Chapter 14

Inspection in garment industry

Quality
American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) defines quality as “A systematic approach
to the search for excellence. According to International Standard Organization (ISO),
“Quality is the fulfillment of the specified requirements for a product or service”.

However, quality also means much more, they include:

 The degree of excellence that an item possesses.
 The best money can buy.
 Meeting a specification.
 Not more than 1% defective a lot.
 Anything Japanese.
 Quality is when the customers come back not the goods.
Quality of a garment refers to the product free from staining faults, sewing defects,
fabric faults, size measurement faults, matching of color and stripe faults, cutting faults,
etc.

Synonyms: Productivity, Cost reduction, Scheduled performance, sales, Customer

satisfaction, Team work, and many more.

Dimensions of quality:
 Over dimensioned quality
 Under dimensioned quality
 Dimensioned quality
To achieve dimensioned quality, the organization’s staffs should have exact knowledge
of the requirement profile of the products. This part can only be fulfilled if the information
regarding the quality is freely exchanged between the various interfaces of the process.

Garment Inspection
The inspections are done to control the quality is means by examining the products without the
products any instruments. To examine the fabric, sewing, button, thread, zipper, garments
measurements and so on according to specification or desired standard is called inspection. There
are so many facilities for inspection in every section of garments industries. The aim of
inspection is to reduce the time and cost by identifying the faults or defects in every step of
garments making.
 Confirmation of Quantity
↓
Confirmation of accessories
↓
Size spec inspection
↓
In side Inspection
↓
Out side Inspection
↓
Final Inspection
↓
Packing

Inspection Procedure of Garments are Described Below:

1. Confirmation of Quantity:
First step of garment inspection start with confirmation of Quantity with the vendors packing
list by counting all Pecs. Of each box. If Qty is not matching to the packing list and written in the
box then this discrepancy is informed to the vendor.
2. Confirmation of Accessories:
Next step is the confirmation of accessories, here we confirm brand tags, demerit tags, Price
tags, or other tags, wash care labels, woven labels, or other labels and accessories as required by
the buyer.

3. Size Spec inspection:

After confirmation of accessories all pcs are checked as per size spec based on the instruction
sheet which is given by the buyer side. If any measurement problem is noticed then we check the
original sample and inform the buyer same time.

4. In Side Inspection:
At this stage garment is checked from reverse side to ensure that there is no fabric defect,
poorstitching, and stains etc in the garment.

5. Out Side Inspection:

At this stage garment is checked from outside to ensure that there is no color variation, weaving
defect, fabric defect, printing defect, holes, poor stitching, bad smell , dying defect and stains etc
in the garment.

6. Final Inspection:
Final Inspection stage is the most important part of inspection process, here garment is
rechecked to confirm that inspection is done properly without missing any checking step if any
defect is noticed we put it into rejection bin or send it for repay.

7. Packing:
All “Grade-A” goods are put back into poly bags as per the original packaging and then they are
send for needle inspection .

So, depending on the quality of defect some garments are send for repair and some are rejected.

Quality control
The method of checking, analyzing, verification and controlling the desired or expected
quality parameters of the garments is said to be quality control.

Inspection
Inspection can be defined, in the apparel industry, as the visual examination or review
of raw materials (such as fabric, Buttons, Zippers, Sewing threads, Trims, etc), partially
finished components of the garments and completely finished garments in relation to
some standards, specifications or requirements, as well as measuring the garments if
they meet the required measurements.

For inspection, to be effective, the entire inspection loop must be completed.

