Session Title:- “Marker Modes & Methods”

Session By
Kavita Pathare,
Associate Professor,
Department of Fashion Technology
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai
• A marker is the diagram of a precise arrangement of pattern
pieces for a specific style and the sizes to be cut from a single
spread.

•Marker making is the process of determining the most efficient

layout of pattern pieces for a specific style, fabric and
distribution of sizes.

•The process of arranging pattern pieces in the most efficient

manner requires time, skill and concentration.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

2
Mumbai
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
3
Mumbai
• Marker Making can be broken down into two steps.
• Marker Planning or the placement of pattern pieces to meet
technical requirements and the needs of material economy.
•Marker production, which may include
a) Drawing the marker plan directly on to fabric.
b) Drawing it on to a paper marker by pen or automatic plotter.
c) Recording pattern piece information on the paper marker or
on the fabric without actually drawing pattern lines on it.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

4
Mumbai
• Where a paper marker is used, it is normally stabilised on the
top ply of the lay by stapling or by ironing so that an adhesive
backing on the paper may be lightly stick to the surface of the
fabric.

•The paper maker is cut along with the fabric plies, and thus
destroyed.

•Since a marker may be required for use more than once, this
method needs an economical way of duplicating to provide
copies.

•Where marking is done directly on to the fabric, it must be

repeated for each spread of fabric
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
5
Mumbai
• The best marker makers can be expected to achieve utilisations
one to four % higher than the average.

•Computerised marker-making systems can assist, but rarely

skilled people.

•The planner proceeds by first positioning the larger pattern

pieces in a relationship and then fitting the smaller in to the
gaps.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

6
Mumbai
• Since most of the pieces are irregular and often tapered, the
skill lies in discovering those edges which fit together most
neatly and placing side by side across the marker those pieces
that fill the width most nearly.

•The planner will then try a number of pattern placements,

selecting the one that gives the shortest marker

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

7
Mumbai
• The work the marker planner in the cutting room process is
subject to a number of constrains relating to Planning and
Marker Production are as under :-

1) Nature of the fabric & the desired result in the finished

garment.
2) Requirements of quality in cutting
3) Requirements of production planning.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

8
Mumbai
1) Nature of the fabric & the desired result in the finished
garment.
a) Pattern Alignment in relation to the grain of the fabric:
•Pattern pieces normally carry a grain line.
•When the pattern pieces are laid down the piece of cloth, the
grain line should lie parallel to the line of warp in a woven fabric
or the wales in a knitted fabric.
•When the pattern pieces are laid across the piece, the grain line
should lie parallel to the weft or course direction.
• In bias cutting which is often used in large pattern pieces as
well as in small pattern pieces, the grain lines will be at 45
degree to the warp.
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
9
Mumbai
• The designer or pattern cutter may define a tolerance that
allows the marker planner to swing the grainline a small
amount from parallel.
• If the marker planner lays down a pattern outside the stated
rules for grainline, the finished garment will not hang and
drape correctly when worn.
• This requirement to follow grainlines restricts the freedom of
the marker planner in choosing how to lay the patterns in the
marker.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

10
Mumbai
b) Symmetry & Asymmetry:
• When the fabric are turned round through 180 degree and
retain the same appearance, they are called ‘two way’ or
‘symmetrical’
• They don’t require any special action on the part of the marker
planning.
• Pattern alignment is followed on either way or one way as per
the fabric characteristics.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

11
Mumbai
• In case of Asymmetrical fabrics, if a fabric ply is turned around,
it does not retain the same appearance.
•These fabrics have a surface pile or nap or a print design which
includes a recognizable object which can only be used one way
up.
•The marker planner must ensure that the top ends of the
pattern pieces, as they will be worn in the garment, all face the
same way.
•This is likely to be less
economical than other
markers.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

12
Mumbai
c) Design characteristics of the finished garment-
Alignment of pattern components are done as per the design
direction on the finished garment ..

Symmetric and Asymmetric garment:

According to right and left pattern component size/shape are
same then the garment is called Symmetric garment

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

13
Mumbai
Symmetric and Asymmetric garment:
According to right and left pattern component size/shape, if the
size or shape of the right and left component differs from each
other then the garment is called an asymmetric garment.
For example in a double-breasted jacket left and right front
differs from each other in size and shape. Even a men’s shirt may
be an asymmetric garment based on the front placket type.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

14
Mumbai
Mirror Image or One- Way Garment:-
• According to motif placements i.e. if the motifs (be it print or
check) in right and left panels of garments are mirror images
to each other (keeping mirror at center front) then it is called
mirror image.
• If motifs (be it print or check) in right and left panels of
garments are continuous type (i.e. similar to fabric) then it is
called one-way.
• Majority of garments made
commercially are one-way type.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

15
Mumbai
2) Requirements of Quality in Cutting
a) Freedom of knife movement

•The placement of the pattern pieces in the marker must give

freedom of knife movement and should not restrict the path of
the knife so that it leads to inaccurate cutting.

