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Fabric Supplier's Barcoding Instructions

Instruction for Fabric Suppliers to Barcode Shipments

[click here to download the PDF version]


Background
In order to automate textile distribution and improve efficiency at warehouse level, each roll must be barcoded with a unique identifier at the factory. There are two methods for complying with buyer's request for sellers to barcode shipments at origin. Both methods are discussed in this article.


Questions and Support

This article is generated by Mod2 Inc. in Los Angeles, California (USA) to help textile importers communicate their barcode needs with their factories. Feel free to contact Mod2 via email (support@mod2.com) for questions about what is involved to barcode and for quality assuring stickers and shipments prior to leaving factories.

 

Terminology

DPL   Detailed Packing List
A Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet formatted where each roll is on a row.
Seller generated.
Cell B1 is reserved for PO number from buyer to seller.
Column D is reserved for GUID Serial number.
Column H is reserved for Quantity (yards or meters).
 
Data Matrix   See data matrix barcode technology specs from Wikipedia.
 
Buyer   Textile importer or distributor purchasing the fabric.
 
Seller   Mill or Supplier producing the fabric.
 
GUID   Set of base-36 alphanumeric characters generated by buyer and assigned to seller. (i.e. 1DQ5A to 1DZ91)
GUID's are guaranteed to be unique among all textile importers forever.
 
GUID Sticker   A buyer generated barcode sticker representing a GUID, see figure 2.

 

Method A - Seller Generated GUID Stickers

Seller is supplied a range of GUID's via email from the buyer. In the email, seller is advised of the range of GUIDs to use for upcoming shipments. Seller is to label each roll with the information such as the PO#, Style, Color, Lot, Roll#, Box#, Description, Width, AND in addition, place a 2D data matrix barcode representing the GUID for each roll. This is the recommended method for sellers and factories capable of generating 2D barcodes on their own.

Example Roll Tag from Seller


Figure 1.

Example Email from Mod2


Figure 2.

 

Method B - GUID Stickers

This is the recommended method for sellers that are not capable of generating a 2D barcode sticker. Buyer will supply seller with ready-made GUID Stickers. Seller will label each roll with 2 stickers at factory.

Sticker 1 - Seller's own sticker or tag representing the PO#, Style#, Color, Lot#, Box#, Quantity, Width, Etc. (see Figure 1 but without the barcode).

Sticker 2 - GUID Sticker. This sticker gets placed next to Sticker 1. (see Figure 3.)


Figure 3.

Each GUID Sticker has two portions.

LEFT Portion: Goes on the roll.

RIGHT Portion: This slit is for seller's use or reference. Do not place on roll. Information on the slit must go in column "D" in DPL. (see Figure 4.)


Figure 4.

 



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