Fit evaluation was earlier the prerogative of the buyer sitting thousands of miles away, but has now evolved to be delegated to the buying house in the sourcing countries and at times even with the manufacturers. But not many in the supplier countries understand the importance of Fit Technician and may still confuse it with the job of a Pattern Master.
StitchWorld conducted a survey among the buyers, including organizations like Triburg, Impulse, GAP, Li & Fung, Charles Vogele to name a few, to analyze the awareness regarding the designation and job profile of a Fit Technician. The findings were in accordance with our understanding that job of a Fit Technician is important, and organizations have just started to comprehend the difference between the job profile of a Fit Technician and a Pattern Master.
The difference between the role of a Fit Technician and Pattern Master as perceived by most of them is that while the Pattern Master is primarily responsible for developing patterns and adding margins and allowances, the job of the Fit Technician includes pattern selection, the correct fabric selection, correct seam construction, garment detailing, etc. A Fit Technician has to analyze the problems related with fit/drape/fall with the aspect so that solution will be more production feasible to consider buyer’s requirement.
Do you have a Fit Technician? Are they male or female? Are different people responsible for pattern making and fit analysis?
89% of the respondents had a Fit Technician in their organization. Amongst them, 56% had a dedicated Fit Technician whereas in case of others a Fit Technician’s job was being done by the Pattern Master. Amongst the Fit Technicians working in these organizations, 63.4% were male and the rest female, breaking the myth that females are better as Fit Technicians.
Should a Fit Technician be professionally qualified? Can a Pattern Master after adequate training become a Fit Technician?
100% of the respondents agree that it is important to have done a degree or course in Pattern Making, Garment Construction, or if possible Garment Manufacturing and Technology or Fashion Designing to be a Fit Technician. Respondents also recognized the importance of experience in the execution of this job and all of them believed that with adequate training a Pattern Master can become a Fit Technician.
How many years of experience do you look for while hiring a Fit Technician?
100% of the respondents felt that the minimum job experience for the profile should be 5 years or more.
What are the important aspects, which should be part of a Fit Technician’s knowledge base?
All the respondents believed that knowledge of Body Shapes and Garment Silhouettes is recognized as the most important component of a Fit Technician’s knowledge base, followed by Garment Construction (89% of the respondents), Pattern Making and Fabric Knowledge (78% of the respondents). IT skill was also considered an asset to a Fit Technician’s knowledge by 67% of the respondents.
What all are the jobs of a Fit Technician?
Although a profile more relevant to a Buying Office, 67% of the Buying Offices approached for the survey believe that a manufacturing unit also requires a Fit Technician, while 56% believe that currently the job of Fit Technician is being done by the Pattern Master.
89% believe that evaluation of the fit sample, identifying fit issues in the produced sample, advising corrective steps to be taken in pattern for the fit issues, and interacting with buyers on fits are the integral components of a Fit Technician’s job profile. 78% expect the Fit Technician to correct the fit in accordance with the feedback of the buyer, and 67% expected him to play a role in sample development.
Does the Fit Technician interact directly with the buyer?
78% of the respondents agreed that the Fit Technician interacted directly with the buyer.
Does the Fit Technician have full authority in fit sessions?
100% claimed that a Fit Technician enjoys complete authority in a fit session.
Who are the other people present during a fit session?
89% of the respondents have the merchandiser present during a fit session along with the Pattern Master (78% of them) and the sampling co-ordinator (in 56% cases). Sometimes, buyer or their representatives (in 44% companies) and sampling tailor (in 22% companies) are also present.
Who has the final say in the fit sessions in case the buyer is not present?
In 78% of the cases, the Fit Technician has the final say in fit sessions, sometimes even the Merchandiser and Pattern Master (11% each) might have the final say.
Is any fitting or similar 3-D stimulation software used by your Fit Technician?
89% of the respondents do not use any solution like 3D simulation software for aiding a Fit Technician’s job.
Does a manufacturing factory also require a Fit Technician? In an apparel manufacturing facility, who does the job of a Fit Technician?
67% believe that a manufacturing unit also requires a Fit Technician, while 56% believe that currently the job of Fit Technician is being done by the Pattern Master in the manufacturing facilities.
