Growing up in a the house of a tailor is not the same as other kids. All my clothing was tailor-made. I didn't own my first pair of jeans until I purchased them myself at 17. Almost all of the adults, spare family members I knew were tailors who worked in 'the business". While other kids' dads had workshops in the garage, we had a mini design studio complete with a cutting table, sewing machine (Singer 241 "blackhead"), pressing iron & table, and pattern paper.
So it should have come as no surprise that I chose to follow in dad's footsteps and get into the business. Heck, my father once said to me "People will always need clothing.". After high school I attended PCT&S. In addition to the core ed classes I studied topics like Time & Motion Study, Quality Control, Production Planning and Designing. I did my co-ops at different clothing factories in Philadelphia.
My instructors used both practical and real life experiences in their lessons, all referring to the industry as "the rag business", and all exuded the same passion for the industry.
When I graduated I didn't take time off. I jumped in the deep end accepting a position at one of the factories where I did my co-op as a Plant Engineer/Assistant Production Manager. While other friends and family members were working in offices, I was on the production floor learning product flow and quality standards. My new teachers were gentlemen from Italy, Greece, Germany and Portugal. Our staff was from working class families from similar countries as my teachers, or from the surrounding communities. All working for a common goal aside from supporting their families; to make a product that they were proud of.
As time passed and factories shuttered because of less expensive imports or changing fashion trends I always discovered the same underlying tone along my career journey. Each factory was like a small family and no matter what I was making, the industry was referred to as "the rag business".
In my blog I will be applying both practical information and real life experiences. And hopefully instilling the same passion for the industry to my readers that I still feel to this day.
Also, my blogs should be used as a guide and not taken as the ultimate standard.
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy reading my blogs as much I enjoy writing it.
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