Marker requirements
Marker is a long thin paper which contains all necessary pattern pieces for
different sizes for a particular style of garments.
Marker planning is to determine the most efficient combination of sizes and
shades for each order and to produce the best fabric yield and equipment
utilization.
Apparel industry has always paid great attention to marker planning because
cutting room cuts fabric which worth about 60% of garment cost.
Any reduction in the amount of fabric used per garment leads to increased profit.
Marker planning is subject to a number of constraints relating to
1. Nature of fabric
Pattern alignment in relation to the grain line of the fabric: Pattern pieces must carry the grain
line when they are laid down on the marker paper & the grain line should be parallel to the
warp or wales.
Fabric symmetry or asymmetry: All pattern pieces of a garment should be along the same
direction when laid on an asymmetric fabric. It is also one kind of restriction for a marker
planner.
Characteristics of garment design: In this case the pattern pieces should be placed on checks
or stripes in such a way that the design matches when sewing up.
2. Quality in cutting
For majority of cutting situation when a knife blade is used, the placement of the
pattern pieces in the marker must give freedom for knife movement. The amount
of space depends on actual cutting method employed.
The number of pattern in a marker must be counted just after finishing the
marker making process.
Correct labeling of cut garment parts is essential to identify correctly the
components of whole garment. This will help to avoid the mixing of pattern of
one size to another size.
3. Production planning
When an order is placed for a quantity of garments, normally specifies a quantity
of each size & color.
The order sheet of women’s dress is given of 1500 dozen, in which 600 dozen is
white, 600 dozen is blue & 300 dozen is of cream color. Sizes will be 15, 16, 17 &
18 and ratio will be 2:4:4:2. If the sewing room requires the cut work urgently,
the marker planner makes two markers:
Long marker
Short marker
For long marker, it can be made according to the size proportion and different
size. The process is very much efficient but takes more time & increase shade
variation. Example, total 2+4+4+2=12 patterns of 15, 16, 17 & 18 sizes are
drawn in a single marker in case of long marker
Fabric width
By making a marker it is possible to achieve more benefit by producing a
garment with reduced wastage. Normally the width of a marker is kept
according to the cut able width of the fabric and the length of a marker
normally depends on the number and sizes of pattern placed on a marker.
• The length also depends on:-
Number of garments to be produced from a spread lay
Length of cutting table
Production planning etc.
Product quantity
Each order is specified by a certain quantity with respect to size and colour. For
example, an order for 12,000 trousers may include 4800 blue, 4800 green and
2400 red, across sizes 30, 32, 34 and 36 in the ratio 2:4:4:2.
The production planning and control department have to ensure adequate
supply of cut components to the sewing room at regular intervals.
Garment sizes
• Markers can be created as sections or a continuous one. Sectioned markers
comprise all of the patterns of a particular garment size and style.
• They are easier to imagine and handle; however, they may not give the
maximum marker efficiency.
• High-volume blocks could be kept on one side and low volume blocks at the
opposite side of the marker; hence, the fabric can be spread to correspond with
the volume needed for each block.
• These kinds of markers are beneficial if there is an end-to-end shade difference
in the fabric.
Wastage allowances
Wastage allowance must be considered before calculating amount fabric
required for the number garment sewn.
• This wastage allowance will be based on:
Fabric faults
Operator faults
Pattern pieces
• Pattern pieces are a piece of paper prepared to be cut in to fabric.
• Before we proceed to marker making it is must to check: Check all pattern
pieces availability
• Full and readable pattern information such as:
Notch’s
Grain line
Size and others
• Marker maker should amalgamate all significant parts together during marker
making and then insert other small parts into the gap of the marker to enhance
its effectiveness.
• The more fabric saving means more possibility of profit margin. They have to
realize that about 90% marker efficiency is desired to the garments
manufacturers.
Manually onto paper or directly onto the fabric
It is made just before cutting and its purpose is to minimize the wastages. The
width of the marker is equal to the width of the fabric and it should not be
greater than the width of the fabric, i.e. fabric width is greater than or equal to
marker width.
The pattern pieces should be placed very carefully in such a way that it would
minimize wastages.
Manual methods of marker making are time-consuming and require a great deal of space.
• Computerized marker making method:
• Computerized method is the best and most popular method of marker making.
Generally it gives higher efficiency.
• During this marker making method every specific style and part of the patterns
are kept in the computer memory and grade rule is also mentioned. To do this
marker making, computerized marker paper directly placed on fabric layer.
• Then the computer makes the marker by its programming techniques. Computer
Aided Design (CAD) system are used to make marker. Comparison between
manual and CAD marker making is huge.
• For completing the computerized marker
making, pattern information’s can be
stored by different manners. Such as:
I. Digitizing system
Patterns are placed in computer by using the
digitizing board to run this process.
Every component is send to the computer memory
by clicking special mouse around the pieces.
II. Scanning system
Production or Working patterns are set up on the
scanning glass and then marker is made in a
selected size.
For making other size grade rule is used.
Types of computerized marker
making method
• Computerized marker making method is mainly two types. Such as:
i. Automatic marker making
To do this automatic marker making method, computer can make marker itself
according to given commands.
From this method most efficient marker can be got.
Computer makes marker with the help of permutation and combination but it
required more time.
ii. Interactive marker making
Interactive marker making is a very common process.
Computer operator takes a marker plan by interacting directly with the system
through a computer screen.
Every pattern pieces are shown in a miniature of the screen.
Operators are transferring patterns information by the use of pen drive or
tablet.
Advantage of computerized Disadvantage of computerized marker makin
marker making:
High investment cost
Required skilled operator
Perfect method for large scale production
Marker efficiency is high
Low fabric wastage
If you want to get marker print out then
it possible.
pattern grading could be done by
automatically
Low time consumption
This method help to prepare marker
quickly
Manipulate and position pattern
pieces
• Pattern manipulation. The act of slashing and spreading or pivoting a pattern section to
alter its original shape. The new pattern shape represents design features.
Slash-spread and overlap: Through the manipulating process, the
patternmaker is able to see how the original working pattern changed
into a design pattern.
Pivotal-transfer: This method does not require that the working pattern
be slashed in order to change its original shape into a design pattern. It
is a faster method and, with experience, of the garment.
• Grain Line: Grain line is a line drawn from end to end on each pattern piece to
indicate how the pattern should align with the lengthwise grain of the fabric.
The pattern pieces will always be placed parallel to the selvedge on the fabric
in the direction in which the grain line is drawn on the pattern.
• Dart: Wedge shape or triangular shape marked on the pattern that controls
the fit of the garment.
• Dart legs - The two sides of the triangular shape & should be of the same
length.
• Dart point - The point at which the dart ends.
• Dart intake - The amount of suppression taken between the dart legs.
• Apex - The highest point on the bust.
• The straight grain is the grain used most often in garments. The straight grain
generally runs up the center front and center back of garments and up through
the center of sleeves and pant legs.
• In contrast to the straight grain, you can also design garments which use the
grain on a 45-degree angle, this is called bias cut. This effectively means that of
that tiny weave of fabric you are going diagonally across the squares and making
the fabric much more unstable.
• Crosswise grain: Formed by weft yarns perpendicular to the selvedge, offering
flexibility and stretch