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About > Uncategorized > Key terms and abbreviations to know in the apparel industry.

Key terms and abbreviations to know in the apparel industry.

    You may have done your research on starting an apparel line, but you are coming across terms and commonly used abbreviations that you don’t understand. We compiled a top 10 list that you should know as you get started.

    1. Bill Of Materials (BOM) – Can be found in your tech pack and contains very detailed information of every physical item necessary to produce your finished product for factories to be able to create your samples.
    2. Chinese New Year (CNY) – If you are looking to manufacture overseas, it is important to consider holidays or events throughout the year which may cause production to slow down, or become unavailable. In China, factories tend to close for up to 8 weeks in January and February for the Chinese New Year. 
    3. Country Of Origin (COO) – There are legal requirements in some countries which require the origin of a garment to be included in the labels. Some countries may even have size and position requirements for the label. 
    4. Pantone Matching System (PMS) – When it comes to graphics and print, Pantone’s Formula Guide is the absolute, worldwide standard for choosing and matching colors. Whether you’re a designer looking for inspiration or a print provider needing to match colors, this color matching tool and guide is the best way to select, communicate and compare colors for logo designs, packaging, and signage. Please don’t spend any time on selecting other colors library such as hex codes, textile fabric codes. Honestly all you need are these 2 fan decks. https://www.pantone.com/formula-guide-coated-uncoated. We also offer a color chart that has the most commonly sed colors.
    5. Lock Stitch (LS) – The most commonly used stitch with one Single Needle (SN) on a machine that used a top thread and bottom thread that get “locked” together. 
    6. Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) – The minimum amount of garments a factory is able to produce. The MOQ could also be the minimum amount of fabric, trims, or labels you are required to purchase. 
    7. Pre-Production Sample (PPS) or Top Of Production (TOP) – Once your first sample is created, there are usually a series of revisions made until your product is perfected and meets your vision. The PPS or TOP is the final, approved sample created that will be used as a reference when you are prepared to begin manufacturing. Since this is the final sample, it is important to assure all of the correct fabric, trims, and measurements are accurate. 
    8. Seam Allowance (SA) – The amount of fabric between the stitch line and the edge of the fabric. The amount can vary anywhere from ¼ inch to several inches depending on the style and garment. 
    9. Stitches Per Inch/ Stitches Per Centimeter (SPI/SPC) – Can be found in your tech pack and specifies the particular stitch style to use in addition to the amount of SPI/SPC.
    10. Unit Of Measure (UOM) – The type of measurement utilized to manage various parts of your garments. Common UOM are: yards, meters, inches, centimeters. 

    We truly want to make the manufacturing process more simple, and we want to help you turn your ideas into reality.

    If you have an idea you want to turn into a reality, contact Mariellen, the owner at 704-236-0568 or [email protected].