, Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 3
Historical Background ....................................................................................................................... 3
History in Bangladesh ........................................................................................................................ 4
Current Scenario ................................................................................................................................ 5
Challenges .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Importance ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Sample Apparel .................................................................................................................................. 6
Import Documents ........................................................................................................................... 10
Export Documents ........................................................................................................................... 10
Backward Linkage ........................................................................................................................... 11
Trends and Industry Drivers ............................................................................................................ 12
Terms & Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 12
SIZING SYSTEM ................................................................................................................................ 17
PATTERN MAKING .......................................................................................................................... 23
MARKER MAKING ........................................................................................................................... 28
SPREADING ....................................................................................................................................... 36
CUTTING ............................................................................................................................................ 45
TRIMMINGS & ACCESSORIES ....................................................................................................... 58
Label & Motif .................................................................................................................................. 60
Button............................................................................................................................................... 61
Zipper ............................................................................................................................................... 62
Hook & Loop Fastening (Velcro) .................................................................................................... 62
Care Label ........................................................................................................................................ 62
Hangtag ............................................................................................................................................ 64
Shoulder Pad .................................................................................................................................... 64
Lace, Braid & Elastic ....................................................................................................................... 64
Tissue Paper ..................................................................................................................................... 65
Costing ............................................................................................................................................. 65
INTERLINING & LINING ................................................................................................................. 66
SEWING THREAD ............................................................................................................................. 76
, INTRODUCTION
Historical Background
The word textile comes from the Latin word “Texere” which means “to Weave” or “to construct”.
Textile or garments are the second basic need of human being. It is not known when humans began
wearing clothes but anthropologists believe that animal skins and vegetation were adapted into
coverings as protection from cold, heat and rain, especially as humans migrated to new climates.
Evidence suggests that about 1,00,000-5,00,000 years ago human started to wear clothing. Clothing
and textiles have been important in human history and reflect the materials available to a civilization
as well as the technologies that had been mastered. The social significance of the finished product
reflects their culture.
The first use of woven textiles, rather than just animal hides, dates back roughly 1,00,000 years.
Discovered in a Neolithic site in Anatolia, these surviving examples of textiles are believed to date
from 6500 BC. Made from a very basic form of felt; it would have been produced on a loom and then
tied in place.
Around 50,000 years ago the first needle was invented in a Cave of South Africa.
Around 25,000 years ago Southern France started to use Fiber Skirts.
The first used four fibers are- Flax, Cotton, Wool, and Silk. Around 5000 BC, the Egyptians began to
produce linen. Between 5000 and 3000 BC cotton came into existence. There is evidence that people
of ancient China, India and Egypt were spinning, weaving and dying cotton.
Evidence exists for production of linen cloth in Ancient Egypt in 5500 BC. On early 6000 BC, other
bast fibers including rush, reed, palm, and papyrus were used alone or with linen to make rope and
other textiles. Evidence for wool production in Egypt is scanty at this period.
1755, the first Sewing Machine was developed by Charles Fredric of England which could produce
stich like hand stich.
1851, commercially successful sewing machine developed by Issac Merit Singer. Singer sewing
machine got popularity & spread all over the world very soon.
1829, the first garments factory was established at Paris with 80 sewing machine to produce uniform
for military forces.
1856, John Barren set up a garments factory in England.
1960, a garment factory named Reaz garments was established in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
1967, the Reaz garments first exported 10,000 pieces of shirts to England.
1974, Desh Garments Industries was the first to established as an export-oriented company by Mr. M.
Noorul Quader.
1981-82, Bangladesh started to exports garments to UK & the value was 0.1 billion BDT.
1991-92, the export value of garments became 45 billion Taka.
1998-1999, the export value raised to 250 billion Taka.
2005, the export value became the 76% of Bangladesh’s national export Earnings.
1984, the number of factories were 384 & now it has become 4482.
AP - I | 3
, History in Bangladesh
Like other third 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 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.
