, Contents
History................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Importance ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Current Scenario ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Backward Linkage ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Reason Behind Success...................................................................................................................................... 6
Why Factories are Decreasing ........................................................................................................................... 6
Challenges .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
How to Overcome Challenges ........................................................................................................................... 7
Skills of Successful Merchandiser ..................................................................................................................... 7
Scopes/Area of Apparel Merchandising ............................................................................................................ 8
Sequence of Merchandising ............................................................................................................................... 8
Role of Merchandiser ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Role of Textile Engineer .................................................................................................................................... 9
Different Sections or Manufacturing Units of Garments ................................................................................. 10
Probable Departments of Textile Factory ........................................................................................................ 10
Apparel Industry Management Organogram ................................................................................................... 12
Hierarchy.......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Apparel Manufacturing Flow ........................................................................................................................... 14
Sample Apparel ................................................................................................................................................ 16
Methods for Apparel Making........................................................................................................................... 19
Terms & Definitions ........................................................................................................................................ 19
Components of Shirt ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Components of Polo Shirt ................................................................................................................................ 25
Components of T-Shirt .................................................................................................................................... 25
Components of Pant ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Components of Jeans Pant ............................................................................................................................... 26
Fabrics .............................................................................................................................................................. 27
Local & Foreign Brands................................................................................................................................... 27
Quota & Category ............................................................................................................................................ 31
Quality Control ................................................................................................................................................ 32
Technology in Apparel Industry ...................................................................................................................... 37
, History
Like other 3rd world countries Bangladesh’s economic development depends firstly on agriculture and
secondly on industry. Although Bangladesh is not developed in industry, it has been enriched in garment
industries in the recent past years. It has given the opportunity of employment to millions of unemployed,
especially uneducated women of the country. It is making significant contribution in the field of our export
income.
Reaz Garments, the first garments factory in Bangladesh was established in 1960 at Urdu Road in Dhaka. It
was established as a small tailoring outfit, named Reaz Store. It served only domestic markets for about 15
years. In 1973 it changed its name to M/S Reaz Garments Ltd. and expanded its operations into export market
by selling 10,000 pieces of men's shirts worth French Franc 13 million to a Paris-based firm in 1978. It was
the first direct export of garments from Bangladesh.
In 1977-78 only 9 exporting industries were available in this country which generated export earnings of
hardly one million dollar every year. There were 3 big industries available at that time. They were: Riaz
Garments, Jewel Garments, and Paris Garments.
Desh Garments Ltd, the first non-equity joint-venture in the garments industry was established in 1979. Desh
had technical and marketing collaboration with Daewoo Corporation of South Korea. It was also hundred
percent export-oriented company. It had about 120 operators including 3 women trained in South Korea, and
with these trained workers it started its production in early 1980. Another South Korean Firm, Youngones
Corporation formed the first equity joint-venture garments factory with a Bangladeshi firm, Trexim Ltd. in
1980. Bangladeshi partners contributed 51% of the equity of the new firm, named Youngones Bangladesh. It
exported its first consignment of padded and non-padded jackets to Sweden in December 1980.
Till the end of 1982, there were only 47 garments manufacturing units. The breakthrough occurred in 1984-
85, when the number of garment factories increased to 587. The number of RMG factories shot up to around
2,900 in 1999. At present there are about 5000 garment industries in the country and 75 percent of them are
in Dhaka. The rest are in Chittagong and Khulna. These Industries have employed 4.2 million people and 65
percent of them are illiterate rural women. About 83 percent of our export earning comes from this sector.
RMG sector has relieved Bangladesh from over populous unemployment burden through providing the largest
employment next to agriculture, transport, and trade and industry sector. This sector has uplifted the neglected
section of the population, thus radically transforming the socio-economic condition of the country. Such
empowerment and employment raised awareness regarding children education, health safety, population
control, disaster management so far. It is an epoch-making event in the history of Bangladesh.
The industry started in the late 1970s, expanded heavily in the 1980s and boomed in the 1990s. The quick
expansion of the industry was possible because of the use of less complicated technology, cheap and easy to
operate sewing machines and relatively cheap and abundant female workforce. But apparel firms in the
country have moved into a challenging position in the new millennium. The challenge is now to offer high
quality – low-cost product within a short lead time; and to meet health, social, and environmental compliances
in the face of increasingly stiff competitions.
