How Cotton Becomes Clothing in a Factory

Clothes are made from cotton in factories through a series of well-defined steps that transform raw cotton into finished garments. Here’s a detailed overview of the process—especially useful if you’re reviewing production for kids clothing manufacturing services, where softness, safety, and consistency matter more than most categories.

If you want the wider manufacturing context (how mills, processes, and production stages connect end-to-end), refer to the fashion manufacturing knowledge base.

Step 1: Cultivating and Harvesting Cotton

Cultivation: Cotton plants are grown in fields, and cotton bolls are harvested once they mature.
Ginning: The harvested cotton is sent to ginning factories, where seeds are removed from the fiber.

Step 2: Spinning (Converting Fiber into Yarn)

Cleaning: The raw cotton is cleaned to remove dirt, seeds, and impurities.
Carding: Cotton fibers are aligned and formed into thin sheets called slivers.
Combing: Optional, but combing removes shorter fibers, ensuring stronger, finer yarn.
Drawing: Multiple slivers are combined and drawn to ensure uniformity.
Spinning: The slivers are twisted and spun into yarn using machines like ring frames or open-end spinners.

When cotton is intended for garments worn close to the skin, mills often pay extra attention to fiber cleanliness and yarn uniformity. For a practical view of cotton standards and organic cotton frameworks, see NPOP & NOP organic cotton guidance.

Step 3: Weaving or Knitting (Creating Fabric)

Warping: Long yarns are prepared for weaving by arranging them parallel.
Weaving: Yarns are interlaced using looms (manual or power looms) to create woven fabric.
Alternatively, Knitting: Knitting involves interlooping yarns to create stretchable fabric.
Inspecting: The fabric is inspected for defects and imperfections.

Step 4: Fabric Processing

Dyeing and Printing:
- Fabric is dyed in large vats to achieve desired colors.
- Printing adds patterns or designs using techniques like screen printing or digital printing.
Finishing: Processes like washing, mercerizing, and softening enhance texture and durability.
Cutting and Measuring: Fabrics are cut into required lengths for garment production.

Step 5: Garment Manufacturing

Designing:
- Patterns are designed and templates are made based on clothing styles.
Cutting:
- Layers of fabric are cut into shapes as per the patterns using manual or automated cutters.
Sewing:
- Cut pieces are stitched together using industrial sewing machines.
- Special machines are used for operations like hemming, buttoning, and attaching zippers.
Quality Inspection:
- Finished garments are checked for defects in stitching, fitting, and finishing.

If you want a simple, factory-level explanation of what “a clothing manufacturer” actually covers across this stage (patterns, cutting, stitching, QC), read what a clothing manufacturing company does.

Step 6: Final Processing

Washing: Garments may be washed to remove residues and enhance softness.
Ironing and Pressing: Clothes are pressed for a neat, finished appearance.
Packaging: Garments are folded, tagged, and packed for shipment.

Step 7: Distribution

Logistics: Finished products are transported to retailers, wholesalers, or directly to customers.
Retail: Garments are displayed and sold in stores or online.

Summary Diagram

Cotton → Yarn → Fabric → Garments → Packaging → Retail

This process is streamlined in large-scale textile factories to produce high volumes efficiently.

Sources

About the Author

Karthik Shan is the CEO of Synerg, a Tirupur-based apparel sourcing and manufacturing partner working with certified factories across India.

With over two decades of hands-on experience in export-oriented clothing production, he works closely with global brands, importers, and private labels on product development, factory coordination, quality control, compliance management, and scalable manufacturing execution.

How clothes are made step by step from cotton in factories?