Fabric consumption per garment, and where the fabric actually goes

In an FOB cost, fabric is usually the largest single line — often larger than all the labor combined. A small error in consumption therefore outweighs a large improvement anywhere else, which makes this the one number most worth getting right.

Consumption comes from the marker

The marker is the layout of pattern pieces across the fabric width. It tells you the length of fabric a set of garments consumes — including the gaps between pieces, which are unavoidable and which the garment must pay for.

Marker efficiency is the area of pattern pieces divided by the area of the marker. It is a useful number, but it only describes the layout — it says nothing about the losses that happen outside it.

The losses the marker does not show

These are the reason issued fabric always exceeds marker consumption:

• End loss at the start and finish of every lay.
• Roll ends too short to lay, and roll-to-roll width variation.
• Fabric faults cut around or cut out, plus the replacement pieces.
• Shrinkage after relaxation, if you lay relaxed fabric.
• Test cutting and sample pieces taken from production fabric.

The check that catches everything at once

Fabric issued, divided by garments shipped. That single ratio captures marker efficiency, cutting room losses, rejects and everything else in one figure — and both numbers already exist in your records.

Track it per order for a season. It will not be flattering the first time, and that is the point: the gap between it and marker consumption is the size of the opportunity, expressed in the currency you buy fabric in.

Where consumption actually improves

1. Combine sizes in one marker instead of marking each size separately. Normally the largest single gain, and it costs nothing but planning time.
2. Match lay length to roll length so fewer roll ends are stranded.
3. Inspect fabric before laying rather than cutting around faults afterwards — the same fault costs far less when it is found on the roll.
4. Feed real cutting-room data back to the pattern room. Pieces that consistently cause poor nesting can often be reshaped without changing the garment.