Cut Piece Preparation for Sewing

After cutting, parts aren't ready to sew yet. They're separated from the lay and moved for a sequence of preparation steps, sorting, marking, numbering, identifying, bundling, and ticketing, that keep the right parts together and prevent shade variation within a garment. Here are the eight steps.

The eight steps

1. Sorting

Cut components are sorted by production system, simplest is grouping all components of a garment together, plus size-wise sorting (and colour-wise if multiple colours were cut in one lay).

2. Position marking

Where needed, parts are marked with sewing guides, e.g. drill marks for pocket position or dart length.

3. Ply marking / numbering

Plies get a small sticker (usually on the cloth back) with style#, size, and a consecutive ply number starting at #1 (nearest the table), duplicated on every bundle. In the sewing room, operators match plies numerically so all parts of a garment come from one fabric layer, this is the key defence against shade variation, especially when parts pass through printing or embroidery in between (high mixing risk). Long known as "sobar" ticketing after the machine brand.

• Ply tickets may be self-adhesive stickers from a hand-held marking gun (set to number once per digit, or twice for face-to-face pairs).
• Special tickets: for knits, loose weaves, or pile where stickers won't hold, a paper ticket is stapled on, and must be removed by the operator later (safety hazard if left in).

4. Right-side indication

Where face and back look similar but the face must end up outside (e.g. a subtle intentional glaze invisible under factory light), a sobar ticket, ply-number placement, or adhesive label marks the right side.

5. Bundling

A set number of pieces with all components are tied together. Many sewing rooms use a bundle system (batches of 10, one dozen, two dozen, etc.); teamwork systems may work directly from stacks; unit production systems load parts onto overhead-rail hangers.

6. Bundle ticketing

Every bundle carries a ticket with basic work info. Example fields:

Bundle tickets monitor each garment's progress, ensure correct parts assemble together, compensate operators per piece, and support quality control.

7. Bundle sorting / grouping

Separated, marked, and tied bundles are grouped for the sewing sequence, parts sewn together early in production are tied together.

8. Recutting

If the damage-control method is recutting, bundle processors look for the tissue paper interspersed in a cut bundle before tying, flagging a piece to recut and replace.