Here’s a collection of the most common ones we use.
Berry Amendment / Berry Compliance
According to the US Department of Commerce, “The Berry Amendment is a statutory requirement that restricts the Department of Defense (DoD) from using funds appropriated or otherwise available to DoD for procurement of food, clothing, fabrics, fibers, yarns, other made-up textiles, and hand or measuring tools that are not grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States.”
In other words, products purchased by the DoD, especially those related to textiles, are required to be 100% sourced and manufactured in the United States. LJDM frequently works with customers seeking Berry compliance. We have strong partnerships with US material manufacturers and all of our operations including administrative and manufacturing, are from our Brookfield, WI location.
FDA Registered Medical Device Contractor
A company that manufactures medical devices on behalf of another company (the original equipment manufacturer / OEM) and is registered with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This ensures that they follow FDA regulations for medical device manufacturing. LJDM is a registered medical device contractor.
First Article for Inspection (FAI)
This is the process of validating the manufacturing and production process. This confirms that the first article produced meets all of the specifications and is an important step in quality control. Depending on if the customer approves or rejects the first article, revisions will be made or the production process will continue to the next phase.
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)
The fewest number of units that can be sold in a single order. For LJDM, this varies depending on the nature of the product. Your quote will include MOQ information.
Non-recurring Engineering (NRE)
A one-time expense for developing, designing, improving, or preparing a new product for manufacturing.
Sourcing
The act of researching, finding, evaluating, and dd materials and suppliers that meet the specifications for a particular project. Materials may include a variety of textiles, hardware components, adhesives, and more.
Technical Package (Tech Pack)
A collection of documents, technical drawings, and specifications that provide all the information needed to manufacture your product. LJDM doesn’t require customers to provide this information, however, it is very helpful if available.
Smart Textiles
Smart textiles are materials that have embedded electronic elements. This may include sensors, actuators, or conductive fibers. Smart textiles can be found in the healthcare industry, athletics, and more.
Soft Goods
Products made from flexible materials such as fabrics, textiles, leathers, and some plastics are considered soft goods.
Upholstery
The use of fabric to cover padding and other materials to make a soft covering.
Stitch Types/Sewing Machine Types
Industrial Sewing Machines
This type of sewing machine is designed to run at higher speeds for longer periods of time to provide productivity for mass production of sewn soft goods. There are many specialized versions of industrial sewing machines to perform specific stitches.
- Single-needle lockstitch
A single-needle machine uses one needle and one bobbin thread to create straight stitches. This is the most common mechanical stitch made by a sewing machine and creates a smooth seam that doesn’t pucker. It uses one needle and two threads, an upper and lower thread, which lock together in the fabric and prevent either thread from pulling out of the material. - Double-needle lockstitch
A double-needle machine creates two parallel stitches simultaneously for reinforcement or decorative effects. This is ideal for heavy-duty or high-visibility seams. - Overlock Serger
A serger trims and overlocks fabric edges, preventing fraying and providing clean, professional seams. This is a finishing stitch that sews over the edge of a material to make an edging, decorative hemming or seaming. - Single Needle Cylinder Bed
This stitch is used to sew tubular materials such as bags, handbags, wallets and shoes. - Zig-zag Stitch
This stitch zig-zags back and forth and is used on stretchy fabrics and to reinforce buttonholes. - Cover Stitch
This is a double or triple stitch used for hemming knit fabrics and seams that stretch. One side of the stitch displays two parallel lines, while the underside connects the parallel lines with a zig-zag pattern. - Blind Stitch
This is an unseen stitch that is used in hems or joining two pieces of fabrics. The stitch is usually hidden within the fold of the fabric and only visible when the folded material is pulled apart. - Box X
This stitch is a box with an X through the middle and is usually used to attached straps to bags. - Mauser Stitch
This is a type of flatlock-stitch that can be executed by a specialized machine, forming the thread into a flat, interlocking pattern, which is incredibly durable. - Bartack
Bartack machines apply dense, short stitches to reinforce areas that experience high stress, such as belt loops or strap attachments—a crucial step for durability. This is a series of extremely close stitches that are used to reinforce garment areas subject to stress or additional wear. Such areas usually include pocket openings, button holes, tucks, and pleats. - Walking Foot Sewing Machine
A walking foot machine evenly feeds both the top and bottom fabric layers, preventing shifting or puckering. This is critical for thick or multi-layered materials. - Computerized Pattern Stitcher
Computerized stitchers provide precise, repeatable sewing patterns, often on straps, logos, and complex designs—resulting in exceptional accuracy. - CNC Sewing Machines
Fully programmable sewing machines that allows for consistency and high precision.
Cutting
- Hot & Cold Strip Cutting
Time-saving, semi-automatic solution for cutting materials such as webbing, binding, straps, and Velcro® - CNC Cutting Machines
Through the use of special software, engineers are able to program this machine to cut special patterns and shapes, quickly, efficiently, and precisely. - Die Cutting / Die Press
The use of a custom-shaped die (metal blade) to cut out specific shapes in a textile. This is especially useful for natural textiles such as leather. Because the hides come in a variety of shapes, the die press operator is able to manually place the dies for optimal use and minimal waste. Die cutting also allows for very precise, clean cuts.
Hardware
- Snaps
A small, four-piece fastener set that allows materials to be snapped together. Snaps are inserted into the material with either a manual kick press or automatic snap machine. - Grommets
A two-piece metal or plastic eyelet used to protect a hole in a material. The grommet serves as a way to help drain, cinch or attach points on the material and are created with an automatic grommet machine. - Rivets
A short metal bolt that is pressed down to fasten two pieces of material together, reinforcing its stress points.