South China Morning Post
2006-11-24
Full support
[underwear]
Highly skilled hands meet hi-tech in the making of lingerie, writes Mary Luk
ONLY WOMEN CAN tell how important it is for a bra to fit comfortably and match one's style requirements, and only garment manufacturers understand how complicated it is to make these items.
A bra comprises many components, including adjustable straps, tags, hooks, rings, pads, wires and fabrics, and requires 25 to 40 procedures and about six months to complete, with most parts going through laboratory tests, colouring and assembling before they are sewn together. The making of lingerie calls for highly skilled craftsmanship and considerable patience.
"Despite using advanced technology to refine and shorten the procedures, some areas still have to be hand made," said Angie Lau, chief executive for Clover Group International.
Based in Hong Kong, the company manufactures products for some of the most prestigious lingerie brands, including Felina, Marks & Spencer, Victoria's Secret, Lane Bryant and GAP. All of its products are made for overseas markets such as the United States, Britain, Canada and Sweden.
Because bra sizing systems differ widely between countries (and also among manufacturers), any system for determining bra size is a problem. This is in addition to the clients' demands for high quality, as each brand has its own set of production requirements.
"To meet these complicated standards, it is important for us to be at the forefront to stay competitive," Ms Lau said. "We must keep up with the latest technology, come up with innovative designs and use new machines for mass production."
The ever-changing needs and behaviour of consumers has been the strongest driving force for the company to embrace innovation. The kind of bra that many companies aim to produce nowadays is natural, comfortable and fashionable. To achieve this, some bras are now seamless and no longer use wires.
Clover's research and development department constantly comes up with imaginative ideas, which are tested for quality and machinery production before being introduced to the market. The company has procurement officers responsible for buying machines, and purchasing staff in charge of ordering components and materials for bra production.
Clover merchandising manager Emily Ho said it took a long time and complicated procedures to produce a new design. "From the very beginning of development to a client placing a purchase order, it may take two months. During this period, the work involves design, tests, quality assurance and fitting by live models. Depending on how full a factory's production schedule is, suppliers' delivery time of material components, lab tests and colour matching results, the actual production may take another six to eight weeks," she said.
Since there is only a relatively small group of people working in the lingerie industry in Hong Kong, Ms Lau said it was difficult to find experienced professionals. Because manufacturers produce different designs, and each brand has its own processing system, most new merchandising recruits must be trained in-house and start from scratch.
"From making the product to fitting, the technicalities involved form the hardest part in the training," she explained.
Merchandisers working for a sourcing office, which produces brand-name lingerie, play different roles compared with those working for manufacturers. The former liaise with clients, while the latter look after the logistics of underwear production from start to finish. But they share the common responsibilities of looking after fittings and developments.
Both the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Vocational Training Council run apparel-making courses, and Clover is willing to take on their graduates. Because what they have learned may not fit in with each individual corporation's style, they must still receive in-house training.
Clover has also joined hands with PolyU to organise in-house training for its staff. This summer, 25 newcomers will learn how to make a bra, including basic pattern making, moulding, colouring, matching of fabric components and fitting and other basic concepts.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Clover employs about 5,800 staff, mostly workers in its plants in Dongguan, China, and in Cambodia. About 200 administrative staff work in its Hong Kong headquarters.
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