Lingerie is one of the most complex apparel items to manufacture. It requires sheer amount of technical expertise to produce a precise and comfortable lingerie product that fits the skin of a woman. However, Indian apparel factories have understood the need of the hour as they are slowly yet impactfully integrating technical know-how to produce lingerie that matches international standards. The well-evolving domestic lingerie retail market worth US $ 12 billion is making factories understand the needs of the women population who are increasingly spending on high-end bra.
Sarthak Kubadia, Managing Director of Abhinandan Creation, a leading player of the lingerie manufacturing sector, gets into a candid conversation with Team Apparel Resources to discuss how Abhinandan is creating a niche in lingerie manufacturing business, integrating technology and quality benchmarks. The company produces 250,000 bras per month on 400 sewing machines from leading brands such as Juki, Brother and Pegasus. Here are the excerpts from the interview.
AR: Abhinandan Creation is a state-of-the-art factory. Please share the automation and technology embraced by you in different areas within your factory
Sarthak: Abhinandan Creation prides itself on being at the forefront of manufacturing innovation, blending traditional craftsmanship with selective technological enhancements to optimise operations. While fully automated cutting is not within our current set-up, we utilise specialised cutting equipment, ensuring precision in every garment piece we create.
Our factory incorporates technology in strategic areas to streamline operations. This includes systems for inventory management and quality control, which enable us to maintain high standards of efficiency and product excellence.
We’ve also explored the integration of IoT in our manufacturing processes. This upgrade, including connecting our manufacturing execution system (MES) with our enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, enhances
real-time data analysis and decision-making capabilities.
AR: What specific parameters and detailing does your factory pay attention to for ensuring comfort and fit in lingerie manufacturing?
Sarthak: In our quest to deliver lingerie that epitomises comfort and fit, we employ a comprehensive and innovative approach from design to the final product. We utilise cutting-edge Gemini CAD software for detailed pattern design, ensuring precision from the outset. With an eye on the future, we’re also exploring 3D pattern making to elevate our accuracy and efficiency, acknowledging the intimate role of women’s innerwear as their second skin.
We choose our fabrics for their quality, softness and flexibility, allowing them to conform to the body’s contours comfortably. Through precise molding, we adhere to exact specifications to guarantee each garment fits perfectly. We begin our process with Alvanon Fit Forms, utilising these high-precision mannequins to accurately assess fit and measurements, laying a solid foundation for our designs. Progressing to live model fit sessions allows us to refine our designs based on real-world conditions, ensuring our lingerie truly acts as a second skin. This approach, from advanced design techniques to advanced material selection and rigorous testing, exemplify our position as a premium lingerie manufacturer in India.
AR: With approximately 20 pieces involved in bra making, how does your factory ensure colour consistency across various materials such as fabrics, plastic, rubber and metal?
Sarthak: Ensuring colour consistency across various materials in bra manufacturing is addressed through a combination of strategic supplier selection and rigorous in-house material quality assurance. We carefully choose suppliers with advanced dyeing technologies and a commitment to quality, ensuring they understand our product requirements and quality goals. This approach guarantees that materials such as fabrics, elastics, hooks and metals meet our high standards for colour precision right from the start.
Upon receipt, materials are subjected to thorough testing in our Material Quality Assurance department. This department follows a set quality process, which includes colour matching under various light sources as specified by our clients to ensure colour consistency across all materials. This dual strategy of partnering with the right suppliers and enforcing strict internal quality checks ensures our products achieve unparalleled colour uniformity, aligning with our commitment to excellence in the intimate apparel industry.
AR: In what ways does your factory differ in set-up and management compared to other lingerie manufacturing units?
Sarthak: Abhinandan Creation distinguishes itself from other lingerie manufacturing units through several key aspects of its set-up and management approach. Our workforce is predominantly female – almost 80 per cent, emphasising empowerment and skill development. This focus not only supports gender diversity but also contributes to a unique work culture that prioritises inclusivity.
Further, we’ve deeply integrated lean manufacturing principles into our operations, more so than many competitors. Implementing such systems, such as the One-Piece Flow system, the 5S methodology and Kaizen, has streamlined our processes, reducing waste significantly by 25 per cent and improving efficiency by around 15 per cent. This approach minimises waste and maximises efficiency, allowing us to respond more agilely to market demands while maintaining high quality.
Regarding quality, we follow multi-tiered quality assurance process which includes comprehensive inspections at various production stages, with digital quality tools at end-line inspection and a strong emphasis on continuous improvement.
Unlike many domestic factories, we place a strong emphasis on sustainability, from waste management to energy conservation. Our practices are designed to reduce our environmental footprint while ensuring social responsibility. We maintain social certifications like SEDEX, enforce strict quality assurance protocols to meet global benchmarks for quality, social compliance, safety and efficiency.
AR: Can you provide details on any investments or plans your factory has for future?
Sarthak: Abhinandan Creation is poised for significant future growth, with plans focusing on capacity expansion, technological upgrades and product diversification. We’re planning to add 300 new machines to take our machine set-up to almost 800, aiming to substantially increase our production volume by another 40 per cent.
Our commitment to innovation will see us fully integrate Industry 4.0 technologies, enhancing our digital and smart factory capabilities. This will help us monitor our production, quality and finishing processes in real-time as well as help us identify hidden losses even more. We are expecting to reduce our DHU rate to under 2 per cent from the current 4 per cent.
We are also introducing bonded and seamless technology to our product line-up that will help us make lingerie that matches international standards.
