5 Ways of Fabric Inspection in Apparel Production to Avoid Quality Issues

Why Fabric Inspection Is Crucial

Fabric inspection being conducted prior to production along with pre-production quality control is central to achieving the optimum quality of apparel in production. Getting to the root of quality concerns minimises large production losses, costs, and the impact on a brand’s image and sales.

A round of fabric inspection in apparel production is an effective way of ascertaining the quality of the fabric used in a production line before it is cut and sewn. The process, also called pre-production quality control, is crucial in minimising such losses, sustaining best practices throughout production, and meeting customer expectations. Here are five crucial approaches to follow when conducting a fabric inspection in apparel production lines for greater control of quality and productivity.

Maker’s Row, through its platform, helps brands find verified U.S. manufacturers that focus on such essential aspects of fabric inspection. We also help manufacturers learn about factories that are experienced with crucial inspections like the 4-point system and shrinkage that guarantee the fabrics meet production requirements and provide brands with smooth cooperation with the same high quality in the long run. 

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1. Visual Fabric Inspection

Experience has shown that visual inspection is one of the most common methods of fabric inspection in apparel production, where the inspectors examine the fabric themselves for any forms of defects. This process aims to identify defects such as stains, discolouration, holes, and other defects that may affect the final product and/or its quality. A pre-production quality control check on fabrics involves laying the fabric flat or rolling it on an inspection table so as to prevent overlooking of defects. The inspectors lay the fabric flat and systematically examine the material under adequate light. 

Material Inspection Tips:

• These potential flaws can be unveiled through natural or bright white lighting. 
• Make trainers familiar with regular imperfections and distinctive non-conformities that are frequent in each sort of fabric material. 
• Record the defects encountered and their respective positions so that the findings can be reported effectively to the suppliers.

Visual inspection can appear to be benign yet is critical in ensuring that proper fabric quality is achieved prior to the start of a production line.

2. The 4-Point System

The 4-point system is one of the leading methods used in fabric inspection in apparel production all over the world. This means that the time taken by the fabric inspector can be quantified, and each defect is given a point value on the fabric in question. For example, defects up to 3 inches are awarded one point; defects measuring 3 to 6 inches are awarded two points; 6 to 9 inches are awarded 3 points; and any defect sized 9 inches or more is awarded 4 points. The obtained points are then summed, and if the points are greater than a certain limit, the fabric cannot be used for manufacturing.

Products have a number of possible defects, such as broken yarns, holes, and misprints, and this system of pre-production quality control makes it possible to detect all these. It is very effective when it comes to offering an impartial figure of fabric quality, especially when in the process of deciding whether to go ahead with the production or not of a particular fabric batch.

Material Inspection Tips:

• Define the acceptable point threshold based on the usage of fabric. 
• Make sure all inspectors are familiar with the point system to warrant standardisation. 
• Daily, weekly, or monthly review and adjust the point system standard with suppliers to prevent misunderstandings. 

The use of a 4-point system is also effective in ensuring that quality is standard and/or consistent and that the quality expectation is clearly communicated with the fabric suppliers.

3. Shading or Color Matching Inspection

Another common type of fabric inspection in apparel production is known as shading inspection, also known as color inspection. This inspection process ensures that the fabric rolls are of the right color or shade so that seemingly different colors are picked out and not used. Two similar fabric rolls are exposed to standard lighting, and the inspectors visually match the color of the batch. Small variations in shade can create garments that do not blend, and this would mean that clients or customers find them off-putting.

Material Inspection Tips: 

• It is advisable to perform shading inspections always under standardised lighting conditions to avoid preventing variance. 
• You should maintain an approved colour swatch or even a control sample from which you can compare when inspecting. 
• It is advisable to have colour inspections periodically throughout the production process since some fabrics may alter in colour according to the particular environment they are in. 

This pre-production quality control step is vital as it gives special emphasis to shade consistency; this is made exceedingly important by the fact that for large orders, variation in shade can end up affecting and ruining the appearance of the apparel.

4. Fabric Weight and Density Check

Fabric weight and fabric density are important preproduction quality control parameters to assess the fabric quality as they affect the wearing performance of the fabric. This inspection in fabric apparel production entails looking into sample weights to ensure they are of the right standard; also check on density and ensure you have the right standardised density. Fabric properties are critical when it comes to performance and functional wear. Worst of all, fluctuation of any measurements such as weight and density can alert the organisation of potential quality problems or even suggest that the production processes are not standard.

Material Inspection Tips: 

• For regular and correct determination of fabric weight, use calibrated calves. 
• When measuring density, use a ruler or any device that ensures uniformity. 
• It is essential to identify what level of tolerance is acceptable regarding each type of fabric in order to make the best call swiftly.

Thus, through confirmation of weight and density, manufacturers proceed with production, assuring that the fabric meets their expectations in regards to quality, thus eliminating expensive problems that could result from low-quality fabric.

5. Fabric Width and Shrinkage Test

One process during fabric inspection in apparel production that should be kept in mind is fabric width and shrinkage. Since garment manufacturing involves cutting and utilising fabrics, there is always a need to understand fabric width.  Shrinkage testing enables the makers of a cloth to understand how the material of the product will look after it has been worn. The sample should be measured and then washed, and then the washed sample should again be measured to figure out how much the shrinkage is. It also allows the makers to figure out what needs to change in the production process to avoid cases of variation.

Material Inspection Tips: 

• For fabric width accuracy, check the width of the fabric across various areas of the roll. 
• Implement predetermined parameters for shrinkage allowances so that adjustments can be made for production. 
• If fabric rolls are from different suppliers or dye lots, then conduct more than one shrinkage test. 

Maintaining fabric width and shrinkage tests are key pre-production quality controls to verify the finished garment size to the intended size.

Maker’s Row For The Best Manufacturers

Maker’s Row is perfect for brands and factories that require trusted sources, as well as high-quality fabric and regular crucial inspection. By reaching out to manufacturers in the States that adhere to quality-orientated production, Maker’s Row can help brands choose partners who pay much attention to inspection systems like the 4-point, visual, colour-matching, and shrinkage tests. These practices are essential in determining the presence of defects, controlling the shade range, and checking fabric properties before large-scale production. For companies that want only the best quality, Maker’s Row helps with the process of finding manufacturers that have high levels of quality control when it comes to pre-production.

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Conclusion

In order to prevent defects from getting out of hand and ruining the products, fabric inspection in apparel production has to be executed in the context of a thought-out pre-production quality control framework. For brands and manufacturers, it is essential to invest in thorough fabric inspections to ensure that the quality required by the customer is met. Through these five inspection methods, more consistency, quality, and reliable products can be acquired from each batch, hence enhancing manufacturers’ prospects in this highly volatile apparel manufacturing industry.

Read more…

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