AP - I | 4
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 3
Historical Background ....................................................................................................................... 3
History in Bangladesh ........................................................................................................................ 4
Current Scenario ................................................................................................................................ 5
Challenges .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Importance ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Sample Apparel .................................................................................................................................. 6
Import Documents ........................................................................................................................... 10
Export Documents ........................................................................................................................... 10
Backward Linkage ........................................................................................................................... 11
Trends and Industry Drivers ............................................................................................................ 12
Terms & Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 12
SIZING SYSTEM ................................................................................................................................ 17
PATTERN MAKING .......................................................................................................................... 23
MARKER MAKING ........................................................................................................................... 28
SPREADING ....................................................................................................................................... 36
CUTTING ............................................................................................................................................ 45
TRIMMINGS & ACCESSORIES ....................................................................................................... 58
Label & Motif .................................................................................................................................. 60
Button............................................................................................................................................... 61
Zipper ............................................................................................................................................... 62
Hook & Loop Fastening (Velcro) .................................................................................................... 62
Care Label ........................................................................................................................................ 62
Hangtag ............................................................................................................................................ 64
Shoulder Pad .................................................................................................................................... 64
Lace, Braid & Elastic ....................................................................................................................... 64
Tissue Paper ..................................................................................................................................... 65
Costing ............................................................................................................................................. 65
INTERLINING & LINING ................................................................................................................. 66
SEWING THREAD ............................................................................................................................. 76
, INTRODUCTION
Historical Background
The word textile comes from the Latin word “Texere” which means “to Weave” or “to construct”.
Textile or garments are the second basic need of human being. It is not known when humans began
wearing clothes but anthropologists believe that animal skins and vegetation were adapted into
coverings as protection from cold, heat and rain, especially as humans migrated to new climates.
Evidence suggests that about 1,00,000-5,00,000 years ago human started to wear clothing. Clothing
and textiles have been important in human history and reflect the materials available to a civilization
as well as the technologies that had been mastered. The social significance of the finished product
reflects their culture.
The first use of woven textiles, rather than just animal hides, dates back roughly 1,00,000 years.
Discovered in a Neolithic site in Anatolia, these surviving examples of textiles are believed to date
from 6500 BC. Made from a very basic form of felt; it would have been produced on a loom and then
tied in place.
Around 50,000 years ago the first needle was invented in a Cave of South Africa.
Around 25,000 years ago Southern France started to use Fiber Skirts.
The first used four fibers are- Flax, Cotton, Wool, and Silk. Around 5000 BC, the Egyptians began to
produce linen. Between 5000 and 3000 BC cotton came into existence. There is evidence that people
of ancient China, India and Egypt were spinning, weaving and dying cotton.
Evidence exists for production of linen cloth in Ancient Egypt in 5500 BC. On early 6000 BC, other
bast fibers including rush, reed, palm, and papyrus were used alone or with linen to make rope and
other textiles. Evidence for wool production in Egypt is scanty at this period.
1755, the first Sewing Machine was developed by Charles Fredric of England which could produce
stich like hand stich.
1851, commercially successful sewing machine developed by Issac Merit Singer. Singer sewing
machine got popularity & spread all over the world very soon.
1829, the first garments factory was established at Paris with 80 sewing machine to produce uniform
for military forces.
1856, John Barren set up a garments factory in England.
1960, a garment factory named Reaz garments was established in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
1967, the Reaz garments first exported 10,000 pieces of shirts to England.
1974, Desh Garments Industries was the first to established as an export-oriented company by Mr. M.
Noorul Quader.
1981-82, Bangladesh started to exports garments to UK & the value was 0.1 billion BDT.
1991-92, the export value of garments became 45 billion Taka.
1998-1999, the export value raised to 250 billion Taka.
2005, the export value became the 76% of Bangladesh’s national export Earnings.
1984, the number of factories were 384 & now it has become 4482.
AP - I | 3
, History in Bangladesh
Like other third 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 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.
AP - I | 4
