Garments manufacturers have to produce different sort of apparel items on their production floor. Once received a new style extra time required to understand the operations (construction details). So it would be convenient if factory IE team analyze each of the garment samples physically before insert into the production floor. If a garment item becomes solid color, then it would be convenient to prepare a thread consumption file. However IE team should make a thread consumption chart according to sample color assortment.
Once a sample developed in the sample room and got approved by the buyer, apparel merchandiser should check with IE team before issuing PO sheet to the supplier. Otherwise, it has a chance to face thread shortage problem in the mid of running production.
To find out average thread consumption for a particular style in bulk production has never been an easy task. Cause it is a time-consuming process which can’t omit from routine job. Thus, you should follow a scientific method to count average thread consumption to erase shortage problem in bulk production or leftover problem after production.
Various sorts of sewing machines require in bulk production. IE team should consider machine layout before preparing thread consumption chart. Based on garment sample nature requires different types of stitches and seams to accomplish bulk production. They influence thread consumption to a large extent. A table is shown below, giving thread consumption per centimeter of seam for different stitch types.
Let us find a list of thread consumption considering different sort of stitch type and sewing machine category.
| SL# | Stitch Type | Thread Consumption per CM of Seam | Number of Needles | Needles thread & lopper thread ratio | |
| 1 | Chain Stitch | 101 | 4.0 | 1 | 1:0 |
| 2 | Lock Stitch | 301 | 2.5 | 1 | 1:1 |
| 3 | Double Chain Stitch | 4.2 | 5.5 | 1 | 1:3 |
| 4 | Zigzag Lock Stitch | 304 | 7.0 | 1 | 1:1 |
| 5 | 2 Thread Over Edge Stitch | 503 | 12.0 | 1 | 1.2:1 |
| 6 | 3 Thread Over Edge Stitch | 504 | 15.0 | 1 | 1:5 |
| 7 | 4 Thread Mock Safety Stitch | 512 | 18.0 | 2 | 1:3.3 |
| 8 | 5 Thread Safety Stitch | 516 | 20.0 | 2 | 1:1.34 |
| 9 | 4 Thread Covering Stitch | 602 | 25.0 | 2 | 1:3.3 |
| 10 | 9 Thread Covering Stitch | 606 | 32.0 | 4 | 1:3.5 |
| 11 | BRTK | 48 | 1 | 1:1 | |
| 12 | Feed of the ARM | 6 | 2 | 1:1 | |
As a merchandiser, we have to put approximate sewing thread consumption while making cost sheet. It would be helpful if we have few ideas of some items approximate sewing thread consumption.
Now let us find approximate sewing thread consumption in different garments.
| SL# | Type of Garment | Thread consumption per garment | Remarks |
| 1 | Regular Shirt | 140 m | Woven |
| 2 | Trousers | 250 m | Woven |
| 3 | Jeans Pant | 200 m | Woven |
| 4 | Waist Coat | 180 m | Woven |
| 5 | Suite or Men’s Two pieces | 460 m | Woven |
| 6 | T-Shirt | 40 m | Knit |
| 7 | Brief | 45 m | Knit |
| 8 | Panty | 65 m | Knit |
| 9 | Brassier | 50 m | Intimate |
| 10 | Athletic Shirt | 60 m | Knit / Woven |
| 11 | Normal Backpack | 250 m | Woven |
| 12 | Heavy Backpack | 500 m | Woven |
| 13 | Insulated Kids Jacket | 500 m | Woven |
| 14 | Insulated Mans Jacket | 700 m | Woven |
To simplify average thread consumption, renowned thread manufacturer A&E has developed a suitable calculating process by introducing a technical tool. Now anyone can count average thread consumption of a particular style if he has a sound idea of garment operations, what types of machine to be used to make the garment in each operation.
A&E has developed an average thread consumption sheet after researching for most of the apparels. A&E called it ANECALC which is an MS Excel-based thread ordinary calculation sheet. You can download those consumption sheets as per your requirement and modify values if required. For your reference, here I have attached American & Efird (A&E) download link. Please go through the following google download link to enrich your knowledge. Please hit the link to download your desired file.
Here I am also attaching thread consumption formula to do thread consumption easily. Just download the excel file to make easy your task.