Importance
The textile has been an extremely important part of socio-economic development for a very long time for a
number of reasons. The textile industry is connected with meeting the demand for clothing, which is a basic
necessary of life. It is an industry that is more labor intensive than any other in Bangladesh, and thus plays a
critical role in providing employment for people. It has contributed to employment creation, poverty
reduction as well as women empowerment. More than 80% of export earning comes from textile sector.
Contributes about 12% of GDP, 40% industrial value addition comes from the textile sector. Provide huge
opportunities for the supporting industry- banking, insurance, shipping, transport, toiletries, cosmetics, hotel
and other related economical activities. Provide 45 lakh of employment where 65% are women. 150 lakhs of
peoples in support industries depend on this trade. Provides 2 lakh jobs in waste recycling industry related to
textiles. That’s why textile is a very important industry in Bangladesh.
IAE | 3
, SWOT Analysis
Strength
• More than 30 years of history and experience of garments manufacturing
• Large labor force still comparatively in-expensive compared to competitors
• Strong backward linkage in knit sector
• Resilient and ambitious young entrepreneurs
• Huge production capacity
• Highest number of green industries and a positive sustainability image
• Explicit positive change management practices in the factories
• Improved worker-management relationship
• Support of government as a major export sector
Weakness
• Low productivity
• Weak technology management
• Low level of skills and capabilities specially in the mid-level management
• Weak backward linkage in woven sector
• Longer change over times from style to style compared to competitors
• Weak industrial engineering, longer lead time
• Excessive defects and more reworks, weak quality management
• Poor transportation and logistics facility
• Sub-standard port facility
• High tax rate
• High energy price
• Market and product knowledge gap
Opportunities
• More order flow from China due to change in global business dynamics
• Improved image and confidence of foreign buyers
• More practice of sustainable solutions
• More emphasize on cost control
• Huge growth in denim sector
• More practice of product development and expanding value added services
• Export flow towards non-traditional markets
• Increase in the availability of local technology and consulting service providing agents
Threats
• Over dependency on foreign raw material
• Very low profit margin in basic items
• No or very little investment in non-cotton-based fiber and fabric industries
• Energy crisis and price hike
• High worker wage relation to skill level
• Rapid technological growth in competing countries
• Sub-standard education and training facilities
• Little or no research and development
• No proper road map for sustainable development technological change
• Low FDI and local investment due bureaucratic and lingering problems
IAE | 4
History................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Importance ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Current Scenario ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Backward Linkage ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Reason Behind Success...................................................................................................................................... 6
Why Factories are Decreasing ........................................................................................................................... 6
Challenges .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
How to Overcome Challenges ........................................................................................................................... 7
Skills of Successful Merchandiser ..................................................................................................................... 7
Scopes/Area of Apparel Merchandising ............................................................................................................ 8
Sequence of Merchandising ............................................................................................................................... 8
Role of Merchandiser ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Role of Textile Engineer .................................................................................................................................... 9
Different Sections or Manufacturing Units of Garments ................................................................................. 10
Probable Departments of Textile Factory ........................................................................................................ 10
Apparel Industry Management Organogram ................................................................................................... 12
Hierarchy.......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Apparel Manufacturing Flow ........................................................................................................................... 14
Sample Apparel ................................................................................................................................................ 16
Methods for Apparel Making........................................................................................................................... 19
Terms & Definitions ........................................................................................................................................ 19
Components of Shirt ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Components of Polo Shirt ................................................................................................................................ 25
Components of T-Shirt .................................................................................................................................... 25
Components of Pant ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Components of Jeans Pant ............................................................................................................................... 26
Fabrics .............................................................................................................................................................. 27
Local & Foreign Brands................................................................................................................................... 27
Quota & Category ............................................................................................................................................ 31
Quality Control ................................................................................................................................................ 32
Technology in Apparel Industry ...................................................................................................................... 37
, History
Like other 3rd world countries Bangladesh’s economic development depends firstly on agriculture and
secondly on industry. Although Bangladesh is not developed in industry, it has been enriched in garment
industries in the recent past years. It has given the opportunity of employment to millions of unemployed,
especially uneducated women of the country. It is making significant contribution in the field of our export
income.
Reaz Garments, the first garments factory in Bangladesh was established in 1960 at Urdu Road in Dhaka. It
was established as a small tailoring outfit, named Reaz Store. It served only domestic markets for about 15
years. In 1973 it changed its name to M/S Reaz Garments Ltd. and expanded its operations into export market
by selling 10,000 pieces of men's shirts worth French Franc 13 million to a Paris-based firm in 1978. It was
the first direct export of garments from Bangladesh.
