Difference Between Apparel & Garment

1. Definition:

Apparel: Apparel refers to clothing in general, covering all types of wearable items, including both formal and casual clothes. It represents the broader concept of the clothing industry, which involves all types of clothes worn by people.

Garment: Garment is more specific than apparel and refers to a single item of clothing. It is a finished product that is ready to be worn, typically created from fabric through processes like cutting, stitching, and embellishing.

2. Purpose:

Apparel: The main purpose of apparel is to serve as a broad category of clothing that meets functional needs (e.g., comfort, warmth, protection) while also fulfilling aesthetic desires (fashion, style).

Garment: The purpose of a garment is to provide a specific piece of clothing that fulfills the purpose of protection, coverage, and styling. It is a product designed for personal use or fashion.

3. Characteristics:

Apparel: Includes a variety of clothing items (both upper and lower body). Encompasses different categories like casual wear, formal wear, activewear, sleepwear, etc. Can include accessories and outerwear.

Garment: Refers to an individual piece of clothing. Can be any item such as shirts, pants, skirts, or jackets. Focuses on a single piece rather than the entire collection.

4. Properties:

Apparel: Can be made from a range of materials like cotton, polyester, leather, wool, etc. Covers all types of designs from functional workwear to high-end fashion. Generally produced in large volumes (mass production).

Garment: Garments are made from specific fabrics (could include the same as apparel). Designed and crafted with a focus on functionality and style for a particular purpose. Can be both mass-produced and custom-made (like designer garments).

5. Example:

Apparel Example: A fashion line includes apparel like skirts, dresses, blouses, suits, scarves, and shoes.

Garment Example: A blue denim jacket, a white cotton shirt, or a formal tuxedo are garments.

6. Flow Chart:

Flowchart: Apparel vs Garment

Apparel

Casual Wear

T-shirts

Jeans

Shorts

Formal Wear

Suits

Dresses

Skirts

Activewear

Yoga Pants

Tops

Accessories

Hats

Scarves

Garment

Tops

Shirts

Blouses

Bottoms

Pants

Skirts

Outerwear

Jackets

Coats

7. Advantages and Disadvantages:

Apparel:

• Covers a wide range of clothing needs.
• Includes fashion as well as functional wear.
• Popular in the fashion industry, making it a large and diverse market.

Apparel:

• Can be a broad term, making it difficult to pinpoint a specific item.
• May be subject to fast fashion trends, leading to overproduction.

Garment:

• Specific to individual clothing items, making it easier to understand and describe.
• Can be both functional and fashionable.

Garment:

• Limited scope, focusing only on individual items of clothing.
• May not be sufficient to describe the entire clothing line or industry.