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DEFECTS
IN GARMENT
INDUSTRY

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CONTENT
Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing....................................................................1

Embroidery fabric defects

......................................................................................................................13

Defects in woven fabric

...........................................................................................................................17

Defects in knit fabric...............................................................................................................................25

Defects in garment manufacturing

.....................................................................................................31

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CLASSIFY THE FAULT
Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing
So far in this defects series, we have discussed, knit and woven fabric defects, embroidery defects and garment defects in depth. The last article
in this series will be the defects that occur during the dyeing and printing process of fabrics.

Dyeing and printing processes are either used to improve the aesthetic appeal of the fabric or for functional purposes.

Dyeing process needs very vigilant control on the dyeing conditions, like the temperature, time, color concentration and ratios, chemicals used,
and the material to liquor ratio, to ensure even shade in the batch.

This article will talk about various defects due to dyeing and printing procedures.

Dyeing Defects

1. Unlevelled /Cloudy Dyeing:

Causes Remedies
Improper pre-treatment on the fabric Select appropriate dyeing conditions
and chemical mix
Irregular winding leading to channelling
Proper material winding
Excess foam in the dye bath
Use of antifoams
Using incorrect dyeing program
Use of wetting agents
Air pockets in the material

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 1 http://stitchdiary.com/

2. Barriness:
Causes
Temperature variations
Density variation in material
Material comprised of fibres of
different origins
3. Reproducibility / Shade Variation:
Causes
Dye sensitivity to hydrolysis
or metal ions
Dye’s build up due to chemicals used
Changes in dyeing parameters
Incorrect dye combination
Sedimentation in liquid dyes
Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing
Remedies
Selecting and maintaining suitable dying
temperature, chemicals and carriers
Properly relaxing the material
before dyeing
Remedies
Selecting correct dye and ensuring its
stability to electrolytes
Carrying out lab test tests to assess
the retarding effect
Maintaining consistent dyeing
conditions
Analyse individual components being
combined in the process
Stirring dye consistently before adding
2 http://stitchdiary.com/
4. Dyeing Patches:

Causes Remedies

Use of improper levelling agents Selecting proper levelling agent

for the process
Inadequate scouring of grey fabric
Thorough scouring

5. Softener Marks:

Causes Remedies

Softener not properly dissolved in water Through scouring of the grey fabric

Uniform softener dissolving

Choosing correct softener as per

the fabric

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 3 http://stitchdiary.com/

6. Tonal Variation: The tone of the fabric dye varies with or between rolls of the same lot.

Causes Remedies

Wrong dyeing recipe Choosing appropriate levelling agents

Wrong levelling agent Uniform dye recipe throughout

Incorrect dye combinations in lots Through scouring

Improper scouring of grey fabric Consistent process parameters

7. Crease and Rope Marks: Dark and haphazard lines, broken or continuous, that appear in the fabric.

Causes Remedies

Fabric in centrifuge- twisted and moved at Use of anti-crease agents during

high speed scouring

Fabric fed in relaxed open form

rather than in rope form into the
hydro extractor

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 4 http://stitchdiary.com/

8. Poor Light Fastness:

Causes Remedies

Residues of the carrier on the fabric Thermo fixation

Use of stained fibres Selection of appropriate dye

combination and process parameters
Use of unstable dye

9. Poor Wet and Rub Fastness:

Causes Remedies

Inadequate dye fixation Properly choosing dye and chemicals

Thermo migration Consistent dyeing process

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 5 http://stitchdiary.com/

10. Fabric Tendering:

Causes Remedies

Gradual sulphur oxidation when stored in sulphur Appropriate Dyed fabric treatment
dyeing
Use of soda ash post dyeing
Presence of iron impurities

11. Shade Bar:

Causes Remedies

Improper scouring Proper scouring

Padding roller defect Consistent dye process parameters

Incorrect dyeing temperature and time

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 6 http://stitchdiary.com/

12. Dye stains:

Causes Remedies

Improper scouring Proper scouring

Inadequate Dye stuff mixing Consistent dye mixing

13. White Spots:

Causes Remedies

Improper scouring Proper scouring

Choosing wrong dye mix Using correct dyes according

Colour not dissolved consistently
Time and temperature of dyeing
incorrect
to the fabric
Consistent colour mixing
Consistent dyeing process parameters

