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Hugh & Crye - We make shirts that fit

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!