Important Factors of Marker Efficiency
Mayedul Islam
Merchandiser at Fashion Xpress Buying House.
Badda, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Email: mayedul07@gmail.com
What is marker?
Marker is a thin paper. Process of placing patterns on the fabric in a way that the fabric utilization is maximum is known as marker making. Marker making is very important because raw material cost is from 50–60 % of the total cost in apparel industry. It means that if we can save 2 % of the fabric, we can increase 1 % profit margin. Once markers of each style are finalized, one can easily calculate the yield of fabric needed for production and in turn can order the fabric. To prepare an efficient marker, the width of the fabric to be spread in a lay as well as the number of pattern pieces to be included in the marker plan for all the required sizes should be known prior to it.
Markers may be of different types which are as follows:
- Half garment marker
- Whole garment marker
- Single size marker
- Multi size marker
- Sectional marker
- Interlocking marker
- Mixed multi-size lay
Marker efficiency:
It may be defined as the ratio of the total area of all the pattern pieces in the marker to the total area of the marker plan. It is expressed in percentage (%).
………………………………….Total area of all the pattern pieces in the marker
Marker efficiency (η) = ……………………………………………………………………………x 100
……………………………………………..Total area of the marker plan
The higher the marker efficiency, the lower will be the fabric wastage i.e. least fabric will be required to make a definite number of garments. So increase in marker efficiency is very important.
Factors on which marker efficiency depends on:
1. Marker planner: Marker efficiency is largely governed by the experience, honesty, sincerity and technological knowledge of the marker planner. It also depends on the number of trials given for marker making.
2. Size of garments: If more sizes of garments can be included e.g. S, M, L, XL, XXL for a particular style in the marker, then more will be the efficiency.
3. Marker length: If the marker length is higher, then efficiency will be higher. The length of the marker is related with many factors but bigger marker length enhances more production in the cutting room.
4. Pattern engineering: Marker efficiency can also be increased by changing or alternating the patterns’ position in the marker.
5. Fabric characteristics: Efficiency will be higher for symmetrical fabric. But if the fabric is asymmetric then the marker efficiency will be less. If the fabric is cheeked or stripped then marker efficiency will be obtained less.
6. Marker making method: Efficiency will be higher for computerized method that obtained in manual method. But if the marker maker is highly experienced, then manual method may enhance more efficiency.
7. Marker width: It has been found from experiment that if the marker width is more, then efficiency will be more because patterns can be placed in the marker easily. But for tubular fabric, the above statement may not be correct.
8. Style of garments: The more large patterns and less small patterns for a particular style of garments reduce efficiency and vice versa.
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Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
