How to Measure Garments Button Ligne/ Button Length ?

What is Button Ligne?

A button's ligne, refers to a button's size. The word ligne, is a French word that became the standard reference used by German button manufacturers in the early eighteenth century. Ligne is expressed as “L” which is the internationally recognized standard. Consensus at the time was that a "ligne" measured the inside diameter of a "round wick folded flat." One inch is equal to 40 English ligne, 11 French ligne, and 25.5 mm.

Measuring a button - When measuring buttons, we generally are referring to the diameter of the button.   A one inch diameter is called a 40-ligne, which can also be written as 40 Line or simply 40L.

Button Size Measurement Method in Garments Sector:

To measure the button size, we have to use ligne.

We Know,

1 inch = 25.4 mm = 40L

So, 1L = 0.635 mm

Button Ligne (L) = Button Diameter (mm)/0.635

Example-01:

If the button diameter is 14.20 mm then what will be the size of button?

Solution:

Here,

Button diameter = 14.20 mm,

So,

ButtonLigne(L) = Button Diameter (mm)/0.635

= 14.20 / 0.635

= 22 L

Different Ligne Button Used In Different Garments :

Typically shirt buttons range from 13 ligne on the Collar (if button down), 15 on the Sleeve, and 16 thru 20 ligne are generally used on the placket.  Pant buttons generally have a 22 or 24 ligne on the front closure, and either a 24, 27 or 28 ligne .On the back pockets.  Men’s Tailored Suits generally have a 24-ligne button on the sleeve and pant closure, and a 32 ligne on the Jacket closure, some double breasted suits use a 34 or 36 Ligne.

Button Quantities

Buttons are for the most part priced and sold by the gross or GG. One gross equals 144 individual buttons & also 1 GG equals 1728 individual buttons.  Although some high fashion buttons are priced by the piece or by the dozen, the standard unit we use at is gross.

Button Holes

This is in reference to the number of holes in the button. Buttons can be made with 2 holes, 3- holes, 4-holes and even 5-holes.  Menswear items typically are 4-hole, and Women’s clothing typically has 2-holes.  The button holes are frequently recessed from the edge, forming a “center well”.

How to Measure Sewing Button Size and Quantity in Garments Factory

In garments factory, sewing button size is calculated by three units e.g. in mm (millimeter), inch and ligne in accordance with buyer's instructions.

For finding out Button Size in mm and inch, we need measure the dia of button with measurement tape. To find out Button Size in ligne, we need divide button's mm dia by 0.635.

Button's Dia

Button size calculation : 
1 inches = 40 ligne = 2.54 cm, 

1 ligne = 0.635 mm

Now find out ligne of a button with 10mm Dia?

Answer: 10 ÷ 0.635 = 15.75 ligne or 16 L (L refers to ligne or ligner) 

(Formula: button dia in mm ÷ 0.635= button ligne)

Sewing Buttons

Button quantity calculation:

12 pcs = 1 dozen, 

12 dozen = 1 gross, 

12 gross = 1 GG 

1 GG = 1728 pcs (GG means Great Gross)

Suppose: 
A shirt has 6 buttons, total order quantity 3456 pcs, find out total button quantity for the order.

Answer: 6 × 3456 ÷ 1728 = 12 GG. 

(Formula: number of buttons per product × order quantity ÷ 1728)

(1 GG = 1728 pcs)

Note: Extra quantity (minimum 3%) is added while counting buttons for an order to save garments from risk in case of shortage due to defective & damaged.

Poly Bags Consumption & Costing in Apparel Industries

Most used poly bags in garments industries are PP (polypropylene) poly bags, PE (polyethylene) & LDPE (low density polyethylene), HDPE (high density polyethylene) etc. Basically there’re three different ways to measure poly bags thickness. These are:

(1) Mil (1 mil = 1/1000 of an inch)

(2) Microns (1 microns = 1/1000 of a mm)

(3) Gauge (1 gauge = 1/100000 of an inch)

Conversion, 1 mil = 25 microns = 100 gauge.

Note: Gauge is the most used system of counting poly bags’ thickness worldwide.

Poly Bag

A poly bags having length 30 inches, flap 3 inches, width 16 inches, poly thickness 150 gauge. Now find out weight of 1000 pcs poly bags? Answer: {(30 + 1.5) x 16 x 150 / 3300} = 22.91 KGs for 1000 pcs 

Formula: KGs needed for 1000 pcs poly bags = {(length + half flap) X width X gauge / 3300}

Now, if we want to find out weight of 1 pcs poly bag, then we need divide the outcome with 1000. 

Answer: 22.91 / 1000 = 0.023 KGs. (1 pcs poly bag weight)

Note: You see, I count flap measurement in half (1.5 inches) during calculation because flap is single layer. And length, width of a poly bag is double layer.

Now the question is 1 lbs. polymer price is 0.40 USD, find out cost of 22.91 KGs polymer?Answer: 22.91 x 2.2 x 0.40 = 20.16 USD. (1 KG = 2.2 lbs.) 

A poly bags having length 30 inches, flap 3 inches, width 16 inches, poly thickness 150 gauge. 1 lbs. polymer price is BDT 40. Now find out cost of 1 pcs poly bag? Answer: {(30 + 1.5) x 16 x 150 / 3300 / 1000 x 2.2 x 40} = 2.01 BDT. (Bangladeshi Taka). 

An Overview of Poly Bag Used in Apparel Industry

In the standard format for describing a bag:

• the width of the bag is always taken to be the side that opens, so this is normally, but not necessarily, the shorter side.
• the width of the bag is given before the length.
• the thickness of the bag is given last and is usually expressed in 'gauge' (100 gauge = 1/1000 of an inch).
• hence the size of a bag is given as: Width (inches) x Length (inches) x Thickness (Gauge).

