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Imaging Fabrics Helps Martin Greenfield Grow
Made-to-Measure Business
Martin
Greenfield Clothiers has added computer-aided design technology to keep up with
increased demand for its private-label, made-to-measure suits at Nieman Marcus
and Brooks Brothers, as well as those sold under its own label at Saks Fifth
Avenue and at Paco's Custom Clothiers.
It should be no surprise that its products are in such high demand; in a market
where $3,000 off-the-rack suits are selling very well, Martin Greenfield
Clothiers is making an extraordinary offer: the made-to-measure suits for
anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.
Where many CAD implementations have been made with cost savings in mind, that is
not the goal of this initiative. Alan Flusser, a tailored clothing designer and
author of several books on the subject, said owner Martin Greenfield's emphasis
on quality over cost is admirable.
"Although with most advances in technology, there is cost savings or
eliminations of the human element, Marty would never add technology to reduce
overhead, but only to maintain or enhance quality."
The Brooklyn-based company has also become the beta test site for new cutting
system that allows fabrics with pinstripes and plaids to be cut automatically
from computer files that contain individualized measurements.
Stripe and plaid cutting is an operation traditionally performed by hand --
specifically, by the hand of a cutter with years of experience. In high-end
suits, the transition from one piece of fabric to the next on shoulders, collars
and pockets must appear to be truly seamless.
In charge of the CAD project is Tod Greenfield, the company's vice-president and
chief information officer: Greenfield explained that the system utilizes a
single-ply cutter designed for made-to-measure manufacturing. That system works
in conjunction with image-matching software that captures a digital image of the
fabric, incorporates its detail -- plaids, stripes, other patterns -- into the
pieces as the marker is being planned. The system test seam joints in virtual
reality, and thus ensures that the pieces being cut will match exactly.
Both the single-ply cutter and the image-matching software are from Lectra
Systèmes, Paris.
Jay Greenfield, executive vice-president and Martin Greenfield's elder son,
noted that the company's objective is to increase quality and capacity. " My
father has never been against technology -- Just for quality," he said.
"Our sales are growing and we used to be limited in how many special orders we
could cut every week, by comparison to stock orders. We have been hesitant to
take on new customers because it would slow down production. But this new
technology will allow us to increase special orders by 20 percent to 25 percent
next year."
"The major craftsmanship that goes into our clothing is in the sewing," added
Tod Greenfield. "the cutting end is really just a technical endeavor, and lends
itself to automation because of the accuracy and repeatability that is
achievable with today's technology."
Adding CAD will also permit keeping track of the customer's weight losses or
gains. "Every time a customer reorders, we make the store take certain basic
measurements," Tod Greenfield explained. "We can see the difference in the
customer's shape based on those measurements."
As the fabric for a Greenfield suit can cost upward of $700 a yard, the idea is
to avoid mistakes that might result in a return.
"This system can match or even improve on a
hand-cut garment in subtle ways," Tod Greenfield explained. "For example, we cut
the lining to match the pattern in the fitting operation, but when we do it by
hand, we cut the left and right pieces together. With the single-ply cutter, we
can cut the lining open and can lower the left shoulder - if that's where the
asymmetry lies. Being able to cut the lining with the same discrimination as we
cut the cloth adds something to the process."
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