Pre-production (PP) Meeting Requirements and Procedure in Apparel Industry

PP meeting is a very important part of Garments manufacturing process, a part of the pre-production process to be completed in the right time for smooth Garments manufacturing process.

PP Meeting Requirements and Procedure in Apparel Industry

A process where buyer QC/Merchandiser are also involve in checking accuracy. Generally, PP meetings conducted by buyer QC, internal PP meeting by garments manufacturer before that, is a good practice to avoid the risk of failing, meeting location factory conference room, or inspection room.

Basic Documents of PP Meeting

1. QA File (Approved Trim Card)
2. PO Sheet
3. Production PDM
4. Buying house Comments on approved sample
5. Approved sample
6. Approved wash standard/Approved shade band-Leg Panel / 1stBach
7. Shade Blanket/Shade Card
8. Shrinkage Test Report & Distortion Test Report
9. Tube Test & Cross Stain Checking Blanket
10. Embellishment approvals
11. Fabric & Trim’s Inspection Report
12. Fabric & Trims inventory report
13. Button Pull test report
14. PP Size set sample covering all size

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Factory Quality Team Responsibility before PP Meeting

• Assigned Quality controller receives all approvals and records them on “PP Meeting checklist”. QA also records expected date of receiving non-available approvals and follows up accordingly with Production merchandiser.
• The QA marks “NA” (not applicable) in case of anything not being used for the particular style.
• Need to do internal PP meeting by factory QA manager with his QC and production before submitting sample for buyer QC PP meeting.

PP Meeting Activities

Fabrication & Finish Issues

• All expected fabrication issues especially those highlighted by during fabric inspection report & sample process.
• Potential production problems according to fabric behavior.
• Fabric quality, CSV/SSV, Shrinkage, Shade, Cross staining & Wash issues.

Cutting Issues

• All cutting related issues to be highlighted –fabric relaxation, spreading elongation and tension, panel checking and records measurements variation, plaid matching, pattern adjustment etc.
• Grading of pocket, panels, inserts, notches etc.

Embellishment Issues

All potential issues in application of embellishment i.e. print, embroidery, rhinestone, heat transfer label, decorative patches etc. are discussed.

Construction and Stitching Issues

• Sample comments regarding sewing issues and every operation of concerned style is discussed.
• Emphasis is on critical operations. All out of routine operations are discussed with sampling master which finalized in vendor pre-production meeting.
• Difficult operations are highlighted and displayed for every style and doing risk analysis report.
• Difficult operations checklist is maintained and verified during production.

Finishing Issues

• All expected finishing and packing issues to be highlighted & discussed with vendor. This includes garment shape, pressing, folding, packing etc.
• Pressing, measuring, QA check, folding & packing instructions are placed and clearly demonstrated to ensure PDM instructions are properly followed.
• Factory specs men are advised how to measure before pressing & after pressing & keep records.
• Buyer QC emphasizes on vendor pre-production meeting points during inline inspections.
• Factory merchandiser gives production time and action plan (T.N.A) to buyer QC in pre-production meeting.
• After conducting pre-production meeting, buyer QC distributes pre-production meeting recap/Comments to all participants through e mail or hard copy.

PP Meeting Participants

1. Head of operation
2. Production Manager (PM)
3. Operation & Production in charge
4. Technical Manager, Sampling QA and Pattern master
5. Production merchandiser
6. QA Manager
7. GPQ
8. Fabric, Store & Finish Manager
9. Cutting, Sew & Finishing Manager
10. Maintenance & IE Manager