QUALITY The definition of quality depends on the role of the people defining it.

Quality is defined by ISO (International Standards Organization) as the the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs DIMENSIONS OF QUALITY 1. Conformance to specifications: How well a product or service meets the targets and tolerances determined by its designers? Example: The dimensions of large shirt may be specified by its design engineers as 42.05 inches. This would mean that the target dimension is 3 inches but the dimensions can vary between 2.95 and 3.05 inches. 2. Fitness for use: A definition of quality that evaluates how well the product performs for its intended use. Example: A rain coat should be a water repellent, A mosquito net should not allow mosquito to enter inside. Baby clothing should be dressing ease, softness, durability, safety. 3. Value for price paid: Quality defined in terms of product or service usefulness for the price paid. Example: Suppose that you wish to sign up for a personal finance seminar and discover that the same class is being taught at two different colleges at significantly different tuition rates. If you take the less expensive seminar, you will feel that you have received greater value for the price. 4. Support services: Quality defined in terms of the support provided after the product or service is purchased. Example: The quality of a university is judged not only by the quality of staff and course offerings, but also by the efficiency and accuracy of processing paperwork. 5. Psychological criteria: A way of defining quality that focuses on judgmental evaluations of what constitutes product or service excellence. Example: The quality of the product is based on image, advertising, and brand name reputation like Mayur suiting; stars ki pasand.

COST OF QUALITY The cost is incurred to maintain requisite quality as specified by the customer is known as cost of quality. The requisite quality of product can be achieved by implementing the quality management approaches either Total quality Management (TQM) or SIX SIQMA. Cost of quality can be divided in to two categories;

Costs necessary for achieving high quality, which are called quality control costs. Prevention cost Appraisal cost Cost consequences of poor quality, which are called quality failure costs. Internal failure costs External failure costs

Prevention costs: Costs incurred in the process of preventing poor quality from occurring. Example: Costs of preparing and implementing a quality plan. Appraisal costs: Costs incurred in the process of uncovering defects. Example: Costs of testing, evaluating, and inspecting quality. Internal failure costs: Costs associated with discovering poor product quality before the product reaches the customer. Example: Costs of scrap, rework, and material losses. External failure costs: Costs associated with quality problems that occur at the customer site. Example: Costs of failure at customer site, including returns, repairs, and recalls. Quality circle/loop: A team of volunteer production employees and their supervisors who meet regularly to solve quality problems. Quality control Tools Use to identify and correct quality problem

The following are the 7 quality control Tools Cause-and-effect diagram A chart that identifies potential causes of particular quality problems

Quality problem

A general cause-and-effect (fishbone) diagram Control charts

Charts used to evaluate whether a process is operating within set expectations. Scatter diagrams Graphs that show how two variables are related to each other Pareto analysis A technique used to identify quality problems based on their degree of importance. Histogram A chart that shows the frequency distribution of observed values of a variable Checklist A list of common defects and the number of observed occurrences of these defects

Example Defect type Broken zipper Ripped material Missing buttons Faded color No. of defects !!! !!!!!!! !!! !! Total 3 7 3 2

Flowchart A schematic of the sequence of steps involved in an operation or process Total quality management (TQM): An integrated effort designed to improve quality performance at every level of the organization. Concepts of the TQM Philosophy Concept Customer focus Continuous improvement Employee empowerment Use of quality tools Product design Main Idea Goal is to identify and meet customer needs. A philosophy of never-ending improvement. Employees are expected to seek out, identify, and correct quality problems. Ongoing employee training in the use of quality tools. Products need to be designed to meet customer expectations.

Process management Managing supplier quality

Quality should be built into the process; sources of quality problems should be identified and corrected. Quality concepts must extend to a companys suppliers.

