Garment Industry Terminology (Continuously Updated 2026)
12/05/2026
Pattern Making & Grading
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Grainline | A guideline on the pattern indicating how the fabric piece should be placed parallel to the fabric grain during cutting to ensure proper garment structure. |
| Grade Rule | The increment or reduction measurement between garment sizes (e.g. a 2 cm bust difference between size M and L). |
| Notch | Small marks on pattern pieces used to align and match fabric sections accurately during sewing. |
| Seam Allowance | The extra fabric between the stitching line and the edge of the pattern, necessary for assembling garment pieces. |
| Stitch Line | The line on the pattern indicating the exact location where fabric pieces will be sewn together. |
| Marker Efficiency / Yield | The percentage of pattern area compared to the total fabric area spread, reflecting fabric utilization efficiency. |
| Sampling | The process of producing sample garments based on patterns to evaluate and test before mass production. |
| Grading | Adjusting pattern dimensions to create multiple sizes from the same design. |
| Pattern Design Software | Specialized software (such as Gerber or Optitex) used for pattern making, grading, and marker planning. |
| P-to-P (Piece-to-Piece) | The process of matching garment pieces together after seam allowance trimming or preparation for assembly |
| Master pattern | The standard original pattern used as a basis for grading (resizing) and production. |
| Draft pattern | An initial trial pattern created to check the fit/silhouette and make necessary adjustments. |
| Manual pattern | A pattern that is drawn and cut by hand on craft paper. |
| Digital pattern | A pattern designed and stored on a computer, making it easy to edit and use for automated processes. |
| Marker | A layout diagram of pattern pieces on fabric designed to optimize and minimize fabric waste. |
| Pattern making | The process of creating paper templates (patterns) based on a design for fabric cutting and garment assembly. |
| Specification (Spec) / Tech Pack | A collection of technical documents, including design sketches, measurement charts, materials, and sewing instructions. Patterns must be created according to this document. |
Cutting Section
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Bundling | Grouping cut components from the same product or size into bundles before transferring them to the sewing department. |
| Grainline | A line marked on the pattern indicating that the pattern piece must be placed parallel to the fabric grain. |
| Marking | Marking cutting lines, sewing lines, and notch points onto the fabric layers. |
| Numbering / Ply Numbering | Assigning numbers to each component on every fabric layer to avoid mixing parts during sewing. |
| Straight Knife Cutter | A handheld cutting machine with a straight blade, used for cutting thick layers of fabric. |
| Rotary Cutter | A handheld cutting machine with a round blade, used for cutting curves or small pattern pieces. |
| Notch | A small cut mark on the pattern or fabric edge used to accurately match garment pieces during sewing. |
| Seam Allowance | Extra fabric added around the pattern edges to create sewing margins when joining pieces together. |
| Clamping / Pinning | Using tools to secure fabric layers during spreading or cutting to prevent shifting. |
| Fabric Wastage / Loss | The amount of leftover fabric after cutting, usually calculated to optimize fabric usage. |
| Laser cutting machine | An automatic fabric cutting machine using laser technology, providing high precision and the ability to cut a wide variety of materials. |
| Grading | The process of resizing patterns into different sizes (S, M, L, etc.) based on a master template. |
| Pattern | Paper or digital templates for each specific component of a sewn product. |
| Marker efficiency | The percentage of fabric utilized out of the total marker area, representing the efficiency of the pattern layout in saving fabric. |
Sewing Section
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Garment sewing | The process of sewing garment components together to create a finished product. |
| Sample sewing | Sewing sample garments to check design, fit, and technical specifications. |
| Single needle sewing machine | The most commonly used sewing machine, designed for a single stitch line. |
| Double needle sewing machine | A sewing machine with two needles used for sewing two parallel stitch lines. |
| Overlock machine | A sewing machine used to finish fabric edges and prevent fraying. |
| Kansai machine | A specialized sewing machine commonly used for knitwear and underwear production. |
| Line leader | The person responsible for managing and supervising a production line. |
| Sewing operator | A worker who directly sews garment products on the production line. |
Finishing Section
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Final pressing | The final ironing process to shape and smooth the finished garment. |
| Final inspection | Inspecting finished garments before packaging to detect any remaining defects. |
| Stain removal | Cleaning stains or marks left on garments during the production process. |
| Folding garments | Folding garments according to packaging standards. |
| Packing | Preparing products for packaging, storage, or export. |
| Labeling | Attaching brand labels, size tags, and hangtags to the products. |
| Steam iron table | An industrial ironing table used during the finishing process. |
QA/QC Department
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Quality inspection | The process of inspecting products to ensure they meet technical standards. |
| In-line QC | Personnel responsible for checking products directly on the sewing line. |
| Incoming QC | Inspecting the quality of raw materials before they are put into production. |
| Final QA | The final inspection process to ensure products meet overall quality requirements. |
| Defect report | A document used to record defects found during the production process. |
| Quality standards | Criteria used to evaluate whether products meet quality requirements. |
| Acceptable Quality Level | The acceptable level of defects allowed during inspection according to international standards. |
Warehouse
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Fabric warehouse | Storage place for raw material fabric rolls. |
| Trims & accessories warehouse | Storage place for accessories: thread, buttons, zippers, glue, etc. |
| Finished goods warehouse | Storage area for finished products awaiting shipment. |
| Goods receipt note | Document recording goods being entered/received into the warehouse. |
| Goods issue note | Document recording goods being issued/dispatched from the warehouse. |
| Warehouse management | The organization, storage, and control of goods in the warehouse. |
Planning & Technical/IE
| English | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Production planning | Scheduling production based on orders and line capacity. |
| Bill of Materials (BOM) | A complete list of raw materials and components needed to manufacture one product. |
| Standard time (SAM) | The standard time required to complete one operation or product. |
| Operation breakdown | A list of sewing steps from the beginning to the end of the product. |
| Line layout | How machines and operations are arranged on the sewing line. |
| Productivity | The number of products completed within a certain period of time. |
| Operation | A specific step in the production process (sewing, ironing, inspection, etc.). |
| Line balancing | Balancing production time between operations to eliminate bottlenecks in production. |
- > Updated in February 2026
