Marker Planning

Marker Planning in Apparel Industry

Marker is a long thin paper that contains all the requisite pattern parts for different sizes for a specific style of clothing. 

It's designed in such a way that the loss of fabric would be the least.

When creating a tag, it is possible to achieve more benefits when manufacturing a product with reduced waste. 

Usually, the width of the marker is determined according to the cuttable width of the fabric, and the length of the marker usually depends on the number and size of the pattern on the marker.

MARKER LENGTH DEPENDS ON FOLLOWING POINTS-

Number of garments to be produced from spread lay 

Cutting table length 

Production planning etc.

RELATION OF MARKER TO THE RELATIVE SYMMETRY OF GARMENT

It relates to the technique of utilization of patterns concerned with the relative symmetry of clothing. 

Mixed marker: 

A mixed marker is a type of marker that is designed to achieve higher efficiency of the marker. It is primarily used when manufacturing asymmetrical clothing or when the fabric is distributed in all face-up mode.

Open marker: 

This sort of marker is prepared when processing asymmetrical clothing with the intention of enhancing the spread and cutting consistency. This generally keeps a collection of garment panels, i.e., left and right panels near to each other along the length of the marker, and is used when the fabric is in open condition and spreads in all face-up mode.

Closed marker: 

Only one-half of the pattern collection is typically used for symmetric garments in this marker, and the fabric is folded lengthwise on the table after spreading it face-to-face. Following the cutting process, one pattern may generate the two sets of pattern bits, that is, the right and left panels of clothing, when selecting a pair of successive folds.

Closed-on-open marker: 

While it is like a closed marker, the fabrics are not folded as the patterns should be left or right. The main limitation in this type of marker is that single piece dress panels like the back body could not be prepared without the blocking and relaying phase.

Blocking and relaying: 

This type of marker is usually used in combination with the marker which is closed on open. In this process, the cut block for the pattern is divided during half after the fabric panel is cut, and the smaller size pattern of that part is put in the second half. This is then reduced back to a smaller amount.

Single section marker: 

Various sizes of patterns are distributed across the length of the marker in this type of marker. It gives higher marker efficiency as the marker could handle a huge quantity of patterns in it.

Section marker: 

This sort of marker is used when you know in advance the ratios of different sizes of the garment. Phase markers are used when different size order ratios are not previously known. This helps in the efficient handling of small orders of various sizes through a stepped lay.

Grain: 

The designs should be placed in the marker in such a way that the grainline in the pattern piece is parallel to the fabric selvedge, which has a direct influence on the consistency of the garments ' draping.

MODE OF MARKER

Markers are rendered in a number of different ways. The nap position on the fabric is used to describe the propagation mode.

Nap / One / Way marker: 

The Nap / One / Way marker (N / O / W) is generated in a similar direction with each pattern positioned in the' down' direction of the pattern. For asymmetric fabrics, this type of mode is required.
Nap / Either / Way marker: This type of marker could be used when there is no restriction on the orientation of pattern placement. The patterns can be put in the direction of' up' or' down,' but parallel to the grain of the fabric. It is the most efficient marker which produces the highest use of fabric.

Nap / Up / and Down marker: 

The Nap / Up / and Down marker (N / U / D) is more efficient than the Nap / One / Way marker; however, the Nap / Either / Way marker is not as effective. To achieve a better match between the shapes, alternating pattern sizes are directed in opposite directions.

TYPES OF GARMENT MARKERS: 

Sectioned Markers
Continuous Markers 

Sectioned Markers

Markers can be generated as or continuous pieces. 

Sectioned markers comprise all patterns of a specific size and style of a particular garment. 

We are easier to imagine and handle; however, the optimum marker efficiency may not be provided. 

High-volume blocks could be kept on one side and low-volume blocks on the opposite side of the marker; thus, the fabric could be spread to match the volume required for each block. 

These types of markers are beneficial if there is an end-to-end difference of shade in the fabric.

Continuous Markers  

Continuous markers for a specific garment type include patterns of all sizes. 

It could be longer and often need to reorganize pattern pieces. 

Such markers usually have higher marker performance due to their versatility in grouping and manipulating both larger and smaller pieces of the pattern. 

