The Pinafore Order
A home-based tailoring unit in Kannur has an order for 60 Class V pinafores for a school. The finished length per pinafore is 1.75 m from 112 cm wide fabric; the cutting layout wastes about 8%. The tailor has two fabric options. Fabric A costs ₹95 per metre, has 4% length shrinkage after the first wash, and colour fastness to washing rated 4–5. Fabric B costs ₹78 per metre, has 7% length shrinkage, and colour fastness rated 3, with noticeable bleeding in the trial wash. The school will pay ₹275 per pinafore for fabric and tailoring combined, and the tailor's other costs (thread, buttons, labour) are ₹70 per pinafore. The school wants delivery in 12 days; the tailor can stitch 6 pinafores a day. The supplier says Fabric A can be delivered in 3 days and Fabric B in 1 day.
1. Calculate the metres of fabric to purchase and the fabric cost per pinafore for Fabric A and Fabric B. Show your working and state which is cheaper on paper.
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Use: metres per pinafore = finished length ÷ (1 − shrinkage) × (1 + waste). The width shrinkage is not used here because the required length is the controlling dimension.
Fabric A: 1.75 ÷ 0.96 = 1.823 m; × 1.08 = 1.969 m per pinafore. For 60: 1.969 × 60 = 118.1 m. Fabric cost: 118.1 × ₹95 = ₹11,220 (approximately). Fabric cost per pinafore: 11,220 ÷ 60 = ₹187.
Fabric B: 1.75 ÷ 0.93 = 1.882 m; × 1.08 = 2.032 m per pinafore. For 60: 2.032 × 60 = 121.9 m. Fabric cost: 121.9 × ₹78 = ₹9,510 (approximately). Fabric cost per pinafore: 9,510 ÷ 60 = ₹158.50.
Conclusion: Fabric B is cheaper on paper by about ₹28.50 per pinafore, or roughly ₹1,710 over the order. That is only a paper comparison; it does not yet account for shrinkage loss, colour bleeding, returns or remaking.
2. The tailor wants to accept Fabric B because it is cheaper and available sooner. Evaluate this decision using quality, cost and delivery constraints. What would you recommend?
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Delivery: 60 ÷ 6 = 10 stitching days. Fabric A gives 3 + 10 = 13 days, one day beyond the 12-day deadline. Fabric B gives 1 + 10 = 11 days, so it meets the deadline comfortably.
Cost: with Fabric A, total cost is ₹11,220 + (60 × ₹70 = ₹4,200) = ₹15,420 against revenue of 60 × ₹275 = ₹16,500, leaving about ₹1,080. With Fabric B, total cost is ₹9,510 + ₹4,200 = ₹13,710, leaving about ₹2,790. On cost alone B wins.
Quality: B has 7% shrinkage and colour fastness rated 3 with visible bleeding. A school uniform is washed repeatedly, often with other clothes. Shrinkage can make the pinafore too short after the first wash, and bleeding can stain white blouses, socks or other uniforms. Remaking even 10 pinafores would wipe out the apparent saving and damage the tailor's reputation.
Recommendation: choose Fabric A and negotiate a one-day extension, or stitch 7 pinafores on two days to recover the day. Do not use B for a school uniform merely because it is cheap. If the school insists on B, pre-shrink and test a sample, reduce the price to cover the risk, and state the colour-fastness limitation in writing. The quality decision should come before the price decision.
3. State three quality checks the tailor should carry out before delivery, and explain what each check prevents.
Read the worked answer
- Wash-and-measure check on a stitched sample: wash one pinafore exactly as the school will wash it, dry it, and measure the length and width against the specification. This catches shrinkage beyond the assumed percentage and prevents size complaints.
- Colour-fastness check: rub a damp white cloth on the fabric and wash a sample with a white cloth. This detects bleeding that could stain other garments or skin and prevents mass returns.
- Construction check: inspect seam strength, seam puckering, button/zip attachment, hem depth and symmetry of the armholes and pleats. This prevents failures during daily wear and gives a professional finish.
A final size check against the school's measurement chart should be done for every size group, not only one pinafore. Record the results so that any complaint can be traced to a batch.