Made to Measure (MTM) was born from the need of individuals requiring formal garments with personalized fit, but not being able to do so because either the tailoring services are not available closer home or it is too expensive. It can even be because of the shortage of custom tailors as it is not a profession of choice in developed economies. Internationally, made to measure is also in demand by corporates looking for some tailoring solution for gifts at special occasions. Another reason for the increasing demand for customized solutions is the declining market for mass products with only two US brands Peerless and Maxwell today being mass producers of suits and jackets in the world. MTM is more popular for formal suits, but now the customers also prefer casual jackets, trousers and shirts to be custom fitted. Now, with measurements of an individual taken in one country and the production happening in another, it has given rise to exporters of customized suits in garment manufacturing destinations.
[bleft]Made to Measure market is still very new but with a lot of potential. Out of the seven suit manufacturers Raymond, Madura, Silver Crest and Reid & Taylor – have entered this very niche market. [/bleft]
The order quantities in MTM apparel manufacturing are much smaller, if compared to the normal garment export scenario. But the FOBs are much higher, making it a profitable business model for garment exporters. In case of a shirt, it starts from $ 30 per garment, and for a suit the FOBs start from $ 75 per garment. China retains the leadership in manufacturing mass customized suits for all major brands and designers. Some major manufacturers in the world include Coppley Inc. in Canada, which is doing over 700 suits per day, an HMX division in Chicago, which manufactures over 300 customized suits with the total manufacturing line of 1000 pieces per day, Swiss Garment Company, Egypt is doing almost 950 shoulder units per day, while Accord in Slovakia is another major player. Indochino is yet another giant of Made-to-Measure tailoring.
For India the trend is still very new and only four suit manufacturers out of seven have entered this very niche market of Factory Finished Custom Tailored suits. Raymond is the oldest and biggest player, manufacturing over 250 suits per day from their unit near Bangalore. Silver Crest works with a company in London, which sends them the pattern package that is converted into garments. This does not involve pattern development at the local factory though the sizing is customized. Madura Garments first entered in 2006-07 but due to market challenges have now re-entered recently. The most recent entrant being Reid & Taylor (A div. of SKNL), has bases its product on most researched Anthropometric data and a clever combination of Body drops & statures.
Made to Measure Initiative of Reid & Taylor
A choice which is not always easy to make somehow and for reasons always lures Indian manufacturers who are known for doing difficult orders now looking at developing, made-to-measure manufacturing market, especially in the suits and jacket category, where fits are critical for the final look and comfort and quantities are small.
The MTM market is niche and requires skill sets very different from regular mass production. In the mass customized market since last year SKNL is working with various pop-up shops and designers brands from Europe, like ANKAR from Sweden and Mond of Copenhagen from Denmark. This is besides some online retailers like Suits4You from Spain. The company has recently started offering factory finished suits and jackets to its stores in Bangalore delivering within two weeks and is looking to expand its MTM services in few other states. Talks are also on for ventures with Indian Fashion Designers like Rajesh Pratap Singh.
In a detailed discussion with Team SW, Premjeet Singh, Senior GM, Project & Operations at SKNL thread bares the mass customization production module and the challenges ahead. Being associated with the mass customization project since its inception, Premjeet is very passionate about the concept and strongly feels that the future of the garment industry, especially the formal wear segment could be in mass customization. Delivering to the international market in three weeks — two weeks for production and additional one week for the couriers — MTM gives good returns even though the quantities might not be anywhere near to that of mass production. The FOB of a regular suit and shirt is more than five times bulk FOB price. Currently operating at 25 per cent, the custom tailored capacity is pitched to peak around 250 suits in Phase-I (which will be equivalent to 6.3 million euro turnover) and gradually going to 500 suits/day by the end of December 2013 in Phase-II.
SW: How is size standardization done in mass customization?
Premjeet: Standardizing size for a population is the most critical process in the entire MTM cycle. It starts with our client either conducting a sizing surveys specific of their customer profile or make available 5 to 6 body types to us from their set of clients. We then generate the specifications of the suits with allowances to be stitched on their choice of styles, which is usually restricted to Slim, Classic and Contemporary styles for the three body types and send the same back to them for review.
After the trials, and based on the suggestions given by them, we conclude on most popular fitting which is a figurative structure for the particular client. A similar round of tests is conducted for the second time, and in the end we would develop jackets and trousers graded nest which will satisfy almost all their clients.
While Classic style usually covers 10-20 per cent of the population, Contemporary covers 50 per cent and the rest all are satisfied with Slim fit. Also these body types keep changing from country to country, some want Slim more sharper or more ease in the Contemporary, we keep modifying them as per the requirements. Sizes 36, 38, 40 are most demanded gradations within Slim or Contemporary style while sizes 42, 44, 46 and upwards demand more Contemporary and Classic fittings.
