Apparel Manufacturing Merchandising Calendar Activities-Tasks-Timing/Relationship/Department Responsible by Carla Buchanan

Apparel Manufacturing  Merchandising Calendar  Activities-Tasks-Timing/Relationship/Department Responsible by Carla Buchanan
Activity	Task	Timing Relationships	Department Responsible
Establish Key Dates	Department heads work as a team to establish key dates, such as start dates and ship dates. Other important dates, directed by management, will be established at this time.	Timing for key dates are determined by merchandise arrival times, trade show dates, and holidays.  All departments confer and relate to each other regarding key dates. This takes one day to complete.	All
Review Last Season’s Best Sellers	Department heads work as a team to establish last seasons best sellers. This information will be used to bring back those styles and/or to create new styles similar to the best sellers.	All departments confer and relate to each other regarding reviewing last season’s best sellers. This task is done after key dates are established and before the market research for line direction is done. This takes three weeks to complete, but market research is going on at the same time.	All
Market Research Line Direction	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to gather market research, for trends and target market, etc. They also plan the style assortment for the line at this time.	Merchandising and Design  confer and relate to each other regarding market research and line development. The merchandising department will gather and present marketing results and the design department will respond by creating a line. This takes three weeks to complete, but reviewing the best sellers  is going on at the same time	Merchandising and Design
Shop Major Retail and Fabric Markets	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to shop major retail and fabric markets. The team will be analyzing new trends, seeing what is available, talking to store employees to determine what customers are buying. At this time, discussions and decisions will be made on fabrics, trims and merchandising directions.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to shop major retail and fabric markets after the line assortment has been planned and  before fabric yardage is ordered. This takes two weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Order prototype yardage	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to order prototype fabric that will be used to make the first samples.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to order prototype fabric that will be used to make the first samples, after they have shopped the retail and fabric markets and before the yardage is tested. This takes one week to order. Delivery depends on where the fabric is sourced from.	Merchandising and Design
Test Prototype yardage	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to test prototype yardage. This is done to determine if the fabric is liking to suit the purpose of making the styles for the line. Fabric will be washed, stretched, and tested for shrinkage.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to test prototype yardage after the yardage arrives at their office while the concept boards are being created. This takes up to three weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Plan Concept Boards	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to plan concept boards. At this time, considering the proposed fabric, styles, and line, the concept of this line is recorded on a concept board to be used while this line is being developed.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to plan concept boards while the prototype fabric is tested and before the line is adopted. It takes three weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Line Adoption	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to adopt the line. Considering the fabric that is chosen, the styles and the assortment, the departments adopt the line that will be featured that season.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to adopt the line after the concept boards are planned and before the advertising concepts are finalized. This takes three weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Establish Advertising Concepts	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to establish advertising concepts. At this time, an advertising may, or may not, be called in to see the new line and develop a plan. The company may have an in house advertising department.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to establish advertising concepts after the line is adopted and before the initial fabric selection. This takes two weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Initial Fabric Selection	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to department heads work as a team select the fabric. Using the information from the fabric testing, and taking into consideration the mood board and the advertising plans, the departments select the fabric that will be used in the line.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to department heads work as a team select the fabric after the advertising concepts have been determined and before the colors are finalized. This takes two weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Finalize Colors	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to finalize the colors for the line. Taking in consideration the mood, advertising, fabric selection and availability, the departments finalize the colors for the line.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to finalize the colors for the line while  the initial fabric selection takes place and before the fabrics and trims are ordered. This takes two weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Order fabric and trims sample cuts	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to order the fabric and trims needed to produce the first samples.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to order the fabric and trims needed to produce the first samples while the colors are finalized and before the style development is finalized.This takes two weeks and, depending on where the goods are ordered from, the time varies for delivery.	Merchandising and Design
Style Development	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to put the finishing touches on the style, and develop the styles into garments.	Merchandising and Design department heads work as a team to put the finishing touches on the style, and develop the styles into garments after fabric is ordered for the samples and before the spec sheets and engineering occur. This takes four weeks.	Merchandising and Design
Spec Sheets and Engineering Evaluations	Merchandising, Spec and Design department heads work as a team to produce the spec  sheets and engineering evaluations on each style in the line. The garments are measured and the construction is planned.	Merchandising, Spec and Design department heads work as a team to produce the spec  sheets and engineering evaluations on each style in the line after the styles are developed and before pre-costing. This takes two weeks.	Merchandising, Spec and Design
Pre-costing	Merchandising, Costing,  and Design department heads work as a team to pre-cost the garments in the line. At this time, adjustments can be made in the styling to respond to the costing.	Merchandising, Costing and Design department heads work as a team to pre-cost the garments in the line after the spec sheets and engineering evaluations are completed and before the final line adoption. This takes three weeks.	Merchandising, Costing and Design