Plandostudyact (PDSA) cycle A diagram that describes the activities that needs to be performed to incorporate continuous improvement into the operation. Plan Act Study Do

Plan: The first step in the PDSA cycle is to plan. Managers must evaluate the current process and make plans based on any problems they find. They need to document all current procedures, collect data, and identify problems. This information should then be studied and used to develop a plan for improvement as well as specific measures to evaluate performance. Do: The next step in the cycle is implementing the plan (do). During the implementation process managers should document all changes made and collect data for evaluation. Study: The third step is to study the data collected in the previous phase. The data are evaluated to see whether the plan is achieving the goals established in the plan phase. Act: The last phase of the cycle is to act on the basis of the results of the first three phases. The best way to accomplish this is to communicate the results to other members in the company and then implement the new procedure if it has been successful. Note that this is a cycle; the next step is to plan again. After we have acted, we need to continue evaluating the process, planning, and repeating the cycle again.

Advantages of TQM implementation

It encourages a strategic approach to management at the operational level, through involving multiple departments, in cross- functional improvement and systematic innovation processes. It provides a high return on investment through improved efficiency. It works equally well for the service and manufacturing sector. It allows organizations to take advantage of development that enables managing operations as a cross functional process. It fits an orientation towards inter- organizational collaboration and strategic alliances through establishing a culture of collaboration among different departments within organizations.

THE LACK OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Lack of a genuine quality culture Lack of top management support and commitment Over- and under-reliance on statistical process control (SPC) methods

ISO 9000: A set of international quality standards and a certification demonstrating that companies have met all the standards specified. ISO 9000:2000Quality Management SystemsFundamentals and Standards: Provides the terminology and definitions used in the standards. It is the starting point for understanding the system of standards ISO 9001:2000Quality Management SystemsRequirements: This is the standard used for the certification of a firms quality management system. It is used to demonstrate the conformity of quality management systems to meet customer requirements. ISO 9004:2000Quality Management SystemsGuidelines for Performance: Provides guidelines for establishing a quality management system. It focuses not only on meeting customer requirements but also on improving performance. ISO 14000: A set of international standards and a certification focusing on a companys environmental responsibility. ISO 14000, focus on three major areas:

Management systems: standards measure systems development and integration of environmental responsibility into the overall business. Operations: standards include the measurement of consumption of natural resources and energy. Environmental systems: standards measure emissions, effluents, and other waste systems.

Elements of ISO 9000 Standards 1. Management responsibility 2. Quality System 3. Contract Review 4. Design Control 5. Documents and data control 6. Purchasing 7. Customer-supplied product 8. Product identification and traceability 9. Process Control 10. Inspection and Testing 11. Control of Inspection, measuring, and test equipment 12. Inspection and test status 13. Control of nonconforming product 14. Corrective and preventive action 15. Handling, storage, packaging, preservation and delivery 16. Control of quality audits 17. Internal quality audits 18. Training 19. Servicing 20. Statistical Techniques

Six sigma

UNIT 2 Role of fashion buyer To develop a range of products appropriate for the retailers market, by Liaising regularly with suppliers Liaising regularly with internal departments, including other buyers, merchandisers and quality controllers Managing junior staff

The quality required of the buyer to fulfill this role include Stamina Enthusiasm Product knowledge Creativity

Buying cycle The buying cycle refers to the key events and process which the fashion buyer is involved in order to buy a garment range in for a retail or mail order company. The buying cycle varies between companies, but usually contains the following main elements. Review of previous seasons sales Budget planning Range planning Garment sourcing Range selection Garment production Delivery to stores

The fashion industry traditionally splits the year into two main seasons; Summer (February to July)

Autumn/winter (August to January)

Example of the buying cycle for a phase 1 autumn/winter range Task Review of current seasons sales Budget planning Comparative shopping Directional shopping Fabric sourcing Range planning Garment sourcing Approximate date early August mid August August-October August-October October-December October-November November

Comparative shopping

Comparative shopping is also known as comp. shop. At the beginning of the season, the buying teams analyze the current merchandise in the competitors stores. Finally, they produce a report along with the description of the products compared with prices, fabrics and colors of similar merchandise from the competing stores.

