Secondary Processing
Secondary processing is a post-process applied to sewn products or materials that have completed the primary process in order to add decoration, functionality, or changes in appearance.
Contents6 sections
Definition and Overview
Secondary processing is a general term for post-production steps in garment manufacturing. In apparel, it often refers to processes such as embroidery, printing, piece dyeing, and garment washing applied to sewn garments, adding design, texture, and functionality to the product.
However, the scope of secondary processing varies by client and industry. In some cases it refers to everything after fabric dyeing and finishing, so when placing an order it is important to clearly confirm the target item, processing details, and the order of operations to be carried out.
Position in the Production Process
In typical garment production, secondary processing is carried out after planning, material and accessory selection, pattern making, cutting, and sewing, followed by inspection, finishing, and packaging. However, printing and embroidery may also be specified for fabric before cutting or for parts after cutting.
Garment washing and piece dyeing can create a look that includes seams and accessories when done after sewing, but processing-related shrinkage, color variation, and twisting may affect dimensions and appearance. For that reason, patterns and accessories are designed with processing in mind.
- Processing before sewing: fabric printing, part embroidery, etc.
- Processing after sewing: garment washing, piece dyeing, post-processing embroidery and printing, etc.
- Pre-shipment steps: inspection, repair, finishing, packaging, etc.
How to Proceed and Practical Points
When instructing a processor, clearly communicate the product specifications, processing location, dimensions, color, sample of the desired expression, quantity, and desired delivery date together with the processing instruction sheet. For embroidery and printing, pre-agreeing on the data format, pattern direction, reference position, and tolerance range helps prevent misunderstandings.
Before mass production, confirm a prototype or processing sample under conditions close to the actual fabric, accessories, and sewing specifications. Depending on the type of processing, the result can vary with the material, color, overlap of seam allowances, and whether interfacing is used, so it is best to evaluate these together with the sewing factory and processor from the planning stage.
Ordering and Quality Considerations
In secondary processing, quantity control and product management before and after processing are important. Manage the number shipped to the processor, processing defects, reserve quantities, and returned quantities, and after processing confirm the indicated position, pattern and color, stains, damage, and dimensional changes. If necessary, also decide the order in which needle detection is carried out within the process.
Whether processing is possible depends not only on the material but also on the accessory composition, such as buttons, zippers, interfacing, and printed labels. For processing involving heat, pressure, water, chemicals, or friction, discoloration, peeling, dye transfer, and damage may occur, so pre-testing and post-wash confirmation are necessary.
Differences from Similar Terms
Product processing often refers to processing applied to finished or nearly finished garments, and it may be treated as part of secondary processing. Secondary processing, on the other hand, can broadly refer to all processing added after the primary stage, not just product processing.
Piece dyeing is a method of dyeing fabric after weaving or knitting, while garment dyeing is a method of dyeing sewn garments. Garment washing is also a specific processing name for washing applied after sewing, and secondary processing is the operational term that includes these processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is secondary processing always carried out after sewing?
Not necessarily. When it refers to processing on the product, it is mainly after sewing, but some operations include embroidery or printing on cut parts. Please confirm with your company and the processor the scope of operations included in secondary processing.
What information is needed when ordering secondary processing?
Basic information includes the processing details, target product, quantity, processing location, reference dimensions, color or pattern samples, specification data, and delivery date. It is also easier to manage if the inspection criteria after processing, acceptable position differences and color differences, and whether needle detection is required and when it will be performed are agreed in advance.
What should be noted for garment washing and garment dyeing?
Be careful about dimensional changes due to shrinkage and twisting, color differences, discoloration or damage to accessories, and changes in the appearance around seams. Before full production, confirm the processing sample and the post-wash condition using a prototype made under conditions close to mass production, with the same material, accessories, and sewing conditions.
