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2 . S H A D E VA R I AT I O N
One of the more obvious visual defects that can be found on raw textiles,
shade variation is defined by a difference in depth of shade and color from
roll to roll or piece to piece. Shade variation in fabric is caused by:
Mixing of fabrics used in production
Variations in the production process with regard to time and speed
Improper cutting, bundling and/or numbering
Unequal fabric stretching
3 . D I RT / S TA I N S
Stains are fairly common among dyed textiles and are defined as spots or patches of differing
color. Textiles are never truly safe from stains because they can occur anytime during or after production if they’re not kept in an area with adequate protection.
Stains can appear on fabrics from just about any source. Dirt from the factory floor, oil from machinery and dyes are
all known sources. Stains are relatively easy to identify and prevent so long as suppliers are vigilant about fabric
quality.
5. DROP STITCHES
One of the most common quality issues found in raw textiles, drop stitches are holes or missed stitches that appear randomly in the fabric. Drop stitches are typically
caused by:
Incorrect set-up of yarn carriers
Slubs and knots
Yarn overfeeding or underfeeding
Loose stitching during the production process
7. CREASE MARKS
A crease mark is a visible deformation in fabric. A crease mark differs from a crease streak, as it’s unlikely to appear for an entire roll. Rather, it appears in just one
spot on the fabric.
If final pressing cannot restore fabric to the original condition, a crease mark will be left on the final
product. Discoloration can also be a problem associated with this fabric defect.
8. BARRE
A barre is an unintentional, repetitive visual pattern of continuous bars and stripes.
Barre will typically appear as a horizontal streak of light or dark bars running the width of the fabric. The
bars must appear in a repetitive pattern to be considered barre. Barre is typically found parallel to the filling
of woven fabric or to the courses of circular knit fabric.
Barre is usually not detected until after the processing of fabric at the end of production.
9. NEPS/KNOTS
Neps are small, tightly tangled knot-like masses of unorganized fibers that form a pinhead shape. These knots are usually comprised of dead or immature fibers.
Neps can be categorized into three types:
Biological: Found in raw materials, these neps contain foreign material such as seed coat fragments,
leaf or stem materials. The manufacturer can usually remove them through wet processing.
Mechanical: Found in ginned lint, card web, yams and cloth, these neps are largely a result of
mechanical processing.
White speck neps: Generally not visible until dyeing, white speck neps contain immature clusters of
fibers and are considered the most severe type of neps.
11 . S P L I C I N G
Splicing is the overlapping of the cut ends of two pieces of fabric (the end of one length of fabric and the beginning of another) to
ensure continuous spreading. Splicing is necessary as one roll of fabric finishes and the next is taken into use.
But these overlapping ends of fabric produce a waste material in
manufacturing. Splicing lossescan vary up to five percent of total fabric
usage. Importers can ensure greater manufacturing efficiency by
minimizing splicing in their fabric.
Many importers assign four penalty points under the 4-point system for
each splice found during fabric inspection.
12. HOLES
A hole is an imperfection where one or more yarns are sufficiently damaged to create an opening in the fabric.
Holes are typically treated as a major defect in the fabric and are assigned either two or four penalty points
during fabric inspection, depending on their size.
1 3 . D E F E C T I V E S E LVA G E ( C U T, WAV E D O R C R E A S E D )
Selvage is the densely woven edge of a piece of fabric. Most often used in reference to woven fabrics, the
selvage is supposed to keep the fabric from unraveling or fraying.
Selvage can be defective in a number of ways,
including cut, waved or creased. Cut selvage
might also be referred to as broken selvage or ripped selvage.
14. SNAGS
A snag is a part of the yarn that is accidentally pulled or plucked from the surface. Usually it appears as a
large loop of yarn above the surface of the fabric.
In warp knits, the snag occurs in the wale direction. In weft knits, the snag occurs in the course direction.
CONCLUSION
Whether you’re using fabric to produce inexpensive, promotional t-shirts or high-end furniture upholstery, a clear understanding of the various types of fabric defects
will help you prevent them. Learning how to identify various fabric defects and their causes can help you ensure fabric quality meets your standards.