Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for home textile manufacturers.
A checklist built from how home textile manufacturers work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Buyer programmes and purchase orders
- Lab dip and sample approvals
- Fabric inspection and cutting
- Sewing and towel lines
- Set completion before packing
- Labels, cartons and buyer inspection
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- Merchandiser
- Production manager
- Dye house and processing
- Packing and shipping
- Quality inspectors
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Pieces cut, sewn and packed by programme and colour
- Sets complete and sets short by item
- Dye lots and approvals by order
- Towel weight checks by lot
- Outside unit pieces sent against returned
- Rejects and rework by section
- Shipments by container and delivery window
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- Accounting export
- Barcode or label printer
- Roll inspection machine data
- Messaging for buyer updates
- Shipping documents export
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Is it for made-ups only or for the whole chain?
- How does it know a set is complete?
- Where do lab dip approvals live?
- Can it check towel weight?
- Does it print the buyer’s carton marks?
- How are outside printing and washing tracked?
- Can buyers see progress?
- Can we start with existing orders?
- How is it priced?
- Will a small unit find it heavy?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Set composition is checked at packing
- Approvals are given by email
- Towel weights drift
- Labels and cartons carry the wrong data
- Outside processes disappear from view
Prefer to talk it through? See the home textile manufacturers page.