BSc Fashion Management / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Garment Technology

Course unit fact file
Unit code MATS11602
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 4
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Department of Materials
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Garment Technology plays a crucial role in any fashion business. It involves many supply chain activities from the construction of garments and material considerations right through to sample fitting,  garment production and quality control. 

 

Aims

This handbook should be read in conjunction with the Department of Materials Undergraduate or Postgraduate Programme Handbook which can be found on the Undergraduate/Postgraduate Virtual Common Room on Blackboard

Overall, the unit aims to provide students with a robust knowledge base of garment manufacturing and assembly, machine and fabric choice, technical specifications and quality and cost considerations. In particular, the unit aims to:

  • Promote a comprehensive understanding of garment construction and mass industrial production (including standards and production techniques) in the manufacture of both light-weight and heavy-weight clothing within the context of fashion retailing.
  • Enable a consideration of advantages and disadvantages of different garment engineering and manufacturing techniques for various applications (e.g. market) and circumstances (e.g. sampling, mass production).  
  • Develop an appreciation of the importance of garment technology for fashion businesses and particularly the significance of reporting technical specifications in a standardised and concise manner for costing and quality control purposes.  

 

 

 

Learning outcomes

A greater depth of the learning outcomes are covered in the following sections:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Intellectual skills
  • Practical skills
  • Transferable skills and personal qualities

Teaching and learning methods

This unit will involve tracking the evolution of garments through the reverse engineering of commercial garments commencing with the analysis of material properties, garment components and joining techniques right through to appropriate production processes.

The unit makes use of a variety of learning and teaching processes including lectures, seminars and practical workshops that are based on problem-based learning, group work and independent study. All sessions are intended to be student-centred and interactive. Students are encouraged to engage with the learning process throughout and will have many opportunities to ask questions and seek guidance in connection with the course material and in-course assessments.

Lectures will be used to introduce and examine concepts, principles and techniques. Seminars and workshops will provide the opportunity for students to become fluent in the concepts and techniques developed in lectures and to develop competence in the application and evaluation of importance of these. Blackboard will be used to present lecture notes and supporting material for the subject. Directed and independent learning will be promoted throughout the unit.

Transferable aspects of communication, including group work and interpersonal skills, research skills and technical writing skills will be utilised in this unit. These areas of learning will be assessed by both individual and group work activities. As in employment, most work is carried out by people working together in teams, special attention will be paid to the development and practice of students’ own individual skills in working with others.

Students can expect the following assistance throughout the unit:

  • Interactive sessions analysing garments, their production processes and materials used, which will feed into the assessment tasks.
  • Supported technical workshops to engage with different production processes.
  • The provision of reading lists for each topic covered.
  • Where possible, videos for students to view and review technology procedures.
  • An opportunity for students to speak briefly to the unit tutors at the beginning, during and at the close of taught sessions (lectures, seminars, workshops, etc.).
  • Formative feedback throughout the unit to help students gauge their progress and to check their understanding.
  • Opportunities for 1-to-1 feedback during coursework drop-ins on the progress of the coursework.

Further information on the coursework is available in the assessment brief of this unit handbook. Details about progression through the coursework will be delivered in Week 1 of the unit.

 

Knowledge and understanding

  • a)       Describe in a technical format current procedures and basic garment engineering processes employed in fashion and textile industries.

    b)      Explore in the context of garment design; fit and appearance, properties of materials, and cutting techniques involved in the creation of a garment

    c)       Identify the technical and economic reasons for the selection of particular materials, and processes of quality and cost.

    d)      Specify using appropriate knowledge the textile materials, equipment and mathematics required in clothing manufacture.

    e)      Select appropriate garment manufacturing processes for specific purposes.

    Contributing to developing programme learning outcomes and the assessment of:

    ·         Confidently judge and interpret product performance characteristics and behaviour through theoretical and scientific approaches, with emphasis on garment.

    Demonstrate an understanding of product requirements, innovation, enterprise and cost issues in relation to textile and garment production.

Intellectual skills

a)       Describe textile materials and their use in different applications.

b)      Explore emerging and established manufacturing technologies used to create mass production of design samples.

c)       Use appropriate qualitative and quantitative skills to solve problems and inform decision making.

d)      Analyse manufacturing problems, finding solutions to solving garment engineering and wholesale production problems.

