Last Updated on October 9, 2026
Who Is a Knit Garment Merchandiser?
As we know, the merchandising job is a little bit complicated. Merchandiser has to face many problems to complete an order. Merchandisers have to be ready to face any problem till the delivery date. Even after product delivery merchandiser has to face several queries like quality problems, shipment cancellation, or payment issues. Thus problem solving attitude is one of the most important parts of merchandising career. Besides this, a merchandiser is an assigned person to execute the role of the 4 R’s of expediting Right Cost, Right Quantity, Right Quality, and Right Time to fulfill an order. So merchandiser has to follow the below-working procedure to minimize problems to boost their career. In practice, a knit merchandiser also keeps track of tech pack changes, approval status, production progress, and shipment documents, because one missed step can delay the whole order.
Knit Garment Technology
Knitting garments are the most demand-able items in fashion industry. Knit garments manufacturing process is easier than woven garments. There are two types of fabrics used in the apparel industry. One is woven fabric and the second is knitted fabric. Two types of machines are used for manufacturing knit items. After watching buyer provided sample, analyze spec sheet then merchandiser can decide which machine will be used. They are as follows-
- Flats knitted machine
- Circular knitted machine.
Machine selection normally depends on fabric construction, GSM, stretch requirement, and final garment style, not just on the sample alone. In many mills, these are referred to as flat knitting machine and circular knitting machine.
Knit garment merchandiser working procedure step by step is described below:
Working procedure of woven and knit garment merchandisers is little bit different. A knit garment merchandiser’s working procedure is divided into three segments. First one is “Order Confirmation”, the second one is “Fabric follow up” and the third one is “Order execution”. All these three steps are important to execute an order. Let’s discuss the whole working process step by step below: Knit orders usually need more attention on fabric lead time, shrinkage, and shade matching than woven orders.
A. Order Confirmation
Sampling
Sampling is a process where we developed sample as per buyer requirement and need to dispatch on time because sampling is way for order confirmation. Usually, merchandiser receives sample, and spec sheet with all details and instructions from the buyer end. Sometimes spec sheet may be changed according to the buyer’s wish. Merchandiser has to review all receiving elements closely to realize buyer desire. It is their main duty to on-time sample delivery and expedites any bulk order. For many buyers, this stage includes proto sample, fit sample, and size set sample, so the merchandiser should confirm exactly which stage is being approved.
Costing
After review buyer provided sample merchandiser should check the fabric GSM with total weight. Then make a material list for preparing consumption sheet to get costing. To get perfect costing merchandisers should consider the following items such as yarn cost, various sewing process cost, CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) charge, ironing charges, packing charges and accessories rate, overheads and shipping charge etc. Then merchandiser has to submit each item quotation to the buyer to confirm the order. A practical costing sheet should also include wastage allowance, testing charge, and expected freight terms, otherwise the quotation may look profitable on paper but fail in bulk.
Programming
Once buyer confirms the bulk order the merchandiser has to make a T&A Chart (Time & Action) by communicating with the Planning and Production manager. In this stage, merchandiser has to make a route card or production schedule with the help of the production department. A strong T&A chart should cover sample approval, lab dip, fabric in-house, cutting, sewing, inspection, and ex-factory dates with responsible persons assigned to each step.
B. Fabric Follow-Up
“Fabric-follow up” is the main important part for knit garment merchandisers. So someone should know it clearly to become a good knit garment merchandiser. Now I will try to clear it for your reference. “Fabric-follow up” contains the following features:
- Yarn booking and requisition,
- Fabric booking,
- Lab dip develops,
- Local accessories booking,
- Knitting follow-up,
- Lab dip approval,
- Fabrics dyeing follow-up and in-house
- Knitting approval
Seven key factors exist in “fabric follow-up” issue. Let’s discuss these key factors below: These checkpoints work as one chain, and any delay in yarn, lab dip, or fabric in-house will affect the cutting date later.
1. Yarn Booking and Requisition
Then merchandisers check fabric GSM and give yarn booking and requisition to the fabric manufacturer according to the buyer instructions. The yarn count, fiber blend, and lot control should match the approved sample, otherwise the bulk shade and hand feel may shift.