Directional shopping Directional shopping is the term used for trips to gain inspiration for design concepts for a new season. Buying team

Unit 3 Fabric inspection The visual examination or review of raw materials, either partially finished garments or completely finished garments in relation to some standard, specifications or requirements, including the measurement of the garments and satis faction of the customer. Purpose of inspection To ensure Garment acceptability Garment quality Time management Prevention from material loss Increase in cutters productivity

Inspection loop

The inspection is divided in to the following three sections 1. Raw material inspection 2. In-process inspection 3. Final inspection

Inspection quantity A minimum 10% of the quantity of the fabric must be inspected, which should account for: Every color Every design Fabric width Fabric construction Advantages of fabric inspection Avoids wastage of time and money. Avoids the unnecessary use of resources Helps in timely delivery of goods. Guarantees Customers satisfaction.

Fabric inspection procedure Fabric inspection is done in suitable and safe environment with enough ventilation and proper lighting. Fabric passing through the frame must be between 45-60 degree angles to inspector and must be done on appropriate Cool White light 2 F96 fluorescent bulbs above viewing area. Back light can be used as and when needed. Fabric speed on inspection machine must not be more than 15 yards per minute. All fabric inspection must be done when 80% of good or lot is received. Standard approved bulk dye lot standards for all approved lots must be available prior to inspection. Approved standard of bulk dye lot must be available before starting inspection for assessing color, hand, weight, construction, finish and visual appearance. Shade continuity within a roll by checking shade variation between centre and selvage and the beginning, middle and end of each roll must be evaluated and documented. Textiles like knits must be evaluated for weight against standard approved weight. Fabric width must be checked from selvage to selvage against standard. All defects must be flagged during inspection The length of each roll inspected must be compared to length as mentioned on supplier ticketed tag and any deviation must be documented and reported to mill for additional replacement to avoid shortage. If yard dyed or printed fabrics are being inspected the repeat measurement must be done from beginning, middle and end of selected rolls.

In India and many other countries fabric inspection many times is carried out manually, either on a slanting inspection table or on a horizontal table, some time with light under it or some time without it. This way of fabric inspection is neither effective nor efficient. Fabric Inspection Systems Point rate system most commonly used 4-point rate system 10-point rate system 4 point system The 4 Point System, also called the American Apparel Manufacturers Association (AAMA) point grading system for determining fabric quality, is widely used by producers of apparel fabrics and by the department of Defense in United States and is endorsed by the AAMA as well as the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC). Fabric defects are assigned point values based on the following.
Length of the defect in fabric, either Points allotted warp or weft wise direction Up to 3 inches 1 Over 3 inches up to 6 Inches 2 Over 6 inches up to 9 inches 3 Over 9 inches 4 Holes and openings (Large Dimensions) 1 inch or less 2 Over 1 Inch 4

Total Defects per square yard are calculated and normally those fabric rolls containing more than 40 points per 100 yards are considered rejected. Advantages of 4 Point System 4 Point system has not width limitation. It is easily to teach and learn. It is most widely used in apparel industry. It is usually used for Knitted fabric. Disadvantages of 4 Point System: Performance of fabric in making-up process cannot be predicted. 4 Point system do not make any provision of scoring defects like bowing, barre, shade variation, surface finish etc. Co-relation with back-process is difficult. 10-Point System

10 Point system was developed in 1950s and is the oldest method. The system assigns penality points to each defect depending on its length & whether it is in the warp or weft direction. The 10 point system is somewhat complicated because points per length vary for warp and weft defects.
Length of the defects Points allotted Warp defects Up to 1 1 1 to 5 3 5 to 10 5 10 to 36 10 Weft defects Up to 1 1 1 to 5 3 5 to Width 5 More than Width 10

Advantages of 10 Point System Mostly used in woven finished fabric High accuracy Disadvantages of 10 Point System: It has width limitation Difficult in practical use

Care label According to ASTM D 3136-96, a care label is a label or other affixed instructions that report how a product should be refurbished. FTC defines care label means a permanent label or tag, containing regular care information and instruction that is attached or affixed in some manner that will not become separated from the product and will remain legible during the useful life of the product. ASTM Care Labelling System: In the ASTM System there are five basic symbols: washtub, triangle, square, iron and circle indicating the process of washing, bleaching, drying, ironing or pressing and dry-cleaning respectively. The prohibitive symbol X may be used only when evidence can be provided that

the care procedure on which it is superimposed would adversely change the dimensions, hand, appearance, or performance of the textile. The symbols are described below.