 Garments inspect flow chart
General Information of fabric inspection
The general rules for inspection are mentioned below:
 There is no standard viewing condition for inspection fabrics.
 The acceptable limit for first quality fabric is usually estimated by mutual agreement
between the buyer and seller.
 To determine defects, most systems suggest a 3 feet viewing distance.
 There is no standard sampling plans used in the industries for the inspection of fabric.
 For inspecting fabrics or garments 4-Point system, 2.5-Point system, 6-Point system, 10-
Point system, Graniteville “78” system, etc. are used.
Steps in garments inspection:
In garments industry, the desired or expected quality parameters are controlled by
inspection. This inspection can be done in three steps:
1. Raw material inspection in garments industry
2. In process inspection in garment industry
3. Final inspection in garment industry

Raw Material Inspection in Garment Industry

Raw Material for Garments:
Fabric, sewing threads, buttons, trims, etc are the raw material in garments industry.
The quality of a final garment depends on the quality of a fabric when it is received as a
roll. Even the most outstanding manufacturing methods cannot compensate for
defective materials. So before production of garments quality check of raw material is
very important task in garment industry.

Raw material inspection (fabric) in garments industry

Fabric Inspection
There are various systems for fabric inspection. Among them followings are very
important:

4-Points system
The 4-Point System, also called the American Apparel Manufacturers (AAMA) point-
grading system for determining fabric quality, is widely used by producers of apparel
fabrics and is endorsed by the AAMA as well as the ASQC (American Society or Quality
Control). Inspection is done about 10% of the products in the shipment.

If you want to know more about 4 - Points system then you should must visit:
4 Points System for Fabric Inspection in Garment Industry
10 Points system
The 10 point method is a point per fault system, which gives a measurable guide to
quality grading per roll. In 1955s “Ten Points” piece goods evaluation was adapted by
the Textile Distributors and National Federation of Textiles.

If you want to know more about 10 - Points system then you should visit:
10 Points System for Fabric Inspection in Garment Industry
Graniteville “78” system:
The system assigns penalty points to each defect as per following guideline.

For either Length or Width

Size of defects →→→→→→→→→→→Penalty

 Up to 9 inches →→→→→→→→→→→1 Point

 9 to 18 inches →→→→→→→→→→→2 Points
 18 to 27 inches →→→→→→→→→→→3 Points
 27 to 36 inches →→→→→→→→→→→4 Points
The maximum penalty points per linear yard that can be assigned are determined by
dividing the fabric width in inches by 9.

Therefore,
Maximum penalty points for 48 inches wider fabric = 48/9 = 5.33 or 6.
Maximum penalty points for 60 inches wider fabric = 60/9 = 6.33 or 7.
The maximum penalty point per square yard is 4.

Sewing Thread Inspection

Sewing threads should be checked and tested for the following characteristics:

Construction
 Yarn count
 Yarn ply
 Number of twists per unit length (TPI or TPM)
 Twist balance
 Yarn strength (tenacity)
 Yarn elongation
Sew ability
At least three sewing thread packages from a lot should be used for at least 100 yards
of sewing under normal conditions and record kept of running performance. A good
quality sewing thread should be able to produce consistent stitches in the chosen
sewing material at the highest machine speed under normal conditions.

Finish
Sewing thread is basically finished by one type of lubricant. As lubricant applied 3 to 5%
of the weight of thread, it provides slip easily and smoothly through the needle eye and
other i.e. various parts through which it passes.

Color
Color of sewing thread should match with the original or standard sample and should
not vary too much within a lot or shipment of sewing thread. Color should not bleed
during washing and/or dry cleaning and fade in sunlight.

Package density
Package density of sewing thread should be consistent from package to package within
a shipment or lot and from shipment to shipment. It the package density varies too
much sewing machine operators will have to adjust the tension frequently resulting in
lower productivity.

Winding
Winding of sewing thread on packages should be uniform; otherwise, it may result in
excessive thread breakages again causing lower efficiency.

Yardage
Length of sewing thread on each package should be at least the specific amount or
within a certain tolerance such as ± 2% and so on.

