What goes into making a shirt? (heavily abridged)
We get a lot of questions about the production process – What goes into making a shirt? What’s your factory like? Your “sourcing trips” to India – is that code for an excuse to chill on the beach in Goa?
Answers in brief: a lot, pretty cool, and sorta.
Broadly speaking, there are five steps in making a shirt – 1) Inspiration and Design, 2) Pattern drafting 3) Marking 4) Cutting and 5) Sewing and Finishing
We’re planning a more in-depth view into the shirtmaking process – from conception to birth if you will – but for now, here are a few pictures that might shed a bit of light on it all.
- The first picture shows a tailor-cum-patternmaker (aptly and humorously called “Master” by all) referencing a technical specification to adapt a pattern. The paper pattern on top in the picture is actually the front piece, and you can see the placket (the long rectangular portion) on the end.
- The second picture shows the set up of the marker – the CAD based layout of each piece of the shirt. The pieces are arranged for optimal cutting – i.e., to minimize wasted fabric.
- The third picture shows a cutting table – you can see how the pattern is placed on top of the pile of fabric, pinned, and cut. Note: the fabric being cut in the picture is actually for trousers
- The fourth picture show is pretty obvious – a row of sewing operators, each with a specific role. E.g., one might be attaching a placket, another might be sewing the cuff, etc.
Hope this sheds some light on the process! Let us know what you think!









