AQL for Garments
In garment inspection, Acceptable Quality Limit helps check stitching, fabric defects, measurements, labeling, and finishing before approving a shipment.
Garment Inspection Use
AQL is used in garment inspection to judge whether clothing quality meets the buyer’s accepted defect limit. Inspectors check selected pieces from the shipment and decide whether the full batch can pass based on the number and seriousness of defects.
Stitching Defects
Stitching defects may include skipped stitches, open seams, broken threads, uneven stitching, loose threads, or wrong stitch density. These issues are counted during inspection because they can affect garment durability, appearance, and customer acceptance.
Fabric Defects
Fabric defects include stains, holes, shade variation, weaving faults, oil marks, yarn defects, and visible fabric damage. Inspectors record these problems under the correct defect category so the batch result follows the selected AQL limit.
Measurement Issues
Garment measurements are checked against the approved size chart or buyer specification. If sleeve length, chest width, waist, shoulder, inseam, or overall length falls outside tolerance, the issue may be counted as a major or minor defect.
Labeling Problems
Labeling defects may include wrong size labels, missing care labels, incorrect brand tags, barcode mistakes, or wrong country-of-origin labels. These errors can create compliance, retail, and customer problems, so they are checked during garment AQL inspection.
Finishing Defects
Finishing defects include loose threads, poor pressing, uneven trimming, stains, wrinkles, missing buttons, broken zippers, or poor folding. These issues affect the final presentation of the garment and may influence whether the shipment passes inspection.
Critical Garment Defects
Critical garment defects are serious issues that can make the product unsafe, illegal, or unsuitable for sale. Sharp objects, mold, harmful contamination, incorrect safety labels, or dangerous accessories may lead to batch rejection even if other defects are low.
Major Garment Defects
Major defects can affect garment function, fit, appearance, or customer satisfaction. Wrong measurements, open seams, fabric holes, broken zippers, wrong color, or visible stains may cause the batch to fail if they exceed the accepted AQL limit.
Minor Garment Defects
Minor defects are smaller appearance or finishing issues that may not stop the garment from being used. Light creases, small loose threads, slight shade variation, or minor trimming issues may be accepted only when they stay within the allowed limit.
Shipment Approval
The final garment inspection result depends on sample size, defect category, and accepted defect numbers. If stitching, fabric, measurement, labeling, and finishing defects remain within the selected AQL limits, the garment shipment can move forward for approval.
For the basic AQL definition and how acceptable defect limits work in product inspection, read the complete guide on AQL full form.