Kohls Department Stores

Product Services

Critical Defect Classification List

Apparel & Soft Accessories
Critical Defects
A serious defect that results in hazardous and unsafe conditions for an individual, causing potential injury
and harm to the wearer. A critical defect can and should be identified during production and/or an in-line (IL)
inspection. Most critical defects can be avoided if the pre-production meeting (PPM) included discussion
points about those that are applicable.

1. If defects can be rectified, factory must 100% re-inspect and repair all defective garments
before they are re-audited by auditor or their designated representative.
2. If a defect cannot be rectified, the entire shipment cannot be released and must be
destroyed.

A critical defect = Shipment Failure

Components and Trim

T01 Broken or defective trims for baby and kids products
T02 Insecure or loose setting of component parts for baby and kids products, i.e. buttons, snaps, stones
or other miscellaneous parts
T03 Snap, rivet, burr or shank button set on uneven foundation or over a thick foundation for baby and
kids products
T04 Snap or shank button with exposed prongs or protruding for all products
T05 Snap not functioning properly open / close pressure too loose or too tight for baby and
kids products
T06 Sharp edges, i.e. broken needles, staples, snaps, rivets, wire, pins, improperly trimmed sequin
edges or any sharp plastic or metal parts
T07 Excessively long or loose threads or trim which could present a choking hazard to a baby or child if
they become entangled, to include floats on back of jacquard knits
T08 Any small component or trim that fails attachment strength throughout production, especially for
children
T09 Exposed metal claw top/bottom stop zippers
T10 Cut panels that are smaller/larger than the pattern by 1/4 or more

Construction
C01 Zipper guide required for all baby product, apparel designed to fit next to skin size 0-7, all insulated
outerwear for size 0-20 and all childrens apparel/outerwear with a metal zipper
C02 Drawstrings or ties not meeting length requirements for baby and kids products
C03 Drawstrings at head or neck for baby or kids products
C04 Collar, neckline or focus area is asymmetric
C05 Plaid match, fabric nap or grainline direction does not meet what was specified

Stitching
S01 Chainstitch button sewing for baby and kids products
S02 Insecure button sewing, i.e. missing passes, incomplete passes, missing knots at
stitches for baby and kids products
S03 Broken or used needles on garment
S04 Broken needle fragment within garment

Finishing and Packaging

P01 Stones or sand in garment for baby and kids products
P02 Any foreign item found on garment that could scratch
P03 Obvious foul smell
P04 Mold
P05 Wrong country of origin or content label
Rev 06.25.14