Marker Efficiency: The Formula and What Drives It
Marker efficiency is fabric utilization: the percentage of the total fabric in a marker that actually ends up as garment parts. Everything outside the pattern pieces is waste. Because fabric is 60–70% of garment cost, a few points of marker efficiency is real margin. This is the formula, the four things that move it, and the utilization benchmarks factories aim for.
The formula
Marker efficiency (%) = (Area of pattern pieces ÷ Area of marker) × 100The tighter the pattern pieces nest together, the higher the percentage. Marker-making software calculates this automatically; without it, each piece's area can be measured with a planimeter, a mechanical device that computes area as you trace the outline.
Marker Efficiency: The Formula and What Drives It
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