Garment Defects

*Common quality defects in garments and how to prevent or fix them.

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1. Fabric Defects

Sometimes issues found in garments can occur during production of the raw fabric, or textile, prior to use in garments.

Drop StitchesDye MarksLaddering

Bad selvedge Shade variationHorizontal lines

Fabric defects overview

ImperfectionsContaminantsStains

Drop stitches are randomly appearing holes in the fabric.

Drop Stitches

Ensuring a uniform yarn

tension in the machine

Regulating the yarn feed rate

Making sure to use yarn with

no imperfections for stitching

Prevent drop stitching by:

Thoroughly inspecting the base grey fabric prior to stitching & using the appropriate dying agent

Maintaining the correct pH

Using a power backup to ensure the machine does not shut down during use

Dye marks

Dye marks are irregular patches on the surface of dyed fabrics.Prevent dye marks by:

Source: textilelearner.blogspot.com

Laddering

Laddering is where vertical lines appear in the fabric due to broken needles.Prevent laddering by:

Checking for uniform yarn tension

Periodically changing or replacing

needles

Removing blockages in the feeder

Stains

Stains appear as spots or patches of grease, oil or dyes of different color.Prevent stains by:

Regularly cleaning machines

Guarding moving parts

Using plastic to protect

the fabric

Bad selvedge

Bad selvedge occurs when the fabric ends are too far apart for the yarn thickness.Prevent bad selvedge

Properly maintaining equipment

Ensuring you have the proper

settings on the machine for the

fabric you are using

Shade variation

Shade variation is a difference in the depth of shade from roll to roll or piece to piece. Prevent shade variation by:

Ensuring you use one lot of yarn

for one shade of color and use a

single set of parameters for the

same lot

Horizontal Lines

Horizontal lines are irregular lines running from side to side across the fabric.Prevent horizontal lines by:

Regularly replacing the bobbin

Consistently checking thread

tension and positioning

2. Workmanship/Handling Defects

Workmanship issues are those directly caused by the production processes of the garments themselves.

Seam puckeringShading variationOpen/broken seams

Untrimmed threadSizing out of toleranceMisaligned buttons and holes

Workmanship Defects Overview

Broken stitchesDrop/skipped stitchWavy stitching

Seam Puckering

Seam puckering is the bunching of a seam.To prevent seam puckering:

Check the thread tension during

sewing

Make sure fabric is fed through

the machine at a constant rate

Shading Variation

Shading variation refers to differing color shades within garments.To prevent shading variation:

Ensure workers are only combining

garments of the same color and

not taking shortcuts when cutting

and bundling

Proper numbering different cuts of

fabric that vary in shade

Open/Broken Seams

Open seams are unstitched openings in seams seen in isolated units.To prevent open seams:

Ensure workers are properly folding

garments and not putting strain on

the seam, as well as not cutting

corners when sewing

Broken Stitch

Broken stitches are evident as non continuous threads.To prevent broken stitches:

Ensure workers aren’t too

aggressive when trimming threads

Ensure thread is being fed properly

into the sewing machine

Drop stitch/skipped stitch

Drop stitches are irregular instances of stitching along the seam.To prevent drop stitches:

Ensure workers aren’t too rough

when handling or cutting

Ensure the sewing machine is

properly calibrated

Wavy stitching

Wavy stitching occurs when stitches do not follow a straight line.To prevent wavy stitching:

Ensure workers aren’t too rough

when cutting & the sewing

machine is properly maintained

Make sure the correct needles are

used for sewing

Untrimmed thread

Untrimmed thread refers to extra or loose thread along a seam line.To prevent wavy stitching:

Ensure workers