When we size a suit, there are two very important variables. Firstly, Drop – which is a measure of girth, and secondly Stature which is a measure of height. An individual can be fitted best by changing these variables as per body type, and it is here that we give a very individualistic fit as opposed to the regular size charts. Customized sizing takes care of drop which is very critical for fit with comfort. Drop is the difference between the chest size and waist. For example in the case of a chest size of 40 and waist size 34, the corresponding drop is 6. This is general thumb rule which is followed universally. Using the same phenomenon, we can arrive in Athletic Fit (drop 8) or even a ‘zero’ or ‘negative’ drop. This is pure derivation from Anthropometric data of an Indian male.
The client is also given to choose the type of fabric they would want to use for suits, shirts, pants, and/or waistcoats. Preferences for styling in jacket with 3-button, 2-button, 1-button, or Tuxedos in options with different types of pockets, lapels, vents and collars or cuffs in shirts are also asked.
SW: What sequence of ‘variables’ is followed to finalize a custom fit?
Premjeet: First we decide on the body type which defines the outer silhouette of the suit. Once the basic structure is finalized it is entered in our specially designed but simple computer application that captures even the height and weight of each customer. The computer application adds the standard allowances to measurements and calculates garment specs required. A customer’s garment size chart is automatically generated.
Not all measurements may be required like they do in customized tailoring, but only the critical ones like the neck, chest, shoulders and stomach in case of jackets and waist, hip, inseam and outseam in case of trousers are required for initial input in the format since the rest of the sizes have already been standardized according to the styles under body type already developed.
Customization also takes care of many more aspects to give better fit, such as for a sleeve length the measurement gets automatically adjusted in the system for Classic, Slim and Contemporary fitting. In case of bottom opening in trouser variations in measurements are style based and hence automatically calculated unless specified by the customer and in that case the computer will take the customer choice as the overriding input by default.
SW: How are the patterns developed?
Premjeet: The specifications derived by computer application for the jackets, trousers, shirts and waistcoat are entered into CAD dedicated to custom tailoring. The CAD System already has a collection of different patterns that has been agreed upon, from even to odd including different drops and even the half sizes. The Modelist responsible for CAD picks up the pattern that is close to the expected size, makes all the modifications as per the specs given by the client and then prints out the patterns. Each pattern modification takes no more than 10 minutes. Because of the vast majority of patterns already available in CAD, the pattern modifications are required in only 10-15 per cent of cases. This saves lot of mechanical time.
SW: With individual and varying patterns, your production system needs to be all geared up for something new every time…, how do you manage?
Premjeet: Generally, the custom tailored garments have to be produced separately from the mass production lines but due to standardization of patterns and production methods all customized aspects of the garments are well taken care of in manufacturing process. Once the pattern is drafted, the pattern along with the fabric goes for cutting, and then it comes back to the same sewing line, being used for mass production. That is where the key is, it might be a high-end customized product but due to simplification of the sewing process, it is no different from sewing just another suit. It takes us only 2 to 3 hours to stitch a jacket. Due to our methodology, we are light-years ahead of a ‘tailor’ doing customized tailoring, and what the customer gets is the finish of the factory, which means standardized cutting and fusing operations, superior stitching quality and finishing on modern equipments like Macpi and Brisay. All this is topped up with 100 per cent quality control on specs and visual appearance besides frequent drape tests.
SW: What manufacturing process do you use?
Premjeet: The sewing line is a combination of the lean manufacturing and modules which are set in straight line system where only one piece moves at a time, whether from one customer or from a bulk order. This ensures ease of production work – flow and quick turnaround time. Each module makes the sleeve, lining and body separately which then goes into assembly. This allows for multi-style, multi-colour and quick throughput. There is a bar-code tag with every unit of production which helps in tracking production status at each stage in real time.
A customization sheet goes along with the fabric components which states certain style features which the supervisor must understand in order to ‘make it right the first time’ and avoid untoward mistakes. The supervisors are trained up to manage mixed styles through multi-skilled operators within each module. Since all machines are placed in the line, if the instruction sheet recommends the use of a particular machine the operator uses it, or else he moves the piece forward. You want a tailor finished sleeve or you may want functional sleeve vents based on the instruction sheet the piece moves ahead.
SW: What is the upside of the business?
Premjeet: You can judge from the fact that even Reid & Taylor, Scotland which does high value designer fabric for buyers like Brooke’s Brothers and Burberry’s is now thinking of using our facility for doing customized jackets and suits. The idea is to manage high value leftover fabrics from the order placed by designers to an extent of 10 to 20 metres but in hundreds of designs. And itis expensive fabric in the range of euro 200 per metre and above.
Now that the process has been experimented, improvised and streamlined, we intend to expand and work with more international companies and also with Indian designers, while expanding our domestic foray.