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 7

14. Colour Crocking: The color of the dyed fabric rubs off or transfers to the other fabric surfaces.

Causes Remedies
Inadequate soaping at the end of the Proper soaping at the end of
dyeing cycle dyeing cycle

Inconsistent dyed process Proper scouring

Fabric imperfection Using correct dyes according

to the fabric
Improper scouring
Consistent dyeing process parameters

Printing Defects

1. Print distortion due to hanging thread: The pattern of the print breaks where hanging thread appears.

Causes Remedies

Improper loose thread trimming prior to Ensure proper thread trimming before the
printing process starts

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 8

2. Misprint: if the print is not as per the design required, or the outlines and the filled in colors in the designed are not aligned properly or
there is an absence of print at a particular spot or spots.

Causes Remedies

Wrong dyeing recipe Choosing appropriate levelling agents

Wrong levelling agent Uniform dye recipe throughout

Incorrect dye combinations in lots Through scouring

Improper scouring of grey fabric Consistent process parameters

3. Uneven print: Fabric’s print has a tint or bold and dull spaces.

Causes Remedies

Uneven pressure application on the printing Ensure proper even pressure on the printing
rollers rollers and the doctor blade

Uneven central drum lapping in the machine Chose even printing surface of the table

Uneven diameter of the printing roller Central drum lapping should be set evenly

Defective doctor blade or uneven Ensure the printing roller’s dimension is

pressure applied on the doctor blade even throughout

Use of defective printing table

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 9

4. Blurred or Dark Patches: Fabric’s print has a tint or bold and dull spaces.
Causes
Improper grey fabric scouring
Printing roller and doctor blade not properly
cleaned before printing
Wrong alignment of the doctor blade
5. Water Mark: Ripple effect in the print.
Causes
Improper grey fabric scouring
Surface pressure between layers
Contamination of water in the
or tint
Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing
Remedies
Ensure proper scouring to make sure there
are no impurities
Properly clean the machine, roller and doctor
blade before a new lot printing starts
Ensure proper blade alignment
Remedies
Ensure proper scouring to make sure
there are no impurities
Prevent surface pressure between layers
Prevent contamination with water on the
padding mangle, which leads to reduce
dye liquor concentration
9
6. Misfits: Out of Registration print or the incorrect alignment of the print leading to overlapping of colors or patterns in the final print.

Causes Remedies

Improper alignment of the printing screens Ensure proper alignment of the printing
screens

7. Stick in: Small unprinted circle in the final design.

Causes Remedies

Fibres or lint getting stuck in the screen Proper cleaning or the screen and
opening printing area

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 10

8. Scrimps: Small unprinted circle in the final design.

Causes Remedies

Fabric crease comes under the printing screen, Ensure the fabric is aligned in a relaxed state
leading to printing on top of the crease leaving before printing starts
unprinted area below.

9. Wicking/Flushing: printed area bleeding out on the unprinted area on the fabric causing a shadow effect around the print.

Causes Remedies

Residual salts being left in the fabric post Ensure proper scouring
resin finishing

Improper fabric scouring and prep

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 11

Although the apparel industry has time and again been using analogous textile printing, but the day is not far when the industry will evolve into a
more digitized form of printing. This post by Sourcing Journal will explain how digital printing is the new face of the apparel industry.
“The fast fashion supply chain is dramatically reduced with digital textile printing, due to a combination of low set-up and running costs and
personalization capabilities. A few years ago, brands would have to wait months from material selection to finished apparel product. Digital textile
printing doesn’t require the extensive amount of labor and resources associated with traditional apparel production. Instead, it acts as an
all-in-one solution for brands that want to conserve their budgets and design merchandise differently.”

