The apparel industry is all about garments manufacturing, a manufacturing industry about making a garment. Quality control in garments manufacturing is the biggest deal for management, Satisfaction on the bulk production, sample quality /workmanship what observed in garments manufacturing floor matching buyer expectation. Garments Quality requirements meet with correct quality, workmanship, and accepted measurement tolerance. Any chaos in quality issues garments manufacturer suffers most. Reporting is the first work of quality controlling then work for a solution. Following SOP in every work is the key quality control.
Importance of Quality control
Quality is the key to successful garment manufacturing. Nowadays Quality demand is very and everyone is very much fashion trend. If a garments factory cannot meet the expected quality level they will lose order straightaway and effect in business. Garments factories survive on Quality. Every time the Garments industry penalizes a big amount of money for failing in final quality inspection. And then the buyer asks the factory to recheck all packed goods. Rechecking a complete lot and the re-final audit process is very much costly. Shipped garments have another quality audit process in of buyer overseas warehouse. If the buyer found bad quality products in their audit, claim full FOB cost as their compensation. Quality is the first thing that garments manufacturers have to maintain.
Quality control of Apparel Industry
Fabrics Quality control
There are many steps of fabric quality control in the garments industry. Fabrics shrinkage, distortion, shade, fabrics visual defects, etc. It has to do inspections for all rolls as per customer standards & segregate the rolls & properly distribute to cutting as per Shrinkage & shade wise.
Fabrics Quality control Flow:
Roll wise Blanket making
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Blanket washing
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Shade checking of every blanket
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Blanket shade grouping
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Making shade chart by A, B, C...
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Selecting master Roll of every shade
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Making shade Band
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Submit shade band to buying a house
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Color continuity/Run card making
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Shrinkage, Skew and Distortion test
Pattern Quality Control
The pattern is very sensitive and unauthorized persons are not allowed to edit the pattern. It is better to keep plus tendency in all patterns. It also requires making separate patterns by considering shrinkage differences. There must be a pattern library with all sets of a pattern of every style. Every stage pattern from sampling to bulk should keep separately and follow the changelog as best practices of the garments pattern section.
Cutting Quality Control
Cutting is not all about cutting, bundling, and input to the sewing section. Cutting quality effects on end products like measurement, shape, fabrics defects on garments, etc.
1. Cutting is an important part of garments to keep standard qualities.
2. It must require to keep fabrics relaxed for at least 24 hours. It must roll out all rolls by using fabric relaxation machines.
3. If fabrics are stretch fabrics, it has to handle separately by using smooth steel or plastic Pipe & need to pull the fabrics over that pipe to keep fabrics perfect.
4. After laying fabrics, it has to put a marker over the fabrics.
5. Then, it requires cutting the edge of laying fabrics. Also, divide laying fabrics into various big parts & keep at least two hours & then, cut fabrics. It will help to keep garments measurements unique.
6. Check fabric quality against approvals (construction /colors/weight/ etc….)
7. Maintain shade lots (ensure to match related components eg-collar/cuff)
8. Ensure fabric relaxing procedures
9. Ensure layering, panel inspection & replacement SOP
10. Ensure numbering and bundling, proper storage, and transportation procedures.
11. Ensure outsourcing (print, EMB, etc….) procedures / SOP is following
12. Ensure outsourcing panels have been checked 100% and removed/replace defective panels before input.
13. Ensure SOP follow-up at heat sealing/fusing pasting, etc…..
14. Follow up & update the cutting control chart.
2. It must require to keep fabrics relaxed for at least 24 hours. It must roll out all rolls by using fabric relaxation machines.
3. If fabrics are stretch fabrics, it has to handle separately by using smooth steel or plastic Pipe & need to pull the fabrics over that pipe to keep fabrics perfect.
4. After laying fabrics, it has to put a marker over the fabrics.
5. Then, it requires cutting the edge of laying fabrics. Also, divide laying fabrics into various big parts & keep at least two hours & then, cut fabrics. It will help to keep garments measurements unique.
6. Check fabric quality against approvals (construction /colors/weight/ etc….)
7. Maintain shade lots (ensure to match related components eg-collar/cuff)
8. Ensure fabric relaxing procedures
9. Ensure layering, panel inspection & replacement SOP
10. Ensure numbering and bundling, proper storage, and transportation procedures.
11. Ensure outsourcing (print, EMB, etc….) procedures / SOP is following
12. Ensure outsourcing panels have been checked 100% and removed/replace defective panels before input.
13. Ensure SOP follow-up at heat sealing/fusing pasting, etc…..
14. Follow up & update the cutting control chart.
Sewing Quality control
Through the received book, the Sewing distributor will collect the entire wash garments from the washing section according to buyer, style, lot, color, and size. There will be a signature of the designated person in the wash distribution department. In the Sewing section, a counter sample with buyer comments, size set comments, factory’s P.P- meeting sheet, measurement sheet, and pass size set report will be hanging. All garments collected from the wash section should be separated according to the buyer, style, color, size . Then marking the size label, care label, the main label to be applied. Following the sample after applying the label to the garments, the buyer's label will be approved by the QA Department.