Zipper Inspection
Zipper should be checked for the followings:
 Dimension: Tape width, tape extensions, and overall useable length of zipper should be as
specified.
 Top and bottom stoppers should be fastened securely.
 Zipper tape should be uniform in color.Zipper should not cause wrinkling and puckering
after sewn into garments.
 Puller or pull tab should be affixed firmly to the slider body.
 Slider should ride freely but must not be so free that it is loose on the chain.
 Slider should be locked securely.
 Zipper should be perfect and washing and/or dry cleaning and will not fade.
 Zipper should not deform under pressing and ironing.
 Zipper should be well-matched with garments design.
 Zipper should be azo-free, nickel free, non-magnetic and non toxic painting.
Button Inspection
Button should be checked for the followings:
 Button holes should be large, clean, and free from flash, so that it will not cut the thread.
 Button holes should be located properly.
 Button thickness should be uniform.
 Button shade should be within tolerance.
 Button should be able to withstand laundering, dry cleaning, and pressing without any
change or deforms.
 Button size should be as specified.
 In case of any special requirements button should have all.

In-Process Inspection in Garment Industry

In-Process Inspection
From the starting point of garment manufacturing up to garments ready to shipment, the
inspection done is called in process inspection. At least 65 to 80% faults can be checked and
controlled through in process inspection.
 In-Process Inspection in Garment Industry
Benefits or results of in process inspection:
 Reduction of major ‘surprises’ from the customers due to bad quality.
 Decrease in labor cost due to decrease in repair rates.
In process inspection includes:
Spreading inspection or Spreading defects
1. Not enough plies to cover the quantity of garments required.
2. Narrow fabric or wide fabric; alignment of one side should be accurate.
3. Plies all are not facing in the correct direction i.e. not all the plies are spread face down, face
up, or face to face as required.
4. Mismatching of checks i.e. plies not spread accurately one above another for cutting.
5. Spreading tension to each ply should be uniform and optimum.
6. Splicing or bowing
7. Overlapping should be in proper length and width.
Pattern and marker making inspection or defects
1. Pattern parts missing; correct number of parts for all sizes not included by the marker
maker.
2. Mixed parts; parts are not correctly labeled in marker, so a marriage of wrong size parts.
3. Patterns not facing the correct direction or napped fabrics.
4. Patterns not facing the same direction on a one way fabric.
5. Patterns not aligned with respect to grain line of fabric. As a result garments may not drape
or fit properly.
6. Line deflections poor (e.g. chalk-too thick, indistinctly printed line, perforated lay not fully
powdered), leading to inaccurate cutting.
7. Inadequate marking; either the marker did not use outside edge of the pattern or the pattern
was moved or swung after partial marking to squeeze the pattern into a smaller space in the
 interest of fabric economy. Alternatively, the pattern is wound around the edges and should
be replaced.
8. Adequate marking; a combination of points 7 and 8 results in components being sewn
together with puckering or pleating.
9. Marker too wide; garment parts at the edge of the lay are cut with bits missing.
10. Not enough knife clearance freedom.
11. Mismatched check and strips.
12. Notches and drill makes omitted, indistinct or misplaced.
Cutting inspection or cutting defects
1. Frayed edge; the amount of fraying depends on fabric finish and construction, improper
cutting tools or blunt knives.
2. Fuzzy; ragged or serrated edges; may come due to faulty knives edges such as burrs, chips or
dullness.
3. Ply to ply fusion; single ply whose cut yarn ends are fused to form a hard brittle rim on the
cut edge.
4. Pattern precision; misshape of the patterns perimeter as cut also top, bottom and middle
plies part should be checked against the patterns.
5. Notches; notch size should not be too large (more depth large notch).
6. Drilling; the drill holes should be in optimum size and no fusion problem along the plies.
Sewing inspection or sewing defects
In sewing section, the in process inspection is divided into three defects by Lowe and Low Coke
as sewing defects:

