2. The Textile and Apparel Industry4
The Textile and Apparel Industry

3. Objectives
Analyze the three segments of today’s textile and apparel industry.
Summarize the structure of the textile and apparel industry.
Describe occupations and careers in the textile production, apparel production, and the retail segments and the education and training they require.

4. Textile and Apparel Industry
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5. Textile Production Segment
© Bobby Deal/RealDealPhoto/Shutterstock
Focuses on production of fabrics for apparel and other uses

6. Textile Production Segment
Deals with
fibers
yarns
dyes
finishes
methods of fabric production

7. The Structure of the Textile Industry
Four stages of production
Fiber production
Yarn production
Fabric production
Fabric finishing

8. Textile Designing Textile designers
develop designs for fabrics, color combinations, patterns, prints, and weaves
often use computer design programs to create designs

9. Think About It
What is the difference between a textile designer and a fashion designer?
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10. Textile Converters
Decide what fibers to use, what widths and weights of fabrics to weave or knit, and how many yards to produce
Select dye colors and finishes that help fabrics perform as expected

11. Manufacturing Includes textile plant operations or processes spinning
dyeing
weaving
knitting
finishing
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12. Manufacturing
Employees who use machines in their work include spinners, colorists, loom operators, and machine operators
Engineers—chemical, computer, industrial, and plant—play an important part
Laboratory technicians perform tests on fibers, yarns, and fabrics

13. Research and Development
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Develop and produce new products to meet consumer demand and find ways to produce these products
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14. Research and Development
Research—working to find new products such as fibers, weaves, dyes, and finishing techniques
Development—finding practical ways to use products researchers create

15. Marketing
Marketing—all activities involved in creating and selling profitable products
Manufacturers must decide what raw materials to buy and what fabrics to manufacture
Manufacturers base their decisions on careful studies of what customers want
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16. Marketing
Market analysts—people who study fashion changes and consumer demands and use forecasting
Selling is the last step in the marketing process
Textile sales associates show fabric samples to clothing manufacturers

17. Apparel Production Segment
Includes all people and processes involved in designing and making garments
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18. Apparel Production Segment
Design garments
Make patterns
Cut
Sew
Assemble
Distribute finished items to stores

19. The Structure of Apparel Companies
Apparel production companies have various departments or divisions, and may include
research and merchandising
design and product development
production
sales and marketing

20. Research and Merchandising
Apparel production begins with research
A firm’s staff tries to forecast what their customers will buy
Their goal is to have the right products, at the right price, at the right time so the company will be profitable
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21. Research and Merchandising
Apparel designers interpret trends and create sketches and sample designs
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22. Research and Merchandising
Sample designs become a part of a merchandising plan
Designers show sample designs to retail buyers who then make selections
Then the selected designs are prepared for production

23. Design and Product Development
Fashion designers create designs and ideas for clothes and accessories
They make sketches until one is satisfactory

24. Think About It In what might fashion designers specialize?
© AISPIX/Shutterstock
In what might fashion designers specialize?

25. Production
Garment-making process involves multiple steps performed by many workers including
Production pattern makers make master patterns
Pattern graders make patterns into a wide range of sizes
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26. Production
Markers decide how to place pattern pieces to prevent fabric waste
Cutters cut through the layers of fabric with power saws or electric cutting machines
Sewing machine operators sew the pieces together
Finishers, trimmers, and pressers complete the garments
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27. Production
Workers in engineering and management have good communication and problem-solving skills
Engineering and management positions include
– plant managers
– production managers
– production engineers
– costing engineers
– quality control
engineers

28. Sales and Marketing
Marketing in the apparel industry is primarily wholesale
Manufacturers sell to retail buyers who represent shops and department stores
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29. Sales and Marketing
In retail sales, shops and department stores sell to individual customers
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30. Sales and Marketing
New fashions are in production at least a “season,” or six months
When samples are ready, retail buyers view them in showrooms during market week
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31. Sales and Marketing
During market weeks, retail-store buyers come to fashion centers to view new collections and make selections
In several large cities, such as Atlanta, Dallas, and Chicago, there are also apparel marts

32. Think About It Where are the major U.S. fashion centers?
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Where are the major U.S. fashion centers?

