An Overview of Lean Manufacturing Using in Garment Industry
R. Vignesh,
B.Tech, MBA.,
Planning/Financial Analysis
Sree Santhosh Exports, Tirupur.
Email: vigtex@gmail.com
What is Lean?
Lean Manufacturing is a systematic approach for eliminating or reducing the process waste through continuous improvement. The Lean approach is based on finding efficiencies and removing wasteful steps that don’t add value to the end product. Lean production is not about eliminating people. Lean manufacturing is an important tool of garment industry for cost reduction.
Waste
From the customers’ point of view process waste is anything which does not contribute the product transformation that is all the non value added activities in the process line is known as waste.
Value
A capability provided to a customer at the right time at an appropriate price, as defined in each case by the customer. Features of the product or service, availability, cost and performance are dimensions of value.
Value-Added Activities
- Transforms materials / information into products & services that…Result in change in terms of form, fit or function
- The customer is willing to pay for, and..
- Is done right the 1st time.
Non-Value Added Activities
- Does not transform
- The customer “could care less…”, and
- Creates waste
Lead Time Management

Various Names, But the Same Concept
- Toyota Production System
- Pull Manufacturing
- Just-In-Time
- World Class Manufacturing
- Lean Manufacturing
- Short Cycle Manufacturing
- One-Piece-Flow
- Cellular Manufacturing
- Demand Flow Manufacturing
- Stockless Production
- Focused Flow Manufacturing
- Agility
- Value Adding Manufacturing
- Group Technology
- Time Based Management
- Synchronous Flow Manufacturing
- End-Lining Operations
- Continuous Flow Manufacturing
Lean Manufacturing Application or Implementation in Garment Industry
The Lean concept is just as applicable to offices and other work environments as it is to manufacturing plants. It’s helpful to relate words like “inventory,” “customers,” and “production” to whatever you’re processing – data, documents, knowledge, services, and so on.
Traditional Garment Manufacturing Process
- Effective utilization of capacities which results more products were produced by lesser number of worker & infrastructures.(progressive system)
- Work in process in very high around 3000 pcs /line
- Workers & Machines need not wait for the product
- Product spends more time in manufacturing just waiting
- Garment defects are very high.
- This system is not suitable in today’s scenario.
Advantages Lean System
- Waste Elimination
- Work place Standardization
- Effective plant layout
- Quality will be enhanced at source level.
- Increase the Productivity by 30% from the existing level.
- Reduction of Production cost & other Overheads
- Reduce the Risk of non compliance and Late Delivery.
Lean Production Vs Mass Production
Activity | Mass production system | Lean production system |
Production type | Stock production | Custom production |
Layout | Functional Layout | Product Layout |
Inventory level | High level | Low level |
Suitability | Suitable for High order quantity | Suitable for low order quantity |
Higher Product design | Not Suitable | Highly suitable |
Cost of Production | Higher level | Low level |
Bundle Size | Lower | Higher |
Process waste | Higher | Lower |
Product Inspection | Sample Based inspection is possible | 100% Inspection possible |
Work In progress | High | Low |
Effect Of Excess Inventory
More Inventory means:
- More Over Time
- Delayed shipments
- Air Freight
- Poor quality
- High Absenteeism
- High Attrition
- Poor Responsiveness
- Poor profits
- High Cost per unit
In reality, no one knows about inventory that much. Factory managers / Supervisors say problems are caused by poor planning, absenteeism, etc.

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 of Wikipedia.
Can you explain in a deeper way so that I can understand the below:-
Effect Of Excess Inventory
More Inventory means:
More Over Time
Delayed shipments
Air Freight
Poor quality
High Absenteeism
High Attrition
Poor Responsiveness
Poor profits
High Cost per unit
In reality, no one knows about inventory that much. Factory managers / Supervisors say problems are caused by poor planning, absenteeism, etc.
I understand how excess inventory can cause a few of the problems but how does excess inventory cause high absenteeism, Delayed shipments, high attrition and poor profits. Also how does reducing inventory affect these especially absenteeism. My Factory routinely has absenteeism and planning issues as excuses for loss of production