Sourcing Semester Plan

All 10 sourcing stages, placed in the four-semester curriculum

The free curriculum teaches the theory; the free sourcing guide is where you apply it. This page pairs the two, so each semester has sourcing work you can practise on a real style while you study. Follow it in order, or jump to the semester you are in.

1. Semester 16-8 weeks3 sourcing stages

   Quality foundations

   Semester 1 teaches how a garment is specified, measured and inspected. Those are exactly the sourcing stages where a vague specification turns into an argument later, so practise them first.

   Sourcing stages to practise

   1. Stage 1 · FreeFabric and fibre selectionFix the construction and test requirements before you ask for a price.
   2. Stage 2 · FreePattern, marker and fabric consumptionKnow your real fabric cost before you negotiate a garment price.
   3. Stage 8 · FreeQuality standards and inspectionAgree the pass or fail rule before the first carton is packed.

   Practice work this semester

   • Write one complete fabric specification with construction, GSM, width, test methods and acceptance limits
   • Request a marker plan and restate consumption per garment for your own size ratio
   • Draft the inspection rules you would apply to the first shipment of that style

   Self-marked evidence

   One specification pack for a single style: fabric spec, consumption note and inspection rules, each written in language a mill or factory could quote against.

   Semester 1 studies
2. Semester 28-10 weeks3 sourcing stages

   Operations, costing and data

   Semester 2 covers standard minutes, line balance and costing. These are the numbers behind a quotation, so use them to rebuild prices and judge whether a factory can actually take the order.

   Sourcing stages to practise

   1. Stage 3 · FreeCost estimation and quotation build-upRebuild the quoted price line by line so you know what you are actually paying for.
   2. Stage 4 · FreeMachinery, needles, thread and trimsMatch the seam engineering to the machines and trims that actually exist on the line.
   3. Stage 5 · FreeFactory capability and order flowCheck the factory can actually run your product, at your quantity, on your dates.

   Practice work this semester

   • Rebuild a quoted garment price line by line from your own consumption and SMV
   • List the machinery and trims the style needs and check they exist on the proposed line
   • Assess one factory's capability against your delivery window and quality requirement

   Self-marked evidence

   A one-page cost build-up plus a capability note naming the machines, trims and weekly capacity the style requires.

   Semester 2 studies
3. Semester 310-12 weeks2 sourcing stages

   Compliance and sustainability

   Semester 3 is about what buyers audit and what the paperwork must prove. Compliance and contract drafting are the sourcing stages that carry that burden.

   Sourcing stages to practise

   1. Stage 9 · FreeSustainability and complianceVerify environmental and traceability claims with evidence, not marketing.
   2. Stage 6 · FreeContract and purchase order draftingWrite down every technical decision you have made so it is enforceable, not remembered.

   Practice work this semester

   • Map the certificates, audits and test reports your buyer would ask for and who holds each one
   • Draft the commercial and quality clauses of a manufacturing agreement using the free toolkit templates

   Self-marked evidence

   A compliance evidence list with named holders and expiry dates, and a marked-up draft agreement showing the clauses you would not sign without.

   Semester 3 studies
4. Semester 412 weeks2 sourcing stages

   Improvement and leadership

   Semester 4 is improvement and leadership: managing money, risk and buyer relationships over repeat orders rather than one shipment.

   Sourcing stages to practise

   1. Stage 7 · FreePayment terms and trade financeAgree who carries the risk at each step, and tie every payment to a verifiable event.
   2. Stage 10 · FreeExporters, buyers and market entryMatch your product to the right export partner or buyer channel.

   Practice work this semester

   • Compare two payment structures and state the risk each side carries under your Incoterm
   • Build a short buyer or market brief and decide which supplier you would develop for repeat business

   Self-marked evidence

   A payment and risk note for one order, plus a supplier development plan for the next season.

   Semester 4 studies