A Garment Industry Field Trip

Take your students behind the scenes in the garment industry. Join our video crew to visit Henry-Lee Apparel in Chicago, a family business that makes over five hundred styles a year for six brand lines. Follow each step of garment production from raw fabric to its delivery to the retail outlet. Learn the role of the designer, pattern maker, marker, spreader, and cutter. See how progressive bundling and whole garment manufacturing differ. Learn how a small garment maker can compete in the global economy.

- Watch a design team work with fabrics to create an idea for a style that fits in one of the Henry-Lee brands.

- See a designer work solely with fabric and a dress form to create what looks amazingly close to a stylish garment.

- Follow the design process as a sample is created for each adopted style from a hand made pattern.

- Learn about the efficient "cut to order" system that allows Henry-Lee to sell first and mass produce later.

- Listen as a garment is priced out based on the knowledge that it will require 55 separate operations demanding over two hours of hand labor.

- Watch how a production pattern is created and graded for each size.

- See a marker created to insure the fabric is cut without waste.

- See the fabric cut using both the traditional hand cutting and more advanced laser technology.

18 minutes.
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Teaching Guide

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