyme may be neutral or acidic. It is one kind of laundering process that uses enzymes to clean or finish the garments or textiles. This wash is especially done for jeans. Enzyme wash also carry economic and environmental benefits. On an industrial scale, it has replaced laborious laundering techniques such as stone washing.

Enzyme Washed

Heavy Enzyme Stone Wash

In this type of wash enzyme and stone are used together. If we want to avoid the damages we have to follow some precautions. In this type of wash heavy abrasion occurs. This wash is especially done for denim. As a result of this wash medium level of shade comes. If we use bleaching light shade will come.

Heavy Enzyme Stone Washed

Enzyme Bleaching Wash

In this type of wash at first we use enzyme and then we use bleaching process. As a result of this wash light shade comes out. Chlorine and non-chlorine bleach can be used for this wash. To reduce indigo color or other colors bleaching is used.

Enzyme Bleaching Washed

Acid Wash

Acid wash is done by using Potash and Stone. At first we have to dip the stone in potash solution and then slight dry the stone and wash in a washing machine. As a result of acid wash we will get uneven look on garments.

Acid Washed

Tie wash

By tie washing we will get uneven crease on garments. Tie wash is done by tiding the garments and then washing it. We tie the garments according to standard. Basically for this wash we have to do enzyme or bleach wash. As a result of tiding the garments the sharp edges come in contact to the machine and the effects come out.

Tie washed

Rubber Ball Wash

Rubber ball wash is a garments and softener wash. In this process garments will be softer and at the same time seam abrasion will come. We use this wash to get more hand feel of garments. Rubber balls are added in the same bath of softener or in the dryer with the garments.

Rubber Ball Washed

Towel Bleach Wash

This wash is like acid wash. It is one kind of uneven wash. We get uneven shade from this wash. At first we cut the towel into small pieces and dip in the bleaching solution. After that we take these out from the solution and slightly dry. Then the garments and towels are tumbled in another machine for a certain period of time. After tumbling we have to neutral the garments properly. Now we will see that some places of garments are discolor or changed in color where the towel pieces touched the garments.

Towel Bleach Washed

Pigment Wash

The wash which we do for pigment color is called pigment wash. This wash is done to make the garments fashionable.  The garments surface becomes more uneven. In this wash color stays on the garments surface.

Pigment Washed

Resin Wash

In this wash we directly use resin that’s why it is called resin wash. Resin is used at a specific percentage. Generally we use this wash when we need less hand feel and more shine look. Resin also fixes the color with the fabric.

Resin Washed

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