Final Line Adoption	Merchandising, Management  and Design department heads work as a team to finalize  the line. Management approves the final line.	Merchandising, Management and Design department heads work as a team to finalize  the line after pre-costing and before advance breakdown to manufacturing. This takes one week.	Merchandising, Management and Design
Advance Breakdown to Manufacturing.	The Production department now breaks down the production details, and instructions , for each garment in the line.	The Production department performs the advance breakdown to manufacturing after the final line adoption and before the advertising agency review. This takes two weeks.	Production
Advertising Agency Review	Merchandising, Advertising, Sales, and Design department heads work as a team to present the line to the advertising agency to review and plan for advertising  the line.	Merchandising, Advertising, Sales, and Design department heads work as a team to present the line to the advertising agency to review and plan for advertising  the line after the advance breakdown to manufacturing and before the complete advertising garments plan is put into action. This takes one week.	Merchandising, Advertising, Sales, and Design
Complete advertising garments	Merchandising, Advertising, Sales, and Design department heads work as a team to complete the advertising plans for the garments. Many times the plan begins at this time.	Merchandising, Advertising, Sales, and Design department heads work as a team to complete the advertising plans for the garments after the advertising agency review and before the complete final costing.This takes two weeks.	Merchandising, Advertising, Sales, and Design
Complete Final Costing	Merchandising, Production, Costing and Design department heads work as a team to complete final costing for each garment in the line. Sometimes adjustments are made at this time.	Merchandising, Production, Costing and Design department heads work as a team to complete final costing for each garment in the line during the time the advertising is complete  and before the sales plan is  complete.This takes three weeks.	Merchandising, Production, Costing and Design
Sales Plan	Merchandising and Sales department heads work as a team to complete a sales plan. Stores and markets are targeted for sales.	Merchandising and Sales department heads work as a team to complete a sales plan after the complete final costing and before the samples are shipped to the sales reps. This takes one week, and it sales can start to ship after some of the plan is put into place.	Merchandising and Sales
Samples are Shipped to the Sales Reps	Sample Room and Shipping department heads work as a team to ship the samples to the sales reps in preparation for selling the line to the buyers.	Sample Room and Shipping department heads work as a team to ship the samples to the sales reps in preparation for selling the line to the buyers during, or, after the sales plan is finalized and before the merchandising sales meeting. This takes three weeks.	Sample Room and Shipping
Merchandising Sales Meeting	Merchandising and Sales departments meet and discuss sales strategies and progress.	Merchandising and Sales departments meet and discuss sales strategies and progress after the samples are shipped to sales reps and before the review of top accounts. This takes one week.	Merchandising and Sales
Review with Top Accounts/Prospects	Merchandising and Sales departments present the line to top accounts and top prospects.	Merchandising and Sales departments present the line to top accounts and top prospects after the merchandising sales meeting and before the initial sales forecast. This takes two weeks.	Merchandising and Sales
Initial Sales Forecast	Merchandising and Sales departments determine the initial sales forecast based on past sales, meeting with top accounts, and meeting with sales reps.	Merchandising and Sales departments determine the initial sales forecast based on past sales, meeting with top accounts, and meeting with sales reps after the review with top accounts and before, or during, establishing the manufacturing schedule. This takes one week.	Merchandising and Sales
Establishing the Manufacturing Schedule	Production department will establish the manufacturing schedule according to the sales forecast and the key dates.	Production department will establish the manufacturing schedule according to the sales forecast and the key dates after, or during, the initial sales forecast and before finalizing the advertising schedule. This takes two weeks.	Production
Finalize Advertising Schedule	Merchandising department will finalize the advertising schedule and make any adjustments based on the sales forecast and the manufacturing schedule.	Merchandising department will finalize the advertising schedule and make any adjustments based on the sales forecast and the manufacturing schedule after, or during, the manufacturing schedule has been established and before the line review. This takes one week.	Merchandising
Line Review	Merchandising and Sales departments will  look at the sales figures and determine which styles will go into production. Some may not have enough orders and will be dropped from the line.	Merchandising and Sales departments will  look at the sales figures and determine which styles will go into production after, or during,  the advertising schedule is finalized and before the garments are marked and graded. This takes one week.	Merchandising and Sales
Grade Production Markers	Marking and Grading departments  will mark and grade the garments that are to go into production.	Marking and Grading departments  will mark and grade the garments that are to go into production after the line review and before the production fabric is ordered. This takes one week.	Marking and Grading
Order Production Fabric	Production and Sourcing departments  will order the fabric for production, based on the sales projections.	Production and Sourcing departments  will order the fabric for production, based on the sales projections after the garments are graded and marked, and, before, or during, ordering  the trims and sundries. This takes three weeks.	Production and Sourcing
Order Trims and Sundries	Production and Sourcing departments  will order the trims and sundries for the garments, based on sales projections.	Production and Sourcing departments  will order the trims and sundries for the garments, based on sales projections after, or during,  the fabric is ordered and before the garments are sent for cutting and sewing. This takes three weeks.	Production and Sourcing
Cut and Sew Production Plant Loading	Production department will send the garments out for cut and sew, and load them for distribution.	Production department will send the garments out for cut and sew, and load them for distribution after the trims are ordered and before the sales forecast is adjusted. This takes five weeks.	Production
Sales Forecast Adjustment	Sales department will analyze sales and determine if production will continue as planned, and, if any additional production is needed.	Sales department will analyze sales and determine if production will continue as planned, and, if any additional production is needed after cut,sew and production loading and before ordering additional fabric. This takes one week.	Sales
Order Additional Fabric	Sales and Sourcing  departments will determine if needed, and order if necessary, additional fabric.	Sales and Sourcing  departments will determine if needed, and order if necessary, additional fabric after the sales forecast adjustment. This takes one week.	Sales and Sourcing