Quality Control Checklist for Testing and Inspection in Garment Industry

Shubham Anil Jain
Sr. Consultant
Cent Edge Solutions LLP, Bangalore, India
Email: [email protected]

Introduction:
Any company or producer that is concerned about the quality of its products should use a quality control checklist as a fundamental tool. It is a set of specifications and requirements for specific items that have been created by the brand and given to quality control personnel for use during an in-person product inspection. This article will examine the components of a quality control checklist, how they are used for inspections of textile and apparel, and why your company needs them.

What is on a Checklist for Quality Assurance in Garment Industry?
The information on product specifications, packaging specifications, and on-site testing processes (including any equipment to be used) will all be included in a typical garment quality control checklist. Your supplier and quality control staff are more likely to understand your needs if your QC checklist has more specific information, which increases the likelihood that the finished product will closely adhere to your standards. To prevent misunderstandings, it’s a good idea to have the checklist translated into the supplier’s native tongue. Examples of the kind of things that belong in each category on a QC checklist for clothing are provided below:

1. Product specifications:
To ensure that the finished garment passes a fit inspection and that size is uniform, dimensions and tolerances must be met.

a) Materials and workmanship:
A garment’s fabric, stitching, and any other components (buttons, zips, etc.) are specified.

b) Colour:
It is best to utilize a colour standardization system, like Pantone, to define precisely what colours are to be used in a garment and its accessories in order to prevent misinterpretation. Additionally, grayscale testing may be necessary to obtain visual measures of colour fading.

c) Garment weight:
To assist in identifying problems with fabric density or wetness in the material

d) Markings and labelling:
Products must at the very least bear labels that adhere to local consumer product regulations in your target market. Your company, however, can have its own additional requirements.

2. Packaging specifications:
Packaging is a crucial component of your product’s trip through your supply chain and should not be overlooked. It may prevent product damage in transportation, reduce shipping costs, and ensure that your product complies with local packaging and labelling laws. Typically, a garment quality control checklist will include the following packaging requirements:

1. Dimensions and weight of the packaging
2. A shipper’s specifications for boxing materials
3. Labelling and labelling requirements for shipper’s cartons
4. Packaging style and selection
5. Requirements for retail packaging and labelling

3. On-site inspections and tests:
Numerous various tests may be performed during on-site quality control checks to make sure the clothing adheres to your specifications and quality standards. Depending on the kind and material of the clothing, these may include:

1. Symmetry checks and size fitting tests
2. Contrasting colours using Pantone codes
3. Checks for colorfastness (wet and dry rub tests)
4. Test of fabric weight
5. Adhesive tests (for printing and logos)
6. Tests for zip quality and fasteners fatigue
7. Stretch tests (for straps’ elastic textiles)
8. Testing for buttonholes
9. Tests for seam slippage
10. Check for needle damage
11. Prevention of metal contamination
12. Test of barcode scanning
13. Waterproof test (for clothing that is weatherproof and waterproof), among others

4. Instruments and tools for quality control:
The instruments that should be used to conduct measurements and who should supply those instruments are also specified in a garment quality control checklist. Inspectors typically carry small, portable gear, whereas factories occasionally supply heavier ones like metal detectors. It’s critical to know in advance what equipment is required and who will supply it. Typical tools for inspecting the quality of clothing include:

1. Tape measure
2. The dial callipers
3. Electronic camera
4. Faulty stickers
5. Colour swatch from Pantone
6. Barcode reader
7. Detects metal

Checklist to Follow at Various Stages for Quality Control:

A. Factory Pre-Production Meeting:
A small number of garments are produced in genuine production circumstances and systems using real fabrics before beginning bulk production. The Q.A. team conducts investigations while the garment is being created with the help of the R&D team. Following are some of the various trial-related considerations:

1. Grain line, silt line, GSM, flexibility, whiteness, shrinkage, etc. are examples of fabric quality.
2. Recommendations for fabric processing and finishing.
3. Recommended equipment for clothing production.
4. Guides and attachments for sewing machines.
5. Issues with construction and the need for prevention.
6. Problems with embroidery design and recommendations.
7. Washing standards.
8. Recommend a system for finishing clothing.
9. The aforementioned is reported, and it is communicated to all relevant departments.
10. Conducting PP meetings for all styles to make sure that each customer’s level on the garment quality control checklist is understood.
11. Review of a pilot sample.
12. To verify complete conformance and the absence of counterfeit concerns, review the fabric and accessories.

B. Factory inline / pre-final inspection:

2. Process validation to ensure both process and product integrity.
3. To guarantee finished goods are of high quality, make sure all retail marketplaces have 100% inline / pre-final inspection.
4. There should be a thorough review of each pre-production commitment to ensure consistency and execution.
5. The work performance correlation between PP and Inline should be 100%.

C. Factory final inspection:
Assure a 100% final inspection and use a garment quality control checklist at the very least for all the aforementioned factors that were discovered, discussed, and corrected in PP and inline. Support for internal and external customers

D. Quality of the Product:

1. Always check for product integrity.
2. Use your risk management skills to identify fake children’s and baby products.
3. Determine the problem during pre-production and bring it to the HOD’s attention.

Conclusion:
A quality control checklist is a list of product requirements, standards, and checks that is used during quality control. It is also known as a QC checklist or an inspection criteria sheet (ICS). It’s a document that the brand has developed to specify exactly what they want their product to be and what quality control processes they need during an in-person product inspection. Checklists for quality control are applicable to all industries. A brand may construct a garment quality control checklist independently or in collaboration with their quality control provider.

References:

1. https://blog.qima.com/quality-control/garment-quality-control-textile-apparel-inspections
2. https://www.testcoo.com/en/blog/103239
3. https://autogarment.com/garment-quality-control-checklist-2/
4. https://safetyculture.com/checklists/garment-quality-control/

You may also like:

1. How to Maintain Garment Quality Standards with QC Checklists
2. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) in Garment Industry

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.

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