Quick answer
What is marker efficiency?
Marker efficiency is the percentage of the marker's fabric area that is covered by pattern pieces. The rest is waste between and around the pieces.
Marker area = Marker length × Marker width
How it works
Marker Efficiency Calculator
Measure how well your marker uses fabric — efficiency %, waste % and the resulting consumption per garment.
Efficiency compares the area of fabric actually used by pattern pieces with the full rectangle of fabric the marker occupies.
Formula
The formula, in full
- Marker area
- Marker length × Marker width
- Marker efficiency
- Pattern area ÷ Marker area × 100
- Waste %
- 100 − Efficiency
- Consumption
- Marker length ÷ Garments
Example
6-garment shirt marker
- 01Width 58 in = 1.473 m
- 02Marker area = 9.6 × 1.473 = 14.143 m²
- 03Efficiency = 11.8 ÷ 14.143 = 83.43%
Use “Load Example” above to run this example in the calculator.
Industry tip
Industry tip
“Mixing sizes in the same marker (e.g. S + XL) usually raises efficiency by 1–3% over single-size markers.”
Assumptions
What this calculator assumes
- Pattern area is the net area of all pieces for all garments in the marker.
- Efficiency bands: ≥85% excellent, 80–85% good, 75–80% average.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is marker efficiency?
Marker efficiency is the percentage of the marker's fabric area that is covered by pattern pieces. The rest is waste between and around the pieces.
What is a good marker efficiency?
For tops and shirts, 80–88% is typical; trousers 85–90%; garments with large curved pieces may be lower.
How do I find total pattern area?
CAD systems report it automatically. Manually, sum the area of each pattern piece multiplied by the number of times it appears in the marker.