Consistent improvement in the production process will help garment manufacturers save a lot of costs, maximize efficiency and improve product quality faster. Kaizen in garment industry is a highlight that can completely change your garment production system. The clarity in establishing methods and rules in Kaizen can certainly improve the theory beyond that. However, what is Kaizen and what role does it play? What is the importance and steps to implement Kaizen? Follow our sharing below to have the most accurate information about this tool!
What is Kaizen?
Kaizen is a Japanese word compounded by ‘kai’ which means continuous and ‘zen’ which means improvement. This is a well-known Japanese business philosophy when all employees from all parts of the business will work together to achieve common goals, improving the production process. In a sense, this philosophy promotes teamwork to create a powerful engine in the process of business development.
Kaizen in garment industry includes many programs and tools to improve quality and reduce production waste through small but continuous improvements. In which, every business will consider quality as number one, the quality policy must be customer-oriented, satisfying all customers’ wishes. Constantly improving and perfecting quality is one of the important activities of total quality management
Previously, Kaizen was mainly applied in Japanese manufacturing companies such as Toyota, Suzuki, Canon, Honda, etc. After that, Kaizen was gradually applied widely – in all companies in many different fields such as services, business, technology in many countries around the world.
Different Between Kaizen & Western Management
The difference between Kaizen & Western Management
The improvement process in Kaizen often starts with small-scale ideas that yield impressive results over a long period of time. This concept is different from the Innovation that Western businesses often apply: creating big changes, prioritizing immediate breakthroughs. If you want to clearly see the difference between Kaizen & Western Management, you can follow the analysis below:
| Kaizen Management | Western Management |
| Process-oriented management | Result-oriented management |
| Regarding the process of improvement | Relating to innovation in the management process |
| Continuous and gradual process to achieve the best effect | Generally one shot phenomena |
| Gradual approach | The process is fast with a leap forward |
| Non-dramatic and subtle | Dramatic and attention-grabbing |
| Must have everyone’s participation | Participation of selected champions |
Importance of Kaizen In Garment Industry
Apparel manufacturers often implement Kaizen by improving every aspect of the production process by taking it slow and taking it step by step. Staff skills are also gradually developed through training.
Benefits of Kaizen in garment industry
Benefits of Kaizen in garment industry
- All the benefits that Kaizen brings to the production process of the business has made it an indispensable part.
- Accumulate small improvements over a long period of time to create huge results
- Reduce waste, increase productivity in production and business operations such as reducing inventory, substandard goods, waiting & shipping time, hone staff skills, etc.
- Motivate individuals in the business to come up with effective improvement ideas
- Promote teamwork spirit, increase internal cohesion
- Building a corporate culture with thrifty habits and efficiency in every detail
Principles of Kaizen
Refer to the following Kaizen principles to help you and your business use this tool more accurately:
- The company’s most important asset is its human resources
- The development process should be done by gradual improvement instead of rapid, radical change
- Improvements based on process performance evaluation
- Managers are committed to quality and employees can be the main source of improvement
- The meaning of Kaizen is far-reaching even though its system is simply conceived
- The process of implementing Kaizen is a continuous and non-stop process
Rules that should be considered
- In addition to the main principles mentioned above, garment manufacturers can consider some more rules below. It can be of great help to your production.
- Get everyone involved: Everyone should be in attendance for the duration of the event.
- Group Preparation: The participants must be trained to carry out the Kaizen process.
- Detailed planning: An available plan with a properly chosen target will make the attack more effective.
- Continue training Kaizen according to what is needed for the event
- Kaizen training at the right time
- Choose the lean tool that’s right for the job and use it effectively
5 Steps of Kaizen
Kaizen in garment industry brings many benefits and plays an important role. However, the manufacturer who implements those values needs to know the steps to achieve those values. If you are interested, you can follow the shares below:
Step 1: Determine the current situation
To start the Kaizen process, the most important step is to define the current situation. It helps businesses gain insight into existing processes and dependencies. You need to identify the activities that are involved in the new product development process. After observing the first process, you need to define value-added, mandatory non-value-added and non-value-added. The more questions you create, the more clearly you will see the current situation.
Step 2: Plan and prepare
Next, the producer should plan and prepare the necessary things for the Kaizen process:
- Determine the exact area to deploy Kaizen
- After determining the most suitable department, it is necessary to focus on the issue of “eliminating waste” in this department
- Build a cross-functional team as soon as the area and problem are identified
- The whole team needs to be aware of the company’s improvement process before training to make the process of acquiring training smoother
- Depending on the length of the process and the severity of the problem, the Kaizen process can take anywhere from 1 to 7 days.
Step 3: Implement Kaizen
After the first preparations have been completed, we will officially enter the main stage:
- Define and understand the “current state” of the targeted process
- Team members need to have a clear understanding of the common problem they are aiming to solve
- Indispensable 5 questions to help you understand the root causes of the problem
- Proceed to eliminate non-value-adding elements in the target process
- Team members will conduct observations, find out why and analyze the waste that is occurring
- Attractive and effective proposals will be made
Step 4: Follow up
- Once we have implemented and made a compelling proposal, the most important thing is to observe.
- Observe to ensure that the improvements are not just one point in time and are completely consistent.
- Track performance like a habit to record benefits
- Kaizen events will be run continuously for the next 30 to 90 days after the first event to evaluate performance and determine consistent change.
- Employees in the goal process must give feedback and ideas
Step 5: Implement 5S
5S implements intuitive control methods to maintain a productive workspace when problems arise. This tool makes the process easier to identify:
- Series (SORT): Sort, remove unnecessary things, can be sold or reused.
- Seiton (SET IN ORDER): Conduct a scientific and reasonable arrangement of products according to the criteria of easy to find, easy to see, easy to get, easy to return.
- Seiso (STANDARDIZE): The warehouse space is regularly cleaned and organized with regularly maintained and neatly arranged items.
- Seiketsu (SUSTAINT): Always check, and maintain the 3S standard above.
- Shitsuke (SELF-DISCIPLINE): Train, create a habit, order, and style for everyone in the enterprise to implement 5S.
Conclusion
Kaizen in the garment industry will certainly bring great results for manufacturers in solving problems at certain parts of the production process. This method’s gradual and continuous change will certainly lead to more stable and sustainable results. Hopefully, our sharing here can help you better understand Kaizen.