References:

• http://www.slideshare.net/prabukrishnaa/garment-dyeing-techniques
• http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/17/1623/dyeing1.asp
• http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/17/1623/dyeing1.asp
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html
• http://dyeingworld1.blogspot.in/2010/01/hthp-package-dyeing-machines.html

Classify The Fault: Defects Due to Dyeing & Printing 12

CLASSIFY THE FAULT
Embroidery fabric defects
Next, in the Defects blog series, we will discuss the defects found in the embroidery. Embroidery is used in garments to enhance their aesthetic
appeal, but when defects appear in the embroidery itself, the quality of the garment deteriorates.

Embroidery defects can be a result of irregularities in the stitches or the design or both. Based on the defect we can incorporate some remedial
measures to counter their occurrence in the garment.

1. Poor Registration: This defect appears when the embroidery’s design and stitches don’t align correctly.

Causes Remedies

Shifting of the fabric, the embroidery is being sewn Proper digitization by using suitable underlay
into stitches

Proper hooping by using backing to prevent flagging

in the fabric

2. Fabric Grin/Gapping: In this defect the base fabric is visible from the embroidery, either from between design or patterns or on the edge of the
embroidery.

Causes Remedies

The pull of thread is not compensated Proper digitization by use of

appropriate underlay stitches, high stitch density,
and using different fill pattern or direction of the
stitches

Thread’s Pull can be compensated by overlapping

fill and satin borderstitches

Use of proper topping

Embroidery fabric defects 13

3. Missed Trim: Appearance of extra embroidery threads left between patterns or other design elements in the embroidery.

Causes
Lack of proper thread trims digitization
when moving from one point to another
in the embroidery using jump stitches,
or when changing the thread colour
Remedies
Proper digitization, using proper number
of trims, appropriate tie-off stitches
Replacing trimming knife when required

Hand trimming the missed threads by

trimming snips

4. Bunching at Corners: The corners of the design or letters in the embroidery are not crisp due to gathering up of thread at one point.

Causes Remedies
Lack of proper digitization leading to Proper stitch selection
excess thread in the corners
Using stitches of shorter lengths on
Wrong stitch selection the design corners

Choosing wrong stitch length on Monitoring and correcting stitch

corners balance, i.e. the thread should not be
too loose
Faulty stitch balance

Embroidery fabric defects 14

5. Poor Stitch Balance: In this defect, the bobbin thread shows up on the top side of the embroidery.

Causes Remedies

Faulty needle thread tension Using good quality pre wound bobbins

Wrong thread selection Machine thread tension setting should be

properly managed

Proper needle thread selection

6. Fabric Damage: Damage caused to the fabric due to repetitive needle penetration, especially around the corners of the embroidery.

Causes Remedies

Incorrect needle size and type Proper digitization

Repetitive stitches on a single spot on the Managing stitch count in the corners
fabric
Selecting correct needle type and size as per
fabric

Embroidery fabric defects 15

7. Thick Embroidery: Embroidery being too dense or thick at some places.

Causes Remedies

Very high stitch density Proper digitization, ensuring correct stitch

selection, and stitch density
Improper backing used for the
embroidery Use of shorter stitch length on corners

Thread tension being properly balanced

Thread size should be small

Ensuring use of proper backing type and

weight

8. Poor Stitch Density: Base fabric visibility through the embroidery due to low stitch density.

Causes Remedies

Low stitch density Proper digitization ensuring appropriate stitch

selection, stitch density and underlay stitches

Use of proper backing and topping

Embroidery fabric defects 16

9. Poor Hooping: The fabric surrounding the embroidery gets distorted or crumpled and cease to lay flat on a surface.

Causes Remedies

Use of wrong backing and/or topping Ensuring use of proper topping and backing

When hooping the fabric, it should not be

stretched too much, as when it gets relaxed
when removed from the hoop, fabric will
crumple

Ironing hoop marks

Embroidery is generally used for logos or for adding a design element to the garment. Ensuring embroidery’s quality thus becomes vital for the
ensuring quality of the final garment. With the above information on the defects, their causes and remedies at hand, we can ensure minimum
quality fallouts due to embroidery defects in our garments.

Image Sources:

• https://lindeegembroidery.com/troubleshooting-embroidery-quality-issues/
• http://www.amefird.com.my/embroidery_quality.htm

Embroidery fabric defects 16