Quality Control in

Apparel

By:
Velumani Du
 Quality Control in Apparel
By: Velumani Du

Stop - Alert- Go...The Garment Industry

I. The Intro:

Why each garment requires more attention at the stage of production and after production?

The question is so simple than the reply!

The quality of the product may be obtained by testing a particular property of a material on different types of
testing instruments. The main question of textile testing can be covered by answering the following
questions:

• Why do we test a product?

• What do we test?
• When do we test the material?

Trying to get the answers for the above will be the remaining of this chapter.

Because textile product meets various physical, chemical and mechanical processes during pre-production
and various stresses put on the garment during post production.

After all it is made by a fabric, meant by combination / criss-cross of yarns, we can say like textured or
interlacing of warp & weft yarns. So it may affect by the above mentioned processes.

So that, each and every foreign buyer wants some testing parameters or check points to be checked on the
garment or fabric to meet out the end-use of the apparel, otherwise as per the client or consumer's wish.

II. What is consumers view:

Everybody of us wants to select each dress (or garment) as our last wear in life. So people give more
attention on colour, design as well as the quality. So every fabric /garment /shirt requires more quality
parameters check on it. So industry people who are making garments /dressing materials are taking pre-post
quality measures on their product.

In the view of customer's selection and atmosphere of the country; buyers give more parameters which has
to be checked for.

II-(a) Pre-production Strategies:

We can say the matter which we are discussing is happening at the following stages of pre-production are
as follows:

1. Mercerisation
This is the first stage of dyeing or processing. The fabric is passing continuously through the mercerizing
bath for getting better penetration and quick dye pick-up. Here most of the hairiness of the fabric is i.e.
protruding fibers in the outside of the fabric is reduced and surface value is increased. Some times low
strengthen fabrics get damaged, because of harmfulness of the mercerization.

2. Half-bleach or preparation
In this stage (after mercerization) fabric is making ready for dyeing.

3. Dyeing Process
As most as of the strain on the fabric is putting on this stage. So the fabric itself easily gets problems here.

4. Finishing (like stain guard, bio-wash, non-wrinkle)

The new era finishes coating/covering the fabric it tilts from its own characteristics.
II-(b) Post-production Strategies:

Value added process (like printing, embroidery, garment wash, tie & dye and packing). This is also one of
the extra process the fabric have to withstand the above said processes.

III- Measuring Matters:

Some measuring points are there to verify the quality of the garment.

III-(a) Measures at Pre-production:

1. Exact count and csp of the yarn used in fabric

2. Tpi of the yarn used in the fabric
3. Checking gsm.
4. Checking texture of the fabric or epi & ppi
5. Checking exact width of the fabric b4 go for cutting
6. Dimensional stability of the fabric (shrinkage)
7. Colour fastness to various agents (like water, sea water, chlorinated water and saliva)
8. Colour fastness to laundering
9. Colour fastness to light
10. Strength of the fabric - tearing strength, tensile strength

III-(b) Measures at Post-production:

1. Exact specification of the garment

Size / measurements
Color combinations
Design/color of the accessories

2. Quality of the accessories (strength also)

a. Buttons,
b. Labels,
c. Threads,
d. Sequence.
e. Straw string / cord
f. Zippers

3. Placement of the pocket and placket

4. Parameters like stitches/ inch.

IV. Inspection

India plays main part in international garments industry and it has got a tremendous growth in developing
new fashion to attract worldwide customers. Fashion designing and garment making are not so easy as we
think, because it involves lot of skill and technical craftsmanship.

In India for making garments we are using physical works in large scale. But mental work people in large
quantity we required for supervising and inspecting the goods.

Quality control is a challenging job, because it satisfies

1. Buyer's requirement
2. Seller's achievement
3. Maker's fulfillment
V. What it meant by inspection?

Inspection itself means that:

1. Identification & cross-verification of the craftsmanship
2. Inspection of the presentation & specification required by the buyer.

VI. Different stages of an inspection

VI (a). Ppi-Pre production inspection: This inspection shall be performed on the size-set. It includes
verification of garments for size measurement, conformity against specified measurement and workmanship.

Sample size: min 3 pcs / size / style

VI (b). ipi - Initial production inspection: This inspection shall be performed at the initial stage of
production where 20-50 pcs ready and verified against almost all-contractual specifications like
measurements, accessories, workmanship, style, colour, appearance and quality.

Sample size: min 20-50 pcs covering all sizes / min 3 pcs /size

VI(c). Mpi- Mid production inspection: This inspection shall be performed at the stage of production where
25-50% of the ordered quantity covering all colors and sizes are ready. Ready and verified initial problems
(found at ppi & ipi) have been duly attended.

Sample size: based on aql (accepted quality level) or advised by the principal. Min 3 pcs per size or 15% of
the sample size

VI (d). Fri- Final random inspection: This inspection shall be performed after production and packing.
Random inspection shall be performed according to international standards like ISO/ ASQC/ANSI etc. It
covers total requirements of the buyer in addition to the defects found during mip and ipi.

Most of the problems were detected after fri and now defect less goods will be ready for dispatch.

Documents required before inspection

A) Order sheet copy

B) Approval copy

C) Fabric and accessory copy

D) Cargo movement slip

E) Packing list

F) Fabric test report

G) Garment test report

H) Safety legal checklist

I) Supplier's size set and inline report

J) Fiber composition report (if more than one fiber)

Conversion formulae

To convert multiply by

Inches to centimeter - 2.54

Centimeter to inches - 0.393701

Feet to meters - 0.3048

Meters to feet’s - 3.2808

Yards to meters - 0.9144

Meters to yards - 1.09361

Sq inches to sq cm - 6.4516

Sq cm to sq inches - 0.155

Sq meters to sq feet - 10.7639

Sq feet to sq meter - 0.092903

Sq yards to sq meter - 0.836127

Sq meter to sq yards - 1.9599

Cu inches to cu cm - 16.3871

Cu cm to cu inches - 0.0610237

Cu feet to cu meters - 0.0283168

Cu meter to cu feet - 35.3147

Cu yards to cu meters - 0.764555

Cu meters to cu yards - 1.30795

Cu inches to liters - 0.016387

Liters to cu inches - 61.024

Conversion formulae

To convert multiply by

Gallons to liters - 4.546

Liters to gallons - 0.22

Grains to grams - 0.0648

Grams to grains - 15.43

Ounces to grams - 28.3495

Grams to ounces - 0.035274

Pounds to grams - 453.592

Grams to pounds - 0.00220462

Pounds to kilograms - 0.4536

Kilograms to pounds - 2.20462

Tons to kilograms - 1016.05

Kilograms to tons - 0.0009842

Ounces per sq yard to

grams per sq yard - 33.906

Ounces per sq yard to

grams per sq meter - 33.906

Grams force to milli newtons - 9.81

Pound force to newton - 4.45

Pound force to kilograms - 0.4536

Pounds per sq inch to kilo

newton per sq meter (kpa) - 6.89

About the Author

The author is Guest Lecturer in SSM Academy, Erode Institute of Technology