Bill of Materials (BOM)

A Bill of Materials (BOM) in fashion is a structured document listing every input required to manufacture a finished garment — from the main fabric to the last button thread. It is the definitive reference document for costing, material procurement, and production management.

Components of a garment BOM:

1. Shell Fabric:

• Fabric name and composition
• Colour (Pantone or swatch reference)
• Width (typically 44"–60")
• Consumption per garment (meters)
• GSM/weight

2. Lining/Interlining:

• Type (fusible, non-fusible, woven, non-woven)
• Consumption per garment
• Placement (collar, cuffs, full body)

3. Trims:

• Buttons (size, material, colour, quantity per garment)
• Zippers (type, length, colour, brand)
• Hooks and bars (size, quantity)
• Elastic (width, type, meters)
• Thread (colour, type, denier)

4. Labels and Packaging:

• Brand label (woven/printed, size)
• Care label (mandated by BIS in India)
• Size label
• Hang tag and string
• Poly bag or garment bag
• Folding board/tissue paper

5. Embellishments (if applicable):

• Embroidery thread (colour, weight)
• Sequins/beads (per garment count)
• Prints (placement, colours)

Creating a BOM:

BOM format options:

• Excel/Google Sheets: Most common, easy to share
• Tech pack software (Techpacker, Backbone): Integrated with designs
• ERP systems (as you scale): Full production management

What to specify for each item:

• Item name and description
• Supplier name (preferred)
• Supplier code/article number
• Unit of measure (meters, pieces, kg, set)
• Consumption per garment
• Total quantity needed (with buffer)
• Unit price
• Total cost

BOM-driven costing formula:

• Total material cost + CMT cost + overhead + desired margin = selling price
• Work backwards from target retail price to validate margin

A well-built BOM reveals your true cost per garment:

Example BOM (basic cotton kurta):

Target retail price: ₹2,500–3,000 (3–3.6× manufacturing cost).