Flat Bags

Ziplock Bags

For example: if a bag is said to be 4" x 6" x 150 gauge then the bag is 4" wide by 6" long with 150 gauge thickness and the bag will open on the 4" width.

How thick is thick?

100 gauge - a 1/1000 of an inch.

120 gauge - 'light duty' - good for protective covering.

250 gauge - 'medium duty' - good for holding light materials.

500 gauge - 'heavy duty' - where strength is required.

Metric and Imperial - a complication!

Most measurements are given in imperial (inches and gauge) but some of us prefer to use metric scales and the conversions are as follows:

1" = 25.4 mm

400 gauge = 100 micron

For example: a 4"x 6" x 150 gauge bag is the same as a 102mm x 152mm x 37.5 micron bag.

Gussets - a complication!

Some bags have a gusset at the sides to help the bag open out more and enable a greater volume of items to be put in - a good example is a refuse sack. Others have a gusset at the bottom to enable a wide product to fit in - a good example is a carrier bag.

Gussted Bags

• A side gusset is expressed as a bag being x" wide opening to y" wide. For example: if a refuse sack is 16 x 25" x 39" this means it is 16" wide opening to 25" wide when the gusset is opened, with a bag length of 39"
• A bottom gusset is expressed as + x". For example: if a carrier bag is 15" x 18" + 3" then the carrier is 15" wide by 18" long with a bottom gusset of 3".

D - Total depth

L - Length

W - Width

We very much hope this helps but if you require any help or have any questions please call 01749373738 and talk to one of our experts!

How to Calculate Minute Cost of Sewing Line in Garments Industry?

Method for Calculating Cost Per Minute of Sewing Line in Garments Industry:

An industrial engineer can easily calculate cost per minute of sewing line in apparel industry by following the two different formulas. Those are in the below:

1. Cost per minute of sewing line,

2. Cost per minute of sewing line,

Now, two examples are enough to clear all the confusions from the above discussion.

Example for the formula number-01:

Suppose, in Nishat garments ltd. total salary of sewing line for one day is 10000taka, no. of manpower’s for 20 machines is 30 and line efficiency is 50%, then calculate cost per minute in 8 working hours of each sewing line for that garments.

Solution:

Here,

Total salary of sewing line for one day = 10000 taka,
Total no. of manpower’s = 30,
Total working hours = 8,
Line efficiency= 50% = 0.5

Now,

Cost per minute of sewing line,

= 1.39 taka

So, cost per minute for each sewing line of nishat garments is 1.39 taka.

Example for the formula number-02:

Suppose, in Abonty fashion ltd. actual salary per day of all the operators and helpers is 15000, total garments produced per day is 400, where standard allowed minutes (SAM) for the garments is 20. Then calculate cost per minute of each sewing line for that garments.

Solution:

Here,

Actual salary per day of all the operators and helpers = 15000,
Total no. of garments produced = 400,
Standard Allowed Minutes (SAM) for the garments = 20

Now,

Cost per minute of sewings line,

= 1.875 taka

So, Cost per minute of sewing line is 1.875 taka.

How to Calculate Line efficiency of Garment Production

Calculation Method for Line Efficiency of a Garment Production:

An industrial engineer has to confirm the following items before starting the calculation method for line efficiency of a garment production:

1. Production output from the line (Pcs),
2. Standard allowed minutes (SAM) for garments,
3. Total number of operators in the line,
4. Total working hours.

Now, by applying all the above items in the below formula, an industrial engineer can easily estimate the line efficiency of a garment production.

Line Efficiency (%),

Now, one example is enough to remove all the confusions from the above discussion.

Example:

In Zara Fashion Ltd. a garment production line produced 300pcs Sweet shirt garments in 45 Standard allowed minutes (SAM) by using 40 operators, where working hours was 8.

Now, estimate the lines efficiency for the mentioned garment production.

Solution:

Here,
Production output from the line- 300pcs
Standard allowed minutes (SAM) for Sweet shirt garments – 45
Total number of operators in the line – 40
Total working hours – 8hrs

Now, by using the following formula, industrial engineer can estimate easily the line’s efficiency of the mentioned garment production.

Line Efficiency (%),

= 70.3%

So, lines efficiency of the mentioned sweet shirt garments production stands at 70.3%

How to Calculate Machine Capacity in Garements Industry?

Machine (hr) Capacity:

Machine (hr) capacity of a garment factory is totally related with number of sewing lines, sewing machines and working hours per day. Its directly proportional to the multiple result of those i.e. number of sewing line, sewing machine and working hours per day.

Sewing machine capacity

Machine Capacity Calculation in Garments Industry:

For calculating machine (hr) capacity in garments industry, we have needed the following information:

1. Sewing line in that factory,
2. Machines in each sewing line,
3. Working hours per day.

Now, by using the below formula, we can easily calculate the machine (hr) capacity in apparel industry.

Machine capacity,

= No. of sewing line in that factory × No. of machines in each sewing line × Working hours per day

Example:

Suppose, Lanny Fashions Ltd. has 10 sewing lines where each sewing line has 20 machines and working hours per day for the factory is 8, then calculate the machine capacity for that factory.

Solution:

Here,

No. of sewing line in that factory= 10
No. of machines in each sewing line= 20
Working hours per day= 8

So,

Machine capacity,

= No. of sewing line in that factory × No. of machines in each sewing line × Working hours per day= 10 × 20 × 8
= 1600hrs.

So, Machine (hr) capacity for the above garments factory is 1600 hrs.