How to Track Yarn Lots in Hosiery Manufacturing

Why yarn lots matter in hosiery

Yarn from different lots can differ slightly in count, twist or shade. If two lots are mixed in the same article, the difference may only show after dyeing or washing — when it is too late to fix cheaply. That is why most hosiery manufacturers try to keep an order or colour on a single yarn lot.

Doing that reliably requires knowing which lots are in stock, how much of each is left, and where yarn from each lot has gone.

Where yarn lot tracking usually breaks down

• Lot numbers are written on the purchase bill but not carried into the stock register.
• Yarn issued to knitting or a job worker is recorded by weight only, without the lot.
• Returns and leftover yarn come back unlabelled and are added to general stock.
• Physical stock is counted by bag, while the register is maintained in kg.

A simple yarn lot tracking process

Whether you use software or not, the process needs the same steps:

• Record the lot number, count, supplier and weight at the time of receipt.
• Issue yarn against a production order, always mentioning the lot.
• Record receipts of fabric or pieces against the same lot so process loss can be measured.
• Return leftover yarn to stock under its original lot.
• Review lot-wise balances regularly instead of only total yarn stock.

How ERP software helps

In hosiery ERP software, the lot is captured once at purchase and then carried through every issue, receipt and return. Stock reports can be seen lot-wise and party-wise, so you know how much of a lot is in the godown and how much is with each knitting unit or job worker.

Because issues and receipts are linked to production orders, the system can also show the yield and process loss for each lot, which helps when negotiating with job workers or suppliers.

Getting started

Start by recording lots for new purchases only, rather than trying to reconstruct old stock. Within a few weeks, most of the yarn in use will be lot-tracked. Marc Infotech’s hosiery ERP, built on Marc ERP with Marc Track for production tracking, supports this lot-wise approach for manufacturers in Ludhiana and across Punjab.