•A blade, which has width, cannot turn a perfect right angle in

the middle of the pattern piece and space must always be
allowed for a knife to turn such corners.

•The amount of space that must be left will depend on the

actual cutting method employed.
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
16
Mumbai
b) Pattern Count

A pattern count always be made at the completion of the

planning of a marker to check that the complete number of
patterns has been included.

•For examples a 12- garment trouser marker, where each

garment have 16 pattern pieces, signifies a complete marker of
192 pattern pieces.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

17
Mumbai
c) Correct labelling of components

• In sorting and bundling a multi size lay after cutting, correct

labelling of cut garment parts is essential for the operators to
identify the parts which make up whole garment sizes.

•It is the responsibility of the marker planner to code every

pattern piece with its size, name of component, style no., for
identification of cut components as the marker is planned.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

18
Mumbai
3) Requirement of Production Planning

•When an order is placed or quantity of garments, it normally

specifies a quantity of each size and colour.

•The requirements of the production planning and control will

be to supply the sewing room with an adequate amount of cut
garments at sufficiently frequent interval.

•For a given quantity of garments, a high lay rather that a low lay
gives a lower cutting labour cost per garment.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

19
Mumbai
• The planning of two shorter markers may not take more time
than the planning of one long marker.
•Shorter markers are easier for the planner to work on, a more
tightly packed and efficient marker could result.

•The mixing of sizes in a marker is to be encouraged because

when more sizes are included in a marker the greater is the
scope for the fabric savings.

•The limitations for this process are shorter length of cutting

tables, shorter length fabric which leads to shade variation when
mixed with another lot.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

20
Mumbai
•In many sewing rooms the operators work on bundles of
garments of same sizes, style and colour.

•Small number of plies of one colour spread in a lay lead to small

bundles and increased costs of handling those bundles.

•An alternative to this is the use of single size markers on a

stepped lay

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

21
Mumbai
 Production planning is done to achieve maximum utilization &
minimum wastage. it is targeted to achieve maximum
productivity with minimum labor cost in cutting room.

Efficiency (%) = Area of patterns in marker plan X 100

Total area of marker plan

• Marker Efficiency is % of fabric actually used in garment parts

• Waste %: Fabric area not used in garment part & wasted.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

22
Mumbai
Planimeter- A mechanical device that calculates the surface area
as the outline of the pattern is traced.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

23
Mumbai
 More efficiency results to more utilization and less wastage.
utilization increases as there is a chance for mixing of different
sizes (scrambling) marker because more options available for
better utilization rather than single size marker.

Fabric utilization and consumption

• Fabric utilization is the amount of fabric actually utilized in

the marker as a percentage of total fabric area.
• Fabric consumption is the sum total of fabric utilization
and fabric wastage. To maximize the profit, utilization
percentage has to be increased.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

24
Mumbai
•If it is required to cut 95 singles of a size 14 dress and 65 singles
of a size 12 dress all in the same colour.

•Two markers would be made with one containing the size 12

pattern pieces and other containing the size 14 pattern pieces.

•65 plies of the fabric would be spread to a length including both

markers.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

25
Mumbai
•On the top of this, at one end, further 30 plies of a length to fit
the size 14 marker are spread.

•The marker containing the size 12 patterns would be placed on

top of the 65 plies and the marker containing the size 14 pattern
pieces on top of the 95 plies.

•Advantages are greater fabric savings, lower total cost, although

more time taken.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

26
Mumbai
•Markers may be open or closed depending on the form in which
the fabric is presented for cutting.

•Rolled woven fabrics are open an flat when spread.

•Markers for this type of spread required full pattern pieces for
each part to be cut.

•Markers made with full pattern pieces are called open markers.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

27
Mumbai
•Tubular knit fabrics are closed on both edges and therefore
required pattern pieces that utilize the folds.

•Markers made with half pattern pieces for laying along the folds
of the tube are called closed markers.