In 1977-78 only 9 exporting industries were available in this country which generated export earnings of
hardly one million dollar every year. There were 3 big industries available at that time. They were: Riaz
Garments, Jewel Garments, and Paris Garments.
Desh Garments Ltd, the first non-equity joint-venture in the garments industry was established in 1979. Desh
had technical and marketing collaboration with Daewoo Corporation of South Korea. It was also hundred
percent export-oriented company. It had about 120 operators including 3 women trained in South Korea, and
with these trained workers it started its production in early 1980. Another South Korean Firm, Youngones
Corporation formed the first equity joint-venture garments factory with a Bangladeshi firm, Trexim Ltd. in
1980. Bangladeshi partners contributed 51% of the equity of the new firm, named Youngones Bangladesh. It
exported its first consignment of padded and non-padded jackets to Sweden in December 1980.
Till the end of 1982, there were only 47 garments manufacturing units. The breakthrough occurred in 1984-
85, when the number of garment factories increased to 587. The number of RMG factories shot up to around
2,900 in 1999. At present there are about 5000 garment industries in the country and 75 percent of them are
in Dhaka. The rest are in Chittagong and Khulna. These Industries have employed 4.2 million people and 65
percent of them are illiterate rural women. About 83 percent of our export earning comes from this sector.
RMG sector has relieved Bangladesh from over populous unemployment burden through providing the largest
employment next to agriculture, transport, and trade and industry sector. This sector has uplifted the neglected
section of the population, thus radically transforming the socio-economic condition of the country. Such
empowerment and employment raised awareness regarding children education, health safety, population
control, disaster management so far. It is an epoch-making event in the history of Bangladesh.
The industry started in the late 1970s, expanded heavily in the 1980s and boomed in the 1990s. The quick
expansion of the industry was possible because of the use of less complicated technology, cheap and easy to
operate sewing machines and relatively cheap and abundant female workforce. But apparel firms in the
country have moved into a challenging position in the new millennium. The challenge is now to offer high
quality – low-cost product within a short lead time; and to meet health, social, and environmental compliances
in the face of increasingly stiff competitions.
Importance
The textile has been an extremely important part of socio-economic development for a very long time for a
number of reasons. The textile industry is connected with meeting the demand for clothing, which is a basic
necessary of life. It is an industry that is more labor intensive than any other in Bangladesh, and thus plays a
critical role in providing employment for people. It has contributed to employment creation, poverty
reduction as well as women empowerment. More than 80% of export earning comes from textile sector.
Contributes about 12% of GDP, 40% industrial value addition comes from the textile sector. Provide huge
opportunities for the supporting industry- banking, insurance, shipping, transport, toiletries, cosmetics, hotel
and other related economical activities. Provide 45 lakh of employment where 65% are women. 150 lakhs of
peoples in support industries depend on this trade. Provides 2 lakh jobs in waste recycling industry related to
textiles. That’s why textile is a very important industry in Bangladesh.
IAE | 3
, SWOT Analysis
Strength
• More than 30 years of history and experience of garments manufacturing
• Large labor force still comparatively in-expensive compared to competitors
• Strong backward linkage in knit sector
• Resilient and ambitious young entrepreneurs
• Huge production capacity
• Highest number of green industries and a positive sustainability image
• Explicit positive change management practices in the factories
• Improved worker-management relationship
• Support of government as a major export sector
Weakness
• Low productivity
• Weak technology management
• Low level of skills and capabilities specially in the mid-level management
• Weak backward linkage in woven sector
• Longer change over times from style to style compared to competitors
• Weak industrial engineering, longer lead time
• Excessive defects and more reworks, weak quality management
• Poor transportation and logistics facility
• Sub-standard port facility
• High tax rate
• High energy price
• Market and product knowledge gap
Opportunities
• More order flow from China due to change in global business dynamics
• Improved image and confidence of foreign buyers
• More practice of sustainable solutions
• More emphasize on cost control
• Huge growth in denim sector
• More practice of product development and expanding value added services
• Export flow towards non-traditional markets
• Increase in the availability of local technology and consulting service providing agents
Threats
• Over dependency on foreign raw material
• Very low profit margin in basic items
• No or very little investment in non-cotton-based fiber and fabric industries
• Energy crisis and price hike
• High worker wage relation to skill level
• Rapid technological growth in competing countries
• Sub-standard education and training facilities
• Little or no research and development
• No proper road map for sustainable development technological change
• Low FDI and local investment due bureaucratic and lingering problems
IAE | 4