33. Custom Work in Apparel Production
Some people have their clothing custom-made
Tailoring is a form of custom work
Suits and coats are the garments most often tailored

34. Think About It Why might someone choose to have garments custom-made?
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35. The Retail Segment Retailers include department stores discount chains
specialty stores (carrying specific kinds of apparel)
Internet and mail-order companies
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36. The Retail Segment Fashion merchandising includes
planning
buying
selling
Merchandising is the central function of retailers
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37. The Retail Segment
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After garments are through production, they are ready for sale to consumers
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38. The Retail Segment Fashion promotion is an important part of selling
It includes
advertising
setting up window and store displays
media publicity
special events as fashion shows
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39. The Retail Segment Merchandising and promotion involves
merchandise managers
buyers
sales associates
market researchers
fashion coordinators
display directors
illustrators
writers
models

40. Merchandise Managers Operate one or more departments within a store
Plan seasonal sales, promotional sales, and special events
Decide what merchandise to sell and at what price
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41. Buyers
Responsible for selecting clothes to sell in stores they represent
May go to major fashion centers or markets several times a year
Order items and amounts to be delivered to their stores after viewing manufacturer’s merchandise
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42. Buyers Keep records about what customers are buying in their stores
Are interested in what styles, colors, and sizes are selling best
Make decisions that largely determine a store’s profits

43. Sales Associates Only store employees most customers ever meet
May form lasting bonds with devoted customers
Earn an hourly rate, salary, or salary plus a commission
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44. Stock Clerk Receive merchandise Prepare price tags
May help with straightening stock
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45. Market Researchers Study customer wants and needs
Communicate this information to manufacturers, designers, and buyers
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46. Fashion Coordinators Promote stores and merchandise
Gather and relay fashion information to merchandise managers and buyers
Work with advertising and publicity
Plan fashion shows
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47. Display Directors
Create attractive displays seen in stores and store windows
Work closely with fashion coordinators
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48. Fashion Illustrators
Work for retail stores, pattern companies, and advertising agencies
Create attractive and detailed drawings
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49. Fashion Writers
Inform public about new trends in fashion as soon as they occur
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50. Fashion Models
Serve many needs in photos for press releases, Internet and mail-order catalogs, pattern catalogs, and advertisements
Are essential in fashion shows
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51. Alterations
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Alterations specialists must have superior sewing skills, work fast, and fit clothing properly

52. Summarize the concept of vertical integration.
Objective
Summarize the concept of vertical integration.

53. Vertical Integration of the Textile and Apparel Industries
Prior to 1970s, most companies focused on one aspect of fabric/apparel production
Textile mills produced fabrics that they sold to apparel manufacturing companies
Apparel manufacturing companies produced apparel that they sold to retailers
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54. Vertical Integration of the Textile and Apparel Industries
Today many large corporations handle all stages of production (vertical integration)
They produce fibers
They sew garments
They sell garments in stores
This allows them to control all steps in the creation of their apparel, leading to greater cost control

55. Name the three segments of the textile and apparel industry.
textile production, apparel production, the retail segment
2. Name the four stages of production that form the basic structure of the textile industry.
fiber production, yarn production, fabric production, fabric finishing
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56. 3. Textile converters are responsible for “costing the fabric
3. Textile converters are responsible for “costing the fabric.” What does this mean? How is it done?
They set prices by computing all the costs involved in producing the fabric. They then add a margin of profit to the production cost to determine the fabric’s selling price.
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57. 4. What kinds of activities take place during market weeks?
Manufacturers hold special fashion shows for buyers. Models wear the new designs to help convince buyers to order them. Fashion writers and fashion-promotion specialists attend these invitation-only shows and gather information about the new fashions.
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58. 5. Describe an occupation in each of the three segments of the textile and apparel industry.
Answers will vary.
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59. 6. Summarize the concept of vertical integration.
a system used by some large corporations that handle all stages of production from producing the fibers to sewing the garments to selling them in stores 59

60. apparel mart. Buildings where many garment manufacturers have permanent showrooms and sales offices.
commission. A percentage of a sales associate’s total sales that is paid in addition to his or her salary.
custom-made. Garments that are specially designed for an individual.

61. development. Finding practical ways to use products that researchers create.
fashion center. Cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami where retail-store buyers come during fashion weeks to view the new collections and make their selections.
fashion merchandising. All phases of planning, buying, and selling apparel.

62. fashion promotion. Advertising, setting up window and store displays, media publicity, and special events such as fashion shows.
forecasting. Projecting future market trends for the coming months and years.
marketing. All of the activities involved in creating and selling profitable products.

63. market week. Time periods when apparel companies offer the next season’s fashion lines.
merchandising plan. The producer’s plans for creating a line of designs for a given season.

64. research. Working to find new products such as fibers, weaves, dyes, and finishing techniques.
retail. Selling small quantities of goods to consumers.
retailers. Businesses that buy garments from manufacturers and sell them to customers.

65. vertical integration. A company that handles several or all steps in production and/or distribution.
wholesale. Selling quantities of goods for resale.