2. Fabric Booking
Next step is fabric booking. Merchandiser has to move on the T&A chart to chase an order. Once place yarn booking and requisition, a merchandiser has to confirm fabric booking to hit the delivery date. They should do accurate consumption based on order quantity, types of fabric (Cotton single jersey, double jersey, and Stretch piquet), color assortment etc. At this stage, the merchandiser should also confirm shrinkage allowance, GSM tolerance, and fabric relaxation time, especially for cotton knits.
3. Lab-Dip Development
Lab dip development is one of the urgent issues in this step. Merchandiser should contact the dyeing factory to develop the lab dip quickly to get buyer approval. Try to minimize lab-dip developing time to go ahead. Shade band approval is often just as important as the lab dip itself, because it shows how the color behaves under bulk production conditions.
4. Local Accessories Booking
In this step, merchandiser should place an order to local accessories suppliers for sewing thread, button, twill tape, rivet, label, sticker, hang-tag, carton-box etc. and try to in-house these items before fabric receiving. Accessories should be booked with approved artwork, size ratio, and color reference, since a small label or button mismatch can hold a shipment.
5. Knitting Follows Up
After completing all the above four steps, a merchandiser should look after knitting process before approving lab dip by the buyer. It is wise to check machine gauge, yarn feeding, fabric width, and defect rate during this stage, because fixing knitting issues later is costly.
6. Lab Dip Approval
Once lab dip development is finished the merchandiser has to send it to the buyer for approval. If the buyer delays approval, the merchandiser should send a reminder with a clear comparison of submitted shades, because waiting silently usually wastes lead time.
7. Fabric Dyeing Follow-Up and In-House
Once get lab dip approval from the buyer end; merchandiser has to send it to the dyeing factory for fabric dyeing. After dyeing, try to in-house all those fabrics for order execution. Before bulk in-house, the factory should confirm shade consistency, shrinkage, and shade segregation by lot or roll, otherwise cutting problems appear later.
8. Knitting Approval
Meantime merchandiser has to send A4 size all color, all item fabric swatch to the buyer for knitting approval. Keep the approved swatch, buyer comments, and shade band together in the order file so the bulk lot can be verified later without confusion.
C. Order Execution
“Order execution” is the second step for a knit merchandiser. If first part is done smoothly then it will be easier to accomplish “order execution” efficiently. At this point, the merchandiser should keep the buyer, factory, and QC team aligned on every approval, because execution delays usually start with missed communication.
Following issues are included in order execution:
- Pattern making
- Print and embroidery development
- Fit sample making
- Pre-production sample
- Garment Testing
- Fabric Cutting
- Print and embroidery
- Sewing
- Finishing and QC check
- Shipment sample approval (gold seal)
- Packing
- Final inspection
- Goods dispatched
Now we will try to narrate the above all nine features:
1. Pattern Making
Once receive the reference sample from the buyer end, a merchandiser should forward it to the pattern maker with details instructions to develop pattern with a dummy sample to make consumption and cost sheet. Pattern makers should work from graded measurements and confirmed seam allowances, because a dummy pattern that is too rough often creates repeated fit comments.
2. Print and Embroidery Development
If buyer reference sample exist print and embroidery, then merchandiser develops it by following buyer’s instructions to get approval. Strike-off approval and placement confirmation should be done before bulk, especially when the design has multiple colors or small lettering.
3. Fit Sample Making
After that, a merchandiser should make the fit sample by following the buyer’s instructions. Available fabric and color can be used for developing fit samples but measurement must be accurate according to buyer provided measurement sheet. Fit sample is mandatory to go ahead. Fit sample comments are usually focused on silhouette, balance, and measurement accuracy, so the sample should be checked on the correct size form or model whenever possible.
4. Pre-Production Sample
A merchandiser has to send the fit sample to the buyer for their comments. Once the basis of fit sample comments, they have to develop Pre-production sample for buyer review. This time merchandiser has to use original fabric and accessories. Besides this, they have to insert actual print and embroidery in correct position to get final approval. PP sample should reflect the final fabric shade, trims, labels, carton details, and workmanship standard, since this sample becomes the production reference.