Sewing defects:
 Needle damage: evidenced by holes, picked threads, ruptured threads or damage to the
fabric; caused by wrong size or types of needle, blunt needle, needle heat, machine feed
difficulty.
 Skipped stitches
 Thread breaks
 Broken stitches
 Seam grin
 Seam pucker
 Pleated seams
 Wrong stitch density
 Uneven stitch density
 Staggered stitch
 Improperly formed stitches
Seam defects:
 Mismatched of adjacent part
 Wrong seam or stitch type used
 Wrong shade of thread used.
Assembly defects:
 Finished components not correct to size or shape or not symmetrical
 Finished garments not to size due to from incorrect patterns, inaccurate marking or cutting,
shrinkage and stretching fabric, incorrect seam width.
 Parts, components, closures or features omitted, caused by bad work flow, parts omitted in
cutting, careless operator.
 Components of features wrongly positioned or misaligned arising from incorrect marking or
sewing not following the mark.
 Interlining incorrectly positioned, twisted, too full, too light, cockling.
 Lining too full, too tight, showing below the bottom of the garments, twisted, incorrectly
pleated and so on.
 Garments parts cockling, pleated, twisted, showing bubbles and fullness.
 Garment parts shaded due to being mixed after cutting.
 Parts- in one way fabric in wrong direction
 Mismatching trimmings
Finishing inspection or finishing defects
1. Spots/burn/melt at the time of ironing
2. Broken button, zipper and so on.
3. Flattened nap or surface
4. Change in color
5. Crease not correctly formed
6. Garments not thoroughly dried
7. Stretching in fabric during pressing
8. Pocket and collar incorrectly aligned at the time of pressing and ironing.
9. Lining showing pleats, creases, wrinkles, shines, etc.
10. Shrinkage due to heat and moisture.
11. Incorrectly folding
12. Mismatched trimmings
13. Incorrectly packing (not as per packing instruction).

Final Inspection in Garment Industry

Final Inspection:
Final inspection consists of inspecting finished garments from the buyer’s point of view; size
measurements, form fitting (putting garments on the proper size manikins to see if they properly
fit labeled sizes); and live modeling if necessary (again to see if the garments properly fit the
labeled sizes). Final inspection may occur before or after garments are packed in poly bags and
cartons. If it is done after garments packed, then proper size and style markings on the package
can also be checked.
 Final Inspection in Garment Industry
Total Acceptable Product (TAP) & Acceptable Quality
Limit (AQL)
TAP means the number of acceptable products in a lot. On the other hand, AQL means
maximum acceptable capability or rejected % of products in a lot.

Example
10,000 dozen T-Shirts have AQL of 4%. Then find out TAP of that lot.

Here,

100 dozens T-Shirts have acceptable limit = 4 dozens

1 dozen T-Shirts has acceptable limit = 4/100 dozen

10,000 dozens T-Shirts have acceptable limit = (4/100) X 10,000 dozens

= 400 dozens

Therefore,

TAP = (10,000 - 400) dozens

= 9600 dozens

Generally in garment industries, inspections are made 1%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 4%, 6.5%, 10%, etc. This
depends on the buyer’s requirements.

Uses of AQL
In this system, sample is selected by random sampling technique from a lot. After proper
inspection, the decision is taken whether the lot will be accepted or rejected. This is applicable
for raw materials to finished products inspection as well as garments. This system is popular and
used widely in the world trade.

Acceptable sampling system consists of 5 parts:

 Lot size
 Sample size
 AQL
 Accept number
 Reject number
Customer’s choice is given priority in this system. It is the customer who decides whether the
goods will be inspected at AQL of 1.5%, 2.5% or so on. They generally give preference to the
major defects (such as oil mark, holes, torn, etc) i.e. which at a glance seems to be odd for use.
They also give the direction on sampling technique.

Finishing
In garments industry finishing is a process which consists of pressing or ironing, folding and
packing of garments. Among them, by pressing we remove unwanted crease or wrinkles from
garments. Again folding is done by ironing. After pressing, the process used to fold the garment
in a required size and shape is called folding.

Types of Packing and Folding

There are four types of packing and folding for shirts, they are mentioned below:

1. Stand up pack
In which collar is folded and kept at 900 angles with the body.

2. Semi-stand up pack
In which collar is folded and kept at 450 angles with the body.

3. Flat pack
In which collar is folded and completely laid flattened on the body.

4. Hanger pack
In which shirt is supplied in box by hanging on a hanger.