Working hours depend on the type of garment: a t-shirt has different timing than a coat. On average we can say that about 40 are the working hours necessary for the construction of a garment.

Hoplites coordinates all the manufacturing phases from the moment of design analysis up to garments delivery: each one is a moment of harmony, elegance, and great beauty.

Cycle and production processes for the creation of clothing

The production of clothing can be followed with different proceedings, which depend on both the number of garments to be carried out, the type of clothing and their quality. You can perform a single production when the garment is unique (mostly this happens during sampling), or in series, when you intend to produce a limited or massive number of clothes, when the production includes a high number of garments.

The quality of the raw materials used, can be among the factors which directly affect the production process.
The methods used in production are the same both for female and masculine garments, obviously changes the fit. Different typologies (both male and female) can imply different methods.

Despite the slight differences between a production cycle and another, in general we can say that the creation (starting from the study of its characteristics) takes place in the phase of sampling; in the case of serial production, we would use the term “manufacturing” of clothing, which involves the execution of a production process that consists of 8 phases:

1. Size grading of the pattern in all the sizes to be produced (the template has been already created during sampling phase)
2. Cutting: manual or automatic
3. Assembling
4. Sewing process of the garments
5. Ironing process
6. Quality control
7. Applying of labels and tags, enveloping, boxing of the garments
8. Delivery: transport can take place via client’s courier or by a forwarding agency, which is indicated by us, specialized, which coordinates the shipment and arranges it directly with the client according with his needs

Processing the pattern

The designer creates the style’s design and provides indications about the fit (or table measures). The pattern is instead realized and graded by one of our pattern makers, based on sketches (hence the design) that is often the only thing the customer provides us. The customer could also provide us with a pattern, which must be transformed, by one of our pattern makers, in electronic file via CAD for all subsequent steps. This procedure does not occur in the serial production phase, but in that of the sampling. In the serial production phase, the pattern maker also deals with grading the sizes that will be produced based on the type of wearability requested. Subsequently the so-called “placement” is carried out based on the useful height of the fabric, from which useful data is obtained, such as the fabric consumption necessary for production. The various placings are, at the end, printed and supplied to the cutting laboratory, for the next phase, the cut.

At the same time, the measures and technical data sheets are compiled and supplied, along with the manufacture notes, indispensable to manufacturing laboratories.

Manual or Automated cutting

The production cycle of clothes, at Hoplites S.r.l., continues with the cut that can be or manual or computerized automated. Proceed with the preparation of the material (fabric, lining, etc.) and laying on the cutting table. Once the material is positioned, placings must be placed on the chosen fabric.

Only at this point can you proceed with the cut. The cut can be performed with scissors, in the case of individual garments, or with an electric cutter, or with computer automated cutting in the case of mattresses (multiple layers of superimposed fabric). Electric cutters can have a vertical or circular blade.

• Cutter with vertical blade: It is used by keeping the fabric stopped and handling only the machine by following the pattern track. In some cases it could be useful to cut by dividing the mattress into smaller portions before proceeding with the circular blade cutter.
• Cutter with circular blade: It is used to cut the small pieces that make up the garment (collars, cuffs, etc.) in which greater precision is needed. In this case, the cutter is fixed, is the fabric that must be moved towards it.

Both cutters must be used by wearing specific metal gloves to protect the fingers of the operator

Computerized automatic cutting

laying of the fabric is carried out with an automatic fabric stretcher that deals with precisely overlapping the various layers. Subsequently, a conveyor belt leads the mattress to the cutting table, where the device creates an air aspiring to block the fabric, and a blade or a laser beam (based on the specific machinery), piloted from the computer, proceeds with the cut. It is usually used in productions of large quantities, and with specific fabrics.

Garment ironing

Once the dress sewn, it moves on to his ironing. By ironing, the dress is subjected to the pressure and high temperature at the same time, as well as a good dose of humidity.
The use of a first steam ironing, in fact, releases on the fibers the right humidity essential to relax their structure, while the subsequent aspiration of the steam allows a quick cooling that fixes the fabric in the desired form.
This procedure takes place in the phase immediately following the cutting, before sewing.

Assembly

Once all the elements are cut, they are gathered in coordinated blocks. Each coordinated block is accompanied by the technical data sheet, within which all the main information to be mentioned to go ahead with the processing is present.

Sewing the garment

After the assembly of the elements that make up the single garment, we proceed with the sew phase. The sew allows to join all the elements obtained by cutting the fabrics. Before the actual sew it is necessary to number all the elements, place any pockets and prepare all the accessories to be inserted. For some types of products, it may be particularly useful to perform a pre-ironing of some parts of the garment or of some seams, in order to obtain greater precision in the finishes and a more beautiful general aspect
In most cases, during the sew phase is used a sewing machine controlled by pedal. On the market there are different types of machines that differ from each other by type of stitches made, by structure that composes it or also by type of automation. In principle, sewing machines are distinguished in following typologies:

• flat bed sewing machine
• free arm sewing machine
• column sewing machine
• basting sewing machine (flat bed or free arm)
• button sewing machine
• chainstitch sewing machine
• automatic sewing machine
• automatic top stitching sewing machine
• sewing machine for hidden seams
• sewing machine for buttonhole
• Overlock
• Two needles sewing machine
• Cover stitch sewing machine

After the garment has been duly controlled, the label and any zipper or buttons are applied. At this stage happens the applying of brand label which distinguishes each garment of a specific brand.

Quality control

Once the seam and ironing phases have ended, we move on to the quality control of the garment. The control consists in the assessment of compliance of the quality obtained during the manufacturing processes, but also the compliance of the sizes compared to the initial pattern and size chart. Once the quality control has been overcome, the dress can be hung on the crutch, or folded and enveloped in its plastic bag, and is ready to be delivered to the client.

Delivery

In the last phase, the garments are sent to the client.