Productivity Improvement: It's still not too late
Stitch World, July 2010, Dr.Rajesh Bheda
The apparel industry globally has been going through testing times. In spite of extensive discussions on what needs to be done, the industry needs real examples to gain the confidence that all that is talked and written about is being implemented in real life situations. There is also a need for reassurance and demonstration that the benefits talked about are actually achieved.  Full article....

Quality Management for Merchandisers
International Conference on Apparel and Home Textiles by OGTC, September 2008, Dr.Rajesh Bheda
The merchandisers in apparels export business have an important role to ensure and assure quality. This is mainly due to the fact that the merchandiser is the key link between the factory and the customer.   Full article....

Do you know the 'Cost of Poor Quality' in your organization?
Fashion and Beyond, Dr.Rajesh Bheda
A lot has been written and talked about quality. However, I still believe, it is one of the least understood subjects in the apparel industry. Most of the apparel manufacturers in India still equate quality function with inspection. In fact, I remember a leading exporter saying that his organisation was very quality conscious and as a proof of this statement he very proudly said that he had one of the biggest quality control departments in the industry. What could I have said than just smile? Full article... [ Read in Hindi ]

What is Acceptable Quality Level?
Stitch World, February 2004, Dr.Rajesh Bheda
AQL is one of the most frequently used terms when it comes to quality in the apparel export industry. Everyone in the industry uses this term quite liberally, assuming that they know what AQL signifies. But when a few years ago, an American apparel importer requested me to provide inputs to him and his sourcing office in India on what AQL actually was? Full article....   [Read in Hindi]

Apparel Exports: How Long Can We Carry On With the ‘Chalta Hai’ Attitude?
Fashion and Beyond, Dr.Rajesh Bheda Even though the ready-to-wear concept is quite popular, I still get a few trousers custom made. Sometime ago, I had given two trousers to be made, one olive green and another black. However, to my dismay I found that the thread used for sewing did not match the fabric. Full article ....  [ Read in Hindi ]

Walking around using parallel thinking to boost up the efficiency of meetings and discussions
November 2009, Swarnim Kuber Pathak
There is a popular story about 6 blind men and an elephant. Each of them touches a different part of the elephant and expresses what the elephant is.  Full article....

Standardized workplace using Visual Control
January 2010, Astha Saith
The role of information dissipation, done primarily by merchandising department in a garment export house has utmost importance in the industry. An article I read by John Irvine talked about investing into ‘Risk Analysis System’, before producing a style, to minimize possibilities of miscommunication or failure of communication. Full article....

Lean and Green January 2010, Swarnim Kuber Pathak
For the past few years Indian Garment Exporters have been facing many issues. Issues like increasing labor costs & social standards, labor shortage, lessening lead time, reducing unit prices, increased raw material cost etc.  Full article....

Bringing in change
November 2009, Anuradha Sharma
In quite a few of our training sessions we quote a line from a Greek philosopher, Heraclitus ‘Change is the only constant.’ This is true for all kinds of industries, may it be manufacturing or service.  Full article....