【Aiming for self-reliance of the youth in village: Tailoring specialist holds a training】
In Bangladesh, we established the cooperative managed by the graduated students from tailoring center. Aiming for economic self-reliance of villagers in the future, members are selling products to the market with the skill that they gained in tailoring and earning profit. Although the cooperative has been started in Kamarkathi village since in the end of this April, the quality of products has to be improved more and more and the members are seeking to receive technical advise from specialist. In order for develop their technical skill and the knowledge for market selling, members attended on the training at the partner organization of ‘Society for Underprivileged Families (SUF)’ in Dhaka.
The training was held between 13th and 15th June of three days. The tailoring specialist who manages fair-trade company, ‘Infinity Cottage, Ltd.’ In Australia, called Ms. Jill Atherstone held on the training. From Nesarabad in project area, one of production group, one of cutting group and four instructors in tailoring centers participated, while instructor from SUF and other project area also participated.
Participants of the training |
Introducing themselves on the begging |
Introduce by Ms. Jill
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Sharing opinion among participants
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The training was started from participants’ introduction of themselves and sharing opinion about what they are willing to learn through the training. The participants raised their recommendation like ‘What kind of sills are required in market selling’, ‘Willing for skill development for production, designing, quality control and costing’. The training contents were spread out in followings:
1. Selecting types of cloth 2. Selecting color 3. Designing
4. Setting cost 5. Marketing and packaging |
1. Selecting types of cloth
In selling tailoring clothes, first important point would be the selection of types of cloth. First of all, Ms. Jill distributed three types of cloth to the participants and raised three questions of: 1. What kind of materials is used 2. What kind of clothes could be tailored 3. Which color would be suitable for each cloth.
What Ms. Jill pointed out is that ‘we are already starting to earn profit on the moment when we are selecting the types of cloth’. For this reason, the selection has to be taken carefully.
Three types of cloth |
Instructor and the cooperative member are serious for selecting cloth |
Members confirming their answer |
2. Selecting color
Selection of color is also important point as same moment as selecting types of cloth. As the demanded color in the market is varied yearly, the investigation for demanded color is necessary. We always have to be sensitive about the cycle of trend of designing. In addition, selecting types of button would be significant when tailoring shirts. Ms. Jill told participants the importance of selecting color and the suitable size of button for the shirts.
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Selecting varied types of button suiting for material |
Participants selecting button |
3. Designing
On setting the design, the spec sheet has to be formed filling the pattern of designing. In forming the spec sheet, setting up the size should be carefully done. On designing, these points were raised that all of size has to be completely equalized, the most marketable size has to be produced in maximum amount and size would be varied along with the target of customers. Even though the amount of products is increased, all of design and the size have to be always equalized. In this point, forming design accurately would be necessary. After this explanation, the spec sheet was distributed to the participants and they are asked to formalize each design.
Participants moved to sample room after designing, the training for cutting cloth using pattern was held on. On cutting, not pen or pencil but chalk has to be used and the cloth has to be cut carefully so that to avoid the under part of cloth moving, when cutting two cloth at the same time. In addition for cutting, the way of ironing was advised.
Cutting using the pattern |
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Participant practically marking and cutting |
4. Setting cost
What the emphasized point regarding for designing is a costing. Cooperative member in Nesarabad brought saree as a sample, and it was compared with the one which was made by tailoring instructor in SUF.
Saree made by cooperatives:
heavy ornament although
design is beautiful |
Saree made by instructor of SUF:
light ornament and being good at ventilation |
Although the saree made by cooperatives is well designed and the light cloth is used, the ornament is heavy and the cloth type has poor ventilation. Seeing the labor cost, two of cooperative member made it and it took 7 hours per day and 14 days for total. The result of labor cost would be calculated that about 8 taka (around 10 Japanese yen) per hour is paid for the worker. Although it is sure that the basic calculation of costing for marketing is significant, more important thing is that always keeping in mind for calculating labor cost within a primary cost. Ms. Jill pointed out the fairness for labor value.
5. Marketing and packaging
On the occasion of delivering products to the market, packaging would be important part. According to Ms. Jill, the products could be stored at least 6 months, when the products are packed with care after ironing as a finishing. Although the products are packed in a box for selling in Bangladesh, the way of this packaging is not recommended as the product is fasten on the box by using pin and causes the quality worse. In addition, it will be difficult to store a lot of amount of products at the same time, if the number of packing in the box would increase. It is good enough to be packed with paper or plastic bags, and using eco bags as a packing material is nowadays welcomed in consideration for environmental issue. In addition to that, the label of quality warranty, brand name and logo has to be attached before packaging. Showing the brand name or the address of company/organization’s URL is especially important so that the customer who is pleased with the products could find out the shop again easily. Ms. Jill recommended this idea, as it results for beneficial increasing of the number of customer.
Another necessary way of increasing the number of customer is developing advertisement. Through introducing on Internet, leaflet and showing on signboard, tailors have to increase the number of customer.
During these three days of training, the satisfaction from participants is so high that the tailoring specialist of fair-trade company held on it. As managing the cooperative in the project area, it would be pleased if the member could share about the contents of this training. I am wishing them to aim for producing products with higher quality through this advise.