•Garment parts must be symmetrical if half pattern pieces are

used.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

28
Mumbai
•Marker makers must also consider the symmetry (side to side)
and directionality (end to end) differences in fabrics.

•Symmetric Fabrics are the same side to side. Plain Fabric

•Asymmetric Fabrics such as border prints are different side to

side.

•Nondirectional Fabrics:- are the same end to end.

•Directional Fabrics are different end to end.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

29
Mumbai
•Examples for directional fabrics includes knits, napped fabrics
and prints with flowers all growing in one directional.

•The marker mode is defined by symmetry and directionality of

the fabric.

•There are three types of marker modes.

A) Nap-Either-Way (N/E/W)
B) Nap-One-Way (N/O/W)
C) Nap-Up-and-Down (N/U/D)

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

30
Mumbai
•The term nap is used to indicate the fabric is directional it is
different end to end.

•The nap of a fabric is created by its structure (corduroy), a finish

or a directional print.

•With symmetric and non directional fabrics, pattern pieces can

be placed on a marker with only consideration for grain line.

•This marker mode is called Nap-Either-Way (N/E/W)

•Pieces are placed for best fabric utilization.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

31
Mumbai
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
32
Mumbai
•With asymmetrical & directional fabrics, the orientation of
pattern pieces is extremely important to the consistency and
quality of the product.

•These fabrics require all pattern pieces to be placed on a

marker in only one direction.

•This is called Nap-One-Way (N/O/W)

•With this type of layout, pattern pieces do not interlock as

closely.

•It usually requires more fabric and reduces fabric utilization.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
33
Mumbai
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
34
Mumbai
•On some directional fabrics, such as corduroy, it may be
possible for all the pattern pieces of one size to be placed in one
direction and another size placed in the opposite direction.

•This is called Nap-Up-and-Down (N/U/D)

•With this type of marker, the nap of corduroy jeans may run
down for size 7 and up for a size 9.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

35
Mumbai
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
36
Mumbai
•The critical factor is that the nap must run in same direction in
all the pieces of one garment.

•Napped fabric like corduroy will appear shaded if the pieces in

one garment have the nap running in different direction.

•Generally, N/U/D yields a better utilization of fabric than

N/O/W

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

37
Mumbai
•A marker is made for a specific style, fabric and number of sizes.

•The length of the marker determines the length of the lay that
will be spread.

•Completed markers are sent to the cutting room electronically

or in hard copy for the spreading and cutting processes.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

38
Mumbai
• Markers may also be closed or open markers. Markers made
with full pattern pieces are called open markers.
Closed markers are used for tubular knits.
• However closed markers can be used only for symmetrical
designs.
Markers types:

➢ Open marker :- Marker made with full pattern pieces.

➢ Closed marker :- Marker made with half garment parts pieces

for laying along the folds of the tube (tubular knit).

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

39
Mumbai
• Open Marker

• Closed Marker

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

40
Mumbai
➢ Blocks or Sections
▪ Blocked or sectioned markers
contain all of the pattern pieces
for one style in one or two sizes.

➢ Continuous
▪ Continuous markers contain
all the pattern pieces for all sizes
included in a single cutting.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

41
Mumbai
1) Half Garment Lay:
This includes only half of the garment pieces to be placed on the
marker. They are used for folded or tubular fabrics for
symmetric pattern components and for fabrics that are spread
face to face. (for example the right side).

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

42
Mumbai
2) Whole Garment Lay:
All of the garment pieces, full size pattern components left and
right sides are included in the lay. Used for open width fabrics.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

43
Mumbai
3) Single Size Lay:
The lay included all of the pieces for a single size. Restricting the
lay to a single size makes order planning and laying up the fabric
easier, but the disadvantage is a some what higher material
consumption to multi size lays.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

44
Mumbai
4) Multi Lays
a) Sectional lay:
The lay is made in at least two distinct rectangular sections. Each
section contains all of the parts for a single size. Adjacent
sections may be the same or of a different size.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

45
Mumbai
4) Multi Lays
b) Interlocking Lay:
Two or more sections, one after the other, usually different sizes,
but the sections are not confined to strict rectangular areas, the
pieces for the different sections may merge at the borders.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

46
Mumbai
4) Multi Lays
c) Mixed multi size Lay
In this case there is no different section, the pieces for the two
or more different garment sizes are intermixed without any
restriction. This is the arrangement which normally gives the
best material utilization. This process is called scrambling.

By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT

47
Mumbai
By Kavita Pathare Assoc. Prof. NIFT
48
Mumbai