5. Garment Testing
Before inserting into the production line merchandiser has to do garment testing in buyer nominated lab. Common tests for knit garments include dimensional stability, colorfastness, pilling, seam strength, and spirality, depending on buyer requirement.
6. Fabric Cutting
After receiving PP sample comments from the buyer end, a knit garment merchandiser should start the cutting process. Before laying down the fabric on the cutting table cutting quality person should check fabric shrinkage percentage to keep accurate measurements. Fabric should be inspected, relaxed, and shade grouped before cutting, because knit fabrics can shift after spreading if the lay plan is rushed.
7. Print and Embroidery
Once fabric cutting is done, cutting pieces should be sent to the print and embroidery section to do it quickly. Cut panels should be issued against a clear bundle plan to avoid shade mix-up and missing parts on the line.
8. Sewing
Once receive fabric pieces from cutting section please fed the cutting pieces into the sewing line to make ready-made garments. At this time please follow buyer’s instructions and ensure product quality strictly. Inline quality control during sewing is cheaper than end-line rejection, and this is one step many teams still underestimate.
9. Finishing and QC Check
Line quality has to check every piece of garment physically by standing from the sewing line, after that all of those need to be sent to the finishing section for final checking. At finishing, operators should check thread trimming, stain removal, measurement, and appearance together, not one by one in isolation.
10. Shipment Sample Approval (Gold Seal)
Before shipment merchandiser has to send a gold seal sample to the buyer from the production line for review and shipment approval. The gold seal should match the approved bulk standard exactly, because it is the last physical reference before dispatch.
11. Packing
Finish goods sample has to be collected from the production line for hang tagging, sticker, and packaging. Pack ratios, carton markings, polybag warnings, and size stickers should be checked carefully, especially for multi-size orders.
12. Final Inspection
Before goods are dispatched merchandiser has to arrange a final inspection by the buyer-nominated quality team. Many buyers use an AQL-based inspection plan here, so carton readiness and repair rate should be controlled before the inspection date.
13. Goods Dispatched
Quality department has to check all the garments before dispatch. If quality checking is done OK then goods are ready for shipment by sea or air according to the buyer’s wish. Commercial team will prepare shipping documents for shipment according to the buyer’s destination. The commercial file should be matched with packing list, invoice, export documents, and LC terms where applicable, otherwise customs or payment issues can appear after shipment.
Conclusion
Conclusion: Here we have tried to narrate the entire working procedure of a knit garment merchandiser. A merchandiser has to be more conscious to finish all these steps carefully. A disciplined merchandiser does not wait for problems to appear; he or she tracks them early and closes each approval on time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What does a knit garment merchandiser do?
Ans: A knit garment merchandiser coordinates sampling, costing, fabric follow-up, production tracking, and shipment approval until the goods are dispatched. They also act as the communication bridge between the buyer, factory, and suppliers when an issue appears.
Q2. What is fabric follow-up in knit garment merchandising?
Ans: Fabric follow-up means monitoring yarn booking, knitting, dyeing, lab dip approval, and fabric in-house against the T&A chart. In knit orders, this is one of the most critical jobs because delays here affect the whole order.
Q3. What is the difference between fit sample and PP sample in garments?
Ans: A fit sample is mainly used to check measurement, shape, and wearer fit, while a PP sample is made with final fabric, trims, and workmanship details. The PP sample becomes the production reference before bulk manufacturing starts.
Q4. What tests are required for knit garments before bulk production?
Ans: Common knit garment tests include dimensional stability, colorfastness, pilling, seam strength, and spirality, depending on buyer requirement. Many buyers also ask for additional lab testing based on fabric blend and end use.
Q5. What documents does a garment merchandiser handle before shipment?
Ans: A merchandiser usually checks the packing list, invoice, inspection report, and export documents before shipment. If the order is under LC, the commercial paperwork must also match the LC terms to avoid payment problems.