1. Follow key quality controlling points & check at regular intervals /check process & maintain records.
2. Provide pattern measurement to sewing QC to make sure before wash measurement and keep a record,
3. It has to sew perfectly at the time of sewing garments & train operators & inform them about tolerance.
4. Strictly control not to cut by overlock machine.
5. Make sure no fraying out due to more handling in the sewing line, and set the machine layout accordingly.
6. Make sure a separate pattern set is created based on shrinkage as per SOP.
7. Make sure wash QC measuring after wash goods batch to batch and keeping record out of tolerance quantity.
8. Ensure AQL 1.5 quality standards+ measurements at sewing section (maintain daily records)
9. Traffic light system will increase operator quality and productivity
10. Make sure keeping record treatment recipe of out of tolerance garments and re-measuring report,
11. Send goods to washing shade wise bundle by bundle.
12. Follow the sample to determine the position of the care label.
13. According to the sample, the hanger loop grading will have to be approved by the QA section.
14. The main label and size label will be put in the middle. The side should not be curved.
15. The main label's backstitch contrast will not work.
16. Remove the size mistake and always work on updating information for the label.
17. If there is a problem during production, you will have to work on writing and tell the QA department.
1. Follow key quality controlling points & check at regular intervals /check process & maintain records.
2. Provide pattern measurement to sewing QC to make sure before wash measurement and keep a record,
3. It has to sew perfectly at the time of sewing garments & train operators & inform them about tolerance.
4. Strictly control not to cut by overlock machine.
5. Make sure no fraying out due to more handling in the sewing line, and set the machine layout accordingly.
6. Make sure a separate pattern set is created based on shrinkage as per SOP.
7. Make sure wash QC measuring after wash goods batch to batch and keeping record out of tolerance quantity.
8. Ensure AQL 1.5 quality standards+ measurements at sewing section (maintain daily records)
9. Traffic light system will increase operator quality and productivity
10. Make sure keeping record treatment recipe of out of tolerance garments and re-measuring report,
11. Send goods to washing shade wise bundle by bundle.
12. Follow the sample to determine the position of the care label.
13. According to the sample, the hanger loop grading will have to be approved by the QA section.
14. The main label and size label will be put in the middle. The side should not be curved.
15. The main label's backstitch contrast will not work.
16. Remove the size mistake and always work on updating information for the label.
17. If there is a problem during production, you will have to work on writing and tell the QA department.
Washing Quality Control
Washing has a big role to keep control of measurement, garments hand feel and appearance. If washing can not meet the standard, garments are put away as rejected.
1. To keep measurement within tolerance, the washing plant has an important role.
2. It has to train all washing-related personnel & create awareness regarding buyer-required wash & measurement tolerance standards.
3. They have to work by heart & honestly maintain the recipe & timing. It has to check batch by batch after wash measurement.
4. It has to follow the buyer wash team given instructions perfectly to maintain wash shade & measurement within tolerance.
5. It has to create a team that will measure the garments in key points & then deliver goods.
6. The washing plant does not deliver any goods which are out of tolerance. They have to keep goods separately that are out of tolerance.
7. Later, they have to rework with the garments which are out of tolerance & then deliver goods.
8. Make sure not to pass out of tolerance garments into the finishing section by washing QC.
9. Make sure after wash measurement is correct before attaching finishing items.
1. To keep measurement within tolerance, the washing plant has an important role.
2. It has to train all washing-related personnel & create awareness regarding buyer-required wash & measurement tolerance standards.
3. They have to work by heart & honestly maintain the recipe & timing. It has to check batch by batch after wash measurement.
4. It has to follow the buyer wash team given instructions perfectly to maintain wash shade & measurement within tolerance.
5. It has to create a team that will measure the garments in key points & then deliver goods.
6. The washing plant does not deliver any goods which are out of tolerance. They have to keep goods separately that are out of tolerance.
7. Later, they have to rework with the garments which are out of tolerance & then deliver goods.
8. Make sure not to pass out of tolerance garments into the finishing section by washing QC.
9. Make sure after wash measurement is correct before attaching finishing items.
Finishing Quality control
All products, buyer, style, color, size, grading will be sent to the gate-up table passed by Iron QI. After the gate-up will use the QI number pass sticker in the ok garments.
1. All loose thread will be trimmed
2. Ironing/Pressing should be smooth, no crease mark is acceptable
3. Right ticketing and proper placement must be ensured
4. Check & update packing /packaging accessories inventories in advance
5. Ensure measurement accuracy
6. Ensure packing method, trims accuracy
7. Ensure packaging accuracy/ctn audit
8. Maintain AQL 2.5 quality standard at packing section (conduct daily inspections & advise reports)
9. All defects checked by the gate-up QI will be corrected and checked.
10. All types of mending defects must be corrected by the operator.
11. Spot defects should be fixed by sending them to spot remover.
12. If there is a big problem or damages, then it should be informed to the section supervisor, in-charge, FQC, QCI, and Manager, and the right solution is also to be done.
13. Reject garments should be kept in separate boxes with proofs.
14. Setting quality goals every day save the data of problems and discuss with the responsible person for the problems and solve it
15. All submitted products checked by QI should be stored and sent to the packing section.