Understanding and Identification of Fabric Defects

Source: New Cloth Market

Understanding and Identification of Fabric Defects

Source: New Cloth Market
Often inspectors are given the responsibility of inspecting finished garments without adequate training in fabric defects and their causes. The ultimate solution, of course, is to provide actual examples or photographs of both major and minor defects. This section provides a list of defects and explanations and simplifies the language and the judgments used in making visual fabric evaluations. The Quality Control Manager can provide this list to inspectors as a practical tool for achieving uniform inspection decisions. Major and Minor Defects The following definitions are central to fabric inspection: Major Defect: A defect that, if conspicuous on the finished product, would cause the item to be a second. (A "second" is a garment with a conspicuous defect that affects the salability or serviceability of the item. Minor Defects: A defect that would not cause the product to be termed a second either because of severity or location. When inspecting piece goods prior to cutting, it is necessary to rate questionable defects as major, since the inspector will not know where the defect may occur on the item.

Woven Fabric Defects

Defect Burl Mark

Explanation When a slub or extra piece of yarn is woven into the fabric, it is often removed by a "burling tool." This will usually leave an open place in the fabric.

Severity Major

Drawbacks

Caused by excessive loom tension gradually applied by some abnormal restriction. When the restriction is removed the excess slack is woven into the fabric. Usually the ends are broken Caused by the filling insertion mechanism on a shuttleless loom not holding the filling yarn, causing the filling yarn to be woven without tension. The filling yarn appears as "kinky". There will also be areas of "end out". Caused by yarn breaking and loom continuing to run with missing end. Caused by an extra piece of filling yarn being jerked part way into the fabric by the shuttle. The defect will appear at the selvage. Caused by tying spools of yarn together

Major

Dropped Pick

Major

End Out

Major

Jerk-in

Major Minor

or

Knots

Usually Minor Usually Major

Mixed (Yarn)

End

Yarn of a different fiber blend used on the wrap frame, resulting in a streak in the fabric.

Mixed Filling

Caused by bobbin of lightweight yarn or different fiber blend used in filling. Will appear as a distinct shade change. Results from a bent reed wire causing wrap ends to be held apart, exposing the filling yarn. Will be conspicuous on fabrics that use different colored yarns on wrap and shuttle. Usually caused by an extra piece of yarn that is woven into fabric. It can also be caused by thick places in the yarn. Often is caused by fly waste being spun in yarn in the spinning process. Caused by a number of ruptured wrap ends that have been repaired. Dirty, oil looking spots on the wrap or filling yarns, or on package-dyed yarn. When the loom is stopped, the yarn elongates under tension; when loom starts again' the slackness is woven into the fabric.

Major

Open Reed

Major

Slub

Major Minor

or

Smash

Major

Soiled Filling or End Stop Mark

Major

Can Major Minor

be or

Thin Place

Often caused by the filling yarn breaking and the loom continuing to run until the operator notices the problem.

Major

Knitting Defects
Defect Barre Explanation Occurs in circular knit. Caused by mixing yarn on feed into machine. Fabric will appear to have horizontal streaks. Caused by unintentional tucking from malfunctioning needle. Usually two small distorted stitches, side by side. Usually caused by colored yarn out place on frame Severity Usually Major

Birdseye Broken Color Pattern Drop Stitches

Major or Minor Major

Results from malfunctioning needle or jack. Will appear as holes or missing stitches.

Major

End Out

Occurs in wrap knit. Results from knitting machine continuing to run with missing end. Caused by broken needle. Occurs in circular knit. Caused by one end of yarn missing from feed and machine continuing to run.

Usually Major Major Major

Hole Missing Yarn

Mixed Yarn

Occurs in wrap knit. Results from wrong fiber yarn (or wrong size yarn) placed on wrap. Fabric could appear as thick end or different color if fibers have different affinity for dye. Caused by bent needle forming distorted stitches. Usually verticals line.

Major

Needle Line

Major or Minor

Press-Off

Results when all or some of the needles on circular knitting fail to function and fabric either falls off the machine or design is completely disrupted or destroyed. Many knitting needles are broken and have to be replaced when bad press-off occurs. Bad press-offs usually start a new roll of fabric.

Major

Runner

Caused by broken needle. Will appear as vertical line. (Most machines have a stopping device to stop machine when a needle breaks.) Usually caused by a thick or heavy place in yarn, or by lint getting onto yarn feeds.

Major

Slub

Major or Minor

Dyeing or Finishing Defects

Defect Askewed Bias or Explanation Condition where filling yarns are not square with wrap yarns on woven fabrics or where courses are not square with wale lines on knits. Severity Major or Minor depending

Back Fabric Seam Impression

Backing fabric is often used to cushion fabric being printed. If there is a joining seam in the backing fabric, an impression will result on printed fabric.

Major

Bowing

Usually caused by finishing. Woven filling yarns lie in an arc across fabric width; in knits the course lines lie an arc across width of goods. Establish standards of acceptance. Critical on stripes or patterns; not as critical on solid color fabrics.

Major Minor

or

Color Out

The result of color running low in reservoir on printing machine

Major

Color Smear

The result of color being smeared during printing.

Major Minor

or

Crease Mark

Differs from crease streak in that streak will probably appear for entire roll. Crease mark appears where creases are caused by fabric folds in the finishing process. On napped fabric, final pressing may not be able to restore fabric or original condition. Often discoloration is a problem.

Major

Crease Streak

Occurs in tubular knits. Results from creased fabric passing through squeeze rollers in dyeing process. Depending on the product; usually Major for fashion outerwear, Minor for underwear.

Major Minor,

or

Dye Streak in Printing

Results from a damaged doctor blade or blade not cleaned properly. Usually a long streak until the operator notices the problem. Color applied unevenly during printing

Major

Mottled

Major Minor

or

Pin Holes

Holes along selvage caused by pins holding fabric while it processes through tenter frame. Major> if pin holes extend into body of fabric far enough to be visible in the finished product. Results from uneven wetting out on sanforize; usually caused by defective spray heads. Fabric will appear wavy or puckering when spread on cutting table. Difficult to detect during inspection on inspection machine with fabric under roller tension.

Major,

Sanforize Pucker

Major Minor

or

Scrimp

The result of fabric being folded or creased when passing through printing machine. There will be areas not printed. Usually caused by excessive processing through tenter frames. tension while

Major

Selvage Torn

Major

Water Spots

Usually caused by wet fabric being allowed to remain too long before drying; color migrates leaving blotchy spots.

Major

Pilling is a common fabric defect occurring on knitted and woven fabrics. In producing a yarn, long fibers tightly-twisted produce a serviceable yarn. When short stable fibers are mixed into the yarn the result is a yarn that will not hold together. The short staple fibers will separate from the yarn and curl up in a ball, forming what is referred to as a pill. Pilling is accentuated by the friction of normal wear, washing and routine drycleaning.

Originally published in New Cloth Market: June 2009