Contributing to developing the programme learning outcomes and assessment of:

·         Synthesise, assess and evaluate information and data from appropriate sources and use these to make informed, independent judgments and decision making in relation to technical product and/or business contexts.

Communicate mathematical and technological information with clarity, logic and accuracy.

 

Practical skills

  1. Use garment appropriate manufacturing systems safely, to produce products and samples.
  2. Use appropriate sources of information to gain relevant information on production in the fashion industry.
  3. Produce coherent technical specifications with accurate technical terminology and reference to International Standards.
  4. Apply key commercial methods and technologies to be utilised in sample and mass production.

Contributing to developing programme learning outcome and the assessment of:

  • Select, evaluate and use relevant software applications, including spreadsheets, CAD software, business applications, etc., for different tasks such as data analysis or design communication, within the context of Fashion and Textiles industry.
  • Use practical design communication methods effectively in a fashion and textile context.

 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

a.       Communicate effectively to demonstrate knowledge of clothing technology methods and techniques.

b.       Solve problems by selecting appropriate resources to associate with the discipline, using safe working practises.

c.       Work independently and collaboratively on project based work.

d.       Utilise creative and problem solving techniques to generate solutions.

Contributing to developing programme learning outcomes and the assessment of:

Clear and effective communication, using a range of styles and employing various media appropriate to the context.

 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Portfolio 100%

Feedback methods

Summative feedback will be provided electronically after the Semester 2 exam period, no later than 1pm on Friday, 10th June 2022.

Recommended reading

Please use this link for direct access to the unit’s reading list on the library website:

https://www.readinglists.manchester.ac.uk/leganto/public/44MAN_INST/lists/317773672300001631?auth=CAS

Books (all available in the library)

  • Aldrich, W. (2007). Fabric, form and flat pattern cutting. (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell.
  • Aldrich, W. (2011). Metric pattern cutting for menswear. (5th ed.). Chichester: Wiley.
  • Aldrich, W. (2015). Metric pattern cutting for women's wear. (6th ed.). Chichester: Wiley.
  • Brown, P. and Rice, J. (2014). Ready-to-wear apparel analysis. (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
  • Bryant, M. W., and DeMers, D. (2006). The spec manual. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Fairchild Publications.
  • Bubonia, J. E. (2014). Apparel quality: A guide to evaluating sewn products. New York, NY: Fairchild.
  • Carr, H., Latham, B. and Tyler, D. (2008). Carr and Latham’s technology of clothing manufacture. (4th ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Pub.
  • Cooklin, G., Hayes, S. and McLoughlin, J. (2006). Introduction to Clothing Manufacture. (2nd ed.) Oxford, Blackwell.
  • Eberle, H., Hornberger, M., Menzer, D., Hermeling, H., Kilgus, R. and Ring, W. (2008). Clothing Technology: from fibre to fashion. (5th ed.). Haan-Gruiten: Europa-Lehrmittel.
  • Glock, R. E. and Kunz, G. I. (2005). Apparel manufacturing: sewn product analysis. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
  • Jeffrey, M. and Evans, N. (2010). Costing for the fashion industry. Oxford: Berg.
  • Johnson, M. J. and Moore, E. C. (2001). Apparel product development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
  • Kincade, D. H. (2007). Sewn product quality: a management perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
  • Laing, R. M. and Webster, J. (1998). Stitches and seams. Manchester: Textile Institute.
  • Myers-McDevitt, P. J. (2016). Complete guide to size specification and technical design. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Fairchild.
  • Myers-McDevitt, P. J. (2011). Apparel production management and the technical package. New York, NY: Fairchild.
  • Szkutnicka, B. (2010) Flats technical drawing for fashion. London: Laurence King.

British Standards (can be accessed via the library website)

  • British Standards Institution. (1991). ISO 4915:1991 - Stitches and seams - Part 1: Classification and terminology of stitch types. London: BSI.
  • British Standards Institution. (1991). ISO 4916:1991 - Stitches and seams - Part 2: Classification and terminology of seam types. London: BSI.

Websites to search for academic journal articles

  • http://www.emeraldinsight.com
  • http://www.elsevier.com
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com

Relevant journals to consult via the library website

  • Clothing and Textiles Research Journal
  • International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology
  • International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education
  • International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management
  • Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management
  • Journal of Marketing
  • Journal of Retailing
  • The Journal of the Textile Institute

 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 54
Independent study hours
Independent study 146

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Kristina Brubacher Unit coordinator

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