Abstract:
The clothing sector of Sri Lanka is highly export oriented and dependent on the developments
in the international market and trade practices. If Sri Lanka is to compete effectively in the
international market, more effort should be taken in improving the quality of products whilst
maintaining cost effectiveness. To increase the quality and productivity of the garment
industry, an increasingly important objective, it has become imperative to find fabric and
thread combinations that can be sewed at high speed without producing defects. Sewing is
one of the ancient human activities that is difficult to automate because there are too many
variables with wide parameters. Producing a quality garment, for instance, requires the choice
of thread and fabric, selection of proper stitch size, thread tension and the ability to
compensate the abrasion of material.