Trimmings and Accessories Used in Apparel Industry:
In apparel manufacturing process, fabric is the main raw material. It is impossible to make apparel only with fabric. To make complete apparel different types of secondary materials are used. These secondary materials are known trimmings and accessories.
What are Trimmings and Accessories?
Trimmings: To produce or make apparel the components (excluding main fabric) which are attached with apparel by sewing or alternative method of joining are called as trimmings.
It’s attached with the body of apparel by sewing. It is used for functional purposes.
Example: Sewing thread, Button, Zipper, Label, Interlining, Lining, Appliqué, Seguin, Stone, etc.
Accessories: To produce or make apparel the components (excluding main fabric) which are attached with apparel for finishing purpose or packing purpose is called accessories.
It is not directly attached with the body of apparel by sewing, only used for finishing and packing purpose.
Basically, accessories are used for decorative purposes and trimmings are used as functional purposes.
Example: Poly Bag, Safety Pin, Al pin, Neck Bord, Carton, Tissue Paper, Price Tag, etc.
List of Trimmings and Accessories Used in Apparel Industry:
| List of all Trimmings in Apparels | List of all Accessories in Apparels |
1. Sewing Thread
| 1. Hanger |
| 2. Button | 2. Hangtag |
3. Zipper:
| 3. Size Tag |
| 4. Rivet | 4. Tissue Paper |
| 5. Motif | 5. Collar Stand |
| 6. Lining | 6. Back board |
| 7. Interlining | 7. Neck board |
| 8. Stopper | 8. Paper Band |
| 9. Lace | 9. Pin/ Clip |
| 10. Braid | 10. Tag Pin |
| 11. Elastics | 11. Poly Bag |
12. Label
| 12. Elastic Bag |
| 13. Shoulder Pad | 13. Mini Poly Bag |
| 14. Hook & Loop | 14. Gum tape |
| 15. Twill Tape | 15. Scotch tape |
| 16. Velco tape | 16. P.P. Band |
| 17. Pom Pom | 17. Carton Pad |
| 18. Wadding | 18. Master Cartoon |
| 19. Ribbon | 19. Inner Cartoon |
| 20. Fusing Material | 20. Outer Cartoon |
| 21. Crochet | 21. Iron Seal |
| 22. Wadding | 22. Tarpaulin Paper |
| 23. Metal Badge | 23. Carton Sticker |
| 24. Down | 24. Safety Sticker |
| 25. String/ Draw Cord | 25. Arrow Sticker |
| 26. Piping Cord | 26. Size Sticker |
| 27. Cord Bell | 27. Numbering Stickers |
| 28. Emblem | 28. Butterfly |
| 29. Swivel Hook | 29. Both side tape |
| 30. Eyelet/ Grommet | 30. Plastic Staple |
| 31. Collar stay | 31. Barcode |
| 32. Buckle | 32. Ball Chain |
| 33. Weaving Belt | 33. Silica Gel, etc |
| 34. Cable (Steel ware) | |
| 35. Adjuster | |
| 36. Recco, etc |
Difference between Trimmings and Accessories:
In apparel industry, trimmings and accessories are very important to make an apparel aesthetic, functional and commercially acceptance. But trimmings and accessories are not same. There function and looks are completely different. The difference between trimmings and accessories will be discussed about trimmings and accessories in below:
| Topics | Trimmings | Accessories |
| Technical Definition | To produce or make apparel the components (excluding main fabric) which are attached with apparel by sewing or alternative method of joining are called as trimmings. | To produce or make apparel the components (excluding main fabric) which are attached with apparel for finishing purpose or packing purpose is called accessories. |
| Non-Technical Definition | Trimmings are the ultimate materials that are attached with apparel while using by the end users. | Accessories are the ultimate materials that are not attached with apparel while using by the end users. |
| Purposes | Uses as functional purposes. | Uses as decorative purposes. |
| Example | Sewing thread, Button, Zipper, Label, Interlining, Lining, Applique, Seguin, Stone, etc. | Poly Bag, Safety Pin, Al pin, Neck Bord, Carton, Tissue Paper, Price Tag, etc. |
Basic trimmings and accessories used for making apparel
Trimmings and Accessories used for making a shirt:
A. List of Trimmings for Shirt:
2. Sewing thread (40/2 or 40/3 or 50/3): Matching color
3. Label:
- main label
- size label
- care label
- price label and
- composition label
4. Button: Plastic or wooden or horn
5. Motif
B. List of Accessories for Shirt:
- Neck board
- Back board
- Collar insert: Usually plastic
- Hang tang
- Tag ping
- Price tick
- Tissue paper
- Poly bag
- Butter flies, etc.
Trimmings and Accessories used for making a pant:
A. List of Trimmings for Pant:
- Pocketing: Extra fabric required for preparing pockets.
- Fusible interlining
- Zipper (seven to eight and half inch): Made of nylon or brass
- Sewing thread (40/2 or 40/3 or 50/3): Matching color
- Label: Main label, size label, care label
- Hooks
- Button (24L to 28L): Metal, plastic or wooden
B. List of Accessories for Pant:
- Accessories
- Hang tags
- Tag pins
- Price tickets
- Tissue papers
- Poly bags
Conclusion:
Trimmings and accessories in the apparel are very important to make apparel aesthetic, functional and commercially acceptance. Trimmings are used to enhance apparel. It is visible parts of the apparel that can be used to increase hanger appeal, provide product differentiation, and relate to current fashion trends. At the same time, Accessories are used as decorative purpose to be selected and applied to enhance the aesthetic appeal of apparel. In a brief, functional trimmings and decorative accessories are an inevitable part of the apparel structure.
Author of this Article:
Md. Mahedi Hasan
B.Sc. in Textile Engineering
Textile Engineering College, Noakhali.
Email: mh18.bd@gmail.com