Meaning of care symbols a. Laundering: A process intended to remove soil or stains by washing with an aqueous detergent solution (and possibly bleach) and normally including subsequent rinsing, extracting and drying. b. Chlorine bleach: A process carried out in an aqueous medium before, during or after washing processes, requiring the use of chlorine based bleaching agent for the purpose of removing stains and/or improving whiteness. c. Non-chlorine bleach: Bleach that does not release the hypochlorite ion in solution, for example sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, etc.

d. Dry-cleaning: A process for cleaning textile articles by means of organic solvents like petroleum, perchlorethylene, and fluorocarbon. This process consists of cleaning, rinsing, spinning and drying. e. Tumble drying: A process carried out on a textile article after washing, with the intention of removing residual water by treatment with hot air in a rotating drum. f. Ironing: A method of pressing using a heated hand iron sometimes together with moisture or steam, and a gliding motion

g. Pressing: A process of smoothing and shaping by heat and pressure, with or without the presence of steam.

Sampling Sampling is the product development stage. It is a process by which a small number of garments are made so as to match the buyer requirement and to get approval from the buyer so as to start off the production. Sampling is done to see how the product will look like when produced in bulk and to check whether there are any discrepancies in the pattern are made according to the buyers specification. Types of Samples

Proto- Type sample Sales man sample Fit sample Size-set sample Sealers sample Pre production sample Top of production shipment sample

Proto- Type sample These samples are proto type of new design created by designers. This is the first sample in product development stage. Proto sample is made to communicate the design of a style or a line or to present garment structure. In proto samples fit and fabric detailing is not been considered. Sales man sample Salesman samples are made to put on display in the retail showroom. Salesman sample (SMS) are displayed for assessing customer's feedback and according to customers response buyers forecast demand of a particular style. Sales samples are made with actual fabric and trims and accessories. Buyer pays for salesman samples to the developer. Fit sample Once proto sample is approved, FIT is being made with actual measurement. Modification on the pattern is done to get desired fit of the garment. FIT is one of the most important factor to be considered during sample development. FIT sample is being tested on live model or Dress form for to verify garment fit and fall. Size-set sample The purpose of the size set is to check fit of the garment in different sizes. In this stage factory develops samples in multiple sizes. Generally, buyers ask size set sample in jump sizes, like S, L, and XXL. Buyer check size set sample and give feedback to factory if anything need to be corrected. Sealers sample

After size set sample for this type has been approved. This sample is seen for bulk i.e. manufacture industry will have to make exact pieces for the bulk. Pre production sample All the above samples are made in sampling department. Buyer wants pre-production sample (PP sample) to be made in actual production line, so that operators know what they are going to make. This sample is made with actual fabric, trims and accessories and made by sewing line tailors. PP sample must be approved by buyer or buying house merchants (technical persons) prior to proceeding actual production. Top of production Once production is online, few pieces are taken out in the middle of the production. Production pieces are sent to buyer as TOP sample. All buyers do not ask for TOP sample. Purpose is to cross-check whether factory is following PP sample specification or not. Shipment Sample When style is being finished and packed for shipment, 2-3 finished and packed pieces with all packing details are kept for future reference. Shipment sample is kept by factory merchants and buyers merchant. The approved shipment is sent directly to warehouse and merchants at the buyer do not get garment out of the shipment. That is why they keep shipment sample for future reference. Importance of Sampling It is best way to place an order
it will help the exporter to get the order from the buyer By doing sampling the exporter can estimate the yarn consumption for developing the fabric, a clear idea on costing and manufacturing difficulties the exporter can optimize the processing parameters for mass production, which helps to avoid all kinds of bottle necks If the samples are of good quality and with reasonable price naturally the buyers will be forced to place the order, So it is essential that the samples should be innovative and with optimum quality.