In this type of label, a splicing procedure in which the fabrics can be cut across the width and overlapped with the next fabric piece in the event of fabric fault could be done to eliminate fabric waste.

Marker Planning

Marker making is the process of finding the most competent arrangement of pattern parts for a particular style of the dress, fabric and size selection.
To get the maximum efficiency this process requires expertise, time and concentration.
Marker planning: Placing patterns in a report to meet the technical requirements and eliminating fabric waste.
Marker manufacturing/marker use: this involves drawing a marker plan directly on the fabric or creating it on a paper marker, or copying the pattern piece information on the fabric without drawing any pattern lines over it as in computer cutting.

REQUIREMENTS OF MARKER PLANNING

The main purpose is to create the shortest reference, taking both functional and technical constraints into consideration. The limitations of making the shortest marker are related to the fabric properties and the design specification of finished garments, Cutting quality and  Production planning.

Fabric properties and the design specification of finished garments

ALIGNMENT OF PATTERNS WITH RESPECT OF FABRIC GRAIN

All patterns in the marking plan should be maintained in such a way that the grain line in the pattern should be parallel to the selvedge of the fabric for better hanging and draping of clothing.

SYMMETRY AND ASYMMETRY FABRIC

If the face and back of the fabrics have a similar appearance, they are called' two-way' or' symmetrical' fabrics and do not warrant any special requirements during the planning of the markings. The asymmetric fabric where the face and back are different needs some attention during the planning of the marker. 

Examples of asymmetrical fabrics are those with a nap or a pile. These types of fabrics have a surface pile or a print design which has a distinguishable object that can only be used in one way.

FEATURES OF DESIGN IN FINAL FINISHED GARMENT

The design features of the final garments must also be remembered while the marker is preparing to get a better visual appearance of the finished garment. For example, if the vertical stripe in the fabric does not show a complete reproduction of the replica on the right and left sides of the garment, it looks awkward.

Cutting Quality

Most of the clothing units use a vertical blade for the cutting of the fabric panels, and the marking plan should take into account the space required for the movement of the knife blade, particularly when cutting in curved areas. 

The space needed between both the patterns in the marker plan depending on the method of cutting used. The number of patterns in the marker should be counted to check that the complete set of patterns has been included in the marker program.

After cutting the fabric panels, sorting the pattern pieces as per size, bundling the cut fabric panels as per color and size, and finally counting the pattern in each size, it should be done to confirm that all the patterns are available for assembling. 

During the preparation of the marker planning, the marker planner should provide coding for all patterns with their size.

Production Planning

Each order is specified by a certain quantity in terms of size and color. 

For example, the order for 12,000 pants may include 4,800 blue, 4,800 green and 2,400 red pants in sizes 30, 32, 34 and 36 with a ratio of 2:4:4:2. 

The production planning and control department must ensure that the cut-off components are supplied to the sewing room at regular intervals.

CONSTRUCTIONS OF MARKER

Typically, a marker is rendered by holding the patterns one after the other in the duration of the marker. The length of the marker is the length of the fabric that could be used in the lay. The length of the marker is defined by the following components, which are common to all markers.

Selvedge lines: The two parallel lines are to be drawn parallel to the bottom of the cutting table. The gap or distance between the selvedges indicates the maximum width of the fabric that could be used during the design of the marker.

Starting line: The starting line is on the left side of the marker as seen by the marker planner and is opposite to the selvedge line and is known to be the starting point of the marker.

End line: The end row is labeled at the end / right side of the marker (opposite the starting line) that is situated at the end of the last pattern and is drawn parallel to the starting line which joins the selvedge line.

Splice marks: splice marks shall be the area in the cutting table where the fabrics are overlapped during the rollout of the fabric or the removal of the defects of the fabric during the spread. These marks are placed along the control selvege.

Legend: The legend is used to provide the key to the marker and usually consists of the reference information for the marker.

Placement rules: during the planning of the marker, the marker planner must add the following general rules: the grain line throughout the pattern must be parallel to the selvedge of the fabric. 

The patterns must be placed on the marker by taking into consideration the grain line in the marker. 

The patterns should be kept as close as possible to minimize tissue wastage. 

The patterns can also be placed from the largest to the smallest in order to increase the productivity of the marker, contributing to the least amount of pattern manipulation as required.