Last Updated: July 8, 2026
7 Deadly Wastages in Garment Manufacturing
Senior Merchandiser | Asmara BD Pvt. Ltd. | Dhaka | Bangladesh
E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
Generally we think excess booking or wrong production can be part of production of wastes in garment manufacturing unit but there are more factor of wastage we never count.
To minimize the cost at production and utilizing less energy for more production modern production unit thinks in a broad view.
The question of wastage comes when people analyze to improve productivity and efficiency. These seven wastes align with the lean manufacturing wastes first formalized in the Toyota Production System, according to Ohno (1988), and the same idea is still used in apparel factories today. After the 2nd world war Japanese are focusing the theory in the manufacturing unit. Because that time it was big challenge for them to uplift head among the developed country. The post war Japanese discovered many of the theories at production unit that becomes big example for the rest of the world. Now all the production unit trying to utilize this theory to improve productivity and efficiency.
The Meaning of Wastage:
Wastes are non-value-added activities for which the customer would not be willing to pay. In garment work, that means any extra handling, delay, recheck or movement that does not change the approved garment or help shipment.
Suppose we are ordering at restaurant but they serve the wrong dishes so definitely we are not going to pay for the wrong service. In the same time if machine is set incorrect and so product gets wrong then manufacturer may not pay the operator for the incorrect production. The raw materials is storage long time & got damage then production may not be enough so the loss may go on total product or manufacturer should reduce profit on product manufacturing. In all the way this call wastage.
7 Deadly Wastages in Garment Manufacturing:
Major wastes of garment manufacturing are described briefly below. The easiest way to see them is to trace one order from cutting to shipment and mark every place where material waits, moves, gets rechecked or becomes extra.
1) Over Production:
Over production generally refers the production unit that does not have any demand from the buyer. Over production mean extra materials, extra labor cost & extra energy. Too much early production also considered as over production that requires inventory. This is considered production that does not have cost but paying for nothing. In apparel, this usually means more cut panels, more sewing output or extra packing that is beyond the confirmed order and locks cash in fabric, trims and work in process.
This is usually because of working with:
- Oversize batches,
- Long lead times,
- Poor supplier relations and
- A host of other reasons.
The aim should be to make only what is required when it is required by the customer, the philosophy of Just in Time (JIT), however many companies work on the principle of Just in Case! A practical control is to release cutting and sewing only against the latest buyer confirmation, not against an old forecast.
2) Transportation:
This is a cost that does not have value in manufacturing process. If raw comes by air takes less time but high cost or if raw comes by sea takes long time but less cost. In both process ultimate product is same but the process add different cost in the both transportation.
The customer obviously not paying for the high transportation cost and so high cost transportation is really wastage. Inside a garment factory, the same waste appears when bundles, trims or cartons are moved too many times between store, cutting, sewing, washing and finishing.
3) Inventory or Storage:
Why inventory or storage is counted as waste? Inventory cost many in manufacturing.
Inventory has to be stored, it needs space and preserving, it needs packaging and unpacking and it has to be transported around.
It has the chance of being damaged during transport and becoming obsolete. The waste of Inventory hides many of the other wastes in systems. In garments, excessive inventory also means style risk, because color, size and trimming changes can make old stock unusable before shipment.
4) Inappropriate Processing:
This refers to inappropriate techniques, over size equipment, perform processes that are not required by the customer. All these process cost time & money that does not have value to payer.
Inappropriate processing is caused by:
- For not having standardization of best technique.
- Unclear specification of quality acceptance standard.
5) Waiting
The Waste of Waiting disrupts flow of production. If one process takes longer time then the next operator waits idle and later gets busy to complete them in speed that create another wastage by defects goods. A common garment example is a sewing line waiting for fabric release, shade approval, missing trims, broken machine or late buyer comment.
Waiting results from:
- Poor man / machine coordination.
- Long changeover to be completed.
- Unreliable process or quality.
- Time required to perform rework.
- Inappropriate transportation.
6) Motion
This mean any motion of man or equipment that does not have any value to the prodcut or service.
Wasteful motion caused by:
- Inappropriate work station set up – excessive walking, bending.
- Inappropriate method design – transferring parts one hand to another.
- Work place organisation set up poorly.
- Large batch size.
- Reorientation of materials.
7) Defects or Correction:
The cost of reject and rework can be a big problem in production process.
Defects are caused by:
- Incorrect method due to non-standard operations.
- Differences in the way of operator at different shifts.
- Inadequate training.
- Skills shortage.
- Incapable processes.
- Incapable supplier.
- Frequent error from the operator.
- Parts damage due to excessive handling.
Parts damage due to excessive handling. In garment manufacturing, defects often show as stitching fault, measurement failure, shade variation, print mismatch, stain, needle damage or wrong packing.
Conclusion
In conclusion waste always unfavorable to profit and efficient production. This is also a big problem for the nature and overburdening it. Waste can be considered silent enemy within the organization. A simple daily check of overproduction, transport, waiting, motion, inventory and defects will show where the biggest loss is happening. This is the major defect in production process some time if not stop then the total production unit gets big loss and later business declared closed. So waste never be a friend and need to kill it as soon identified.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What are the 7 wastes in garment manufacturing?
Ans: The 7 wastes are overproduction, transportation, inventory, inappropriate processing, waiting, motion and defects. These are the classic lean wastes used to find non-value-added work in manufacturing.
Q2. How can garment factories reduce wastage?
Ans: Start by mapping one style from fabric booking to shipment and mark every delay, extra movement and rework point. Then fix the biggest repeat issue first, usually waiting, WIP or defects.
Q3. What is the biggest waste in garment production?
Ans: Overproduction is often the biggest hidden waste in garments because it locks money into fabric, trims and sewing time. It also creates storage, handling and style-change risk.
Q4. What is lean manufacturing in garment industry?
Ans: Lean manufacturing in garment industry means making only what is needed, when it is needed, with less waiting, less movement and fewer defects. It helps factories reduce cost without hurting quality.
Q5. Why is overproduction waste in garments?
Ans: Overproduction in garments is waste because the buyer pays for confirmed pieces, not for extra pieces made without demand. Extra production also creates stock, handling and quality risk before shipment.
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor to Wikipedia.
