Knowledge area
Garment costing, CM, FOB, BOM, fabric and trim consumption, and order planning.
Merchandisers connect buyers, suppliers and the factory. Their work decides the price of an order, what materials are booked and when every step must happen. This section covers the calculations and planning tools behind that work.
Start with garment costing and CM cost, then see what an FOB price includes. To book materials correctly, build a bill of materials from consumption figures. To deliver on time, plan every order with a time and action plan.
CM (cost of making) covers cutting, sewing and finishing. Learn how to build a cost per minute from factory costs, calculate CM from SMV and efficiency, and avoid the assumptions that make CM quotes lose money.
9 notes, newest first.
A garment bill of materials lists every material needed to make a style, with specification, placement, consumption and supplier. How to structure a BOM, calculate quantities by color and size, and avoid the errors that cause shortages.
CM (cost of making) covers cutting, sewing and finishing. Learn how to build a cost per minute from factory costs, calculate CM from SMV and efficiency, and avoid the assumptions that make CM quotes lose money.
FOB price is what the buyer pays for goods delivered on board at the port of shipment. What FOB includes and excludes, how to build an FOB price from fabric, trims, CM and overheads, a worked example, and how FOB compares with other shipping terms.
A garment cost sheet adds fabric, trims, cost of making, processes, testing, commercial costs and profit to reach a price. This guide walks through each element with a worked T-shirt example and the checks that stop losses.
A reference list of 100 denim jeans brands from the USA, Europe, Japan, India, Canada and Australia, grouped by region with segment and what each is known for, plus a guide to denim segments, the fabric behind jeans and what denim brands expect from manufacturers.
A reference list of the world's best-known clothing brands, grouped by segment: luxury, premium, sportswear, denim and fast fashion. Country, founding year and parent group for each, what they are known for, and what working with global brands means for garment suppliers.
A time and action plan lists every task from order confirmation to shipment with planned and actual dates. How to build a TNA backwards from the ship date, typical activities and lead times to fill in from your own data, and how to use it to spot delays early.
The men's clothing brands every apparel professional should know, grouped by wardrobe category: tailoring, smart casual, workwear, heritage jackets, streetwear and sportswear. Country and founding year for each, what they are known for, and the fabrics and construction behind their signature products.
The major textile companies behind the world's clothing, grouped along the value chain: fiber producers, spinners, fabric mills and denim makers, and large garment manufacturers in China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Turkey and elsewhere. What each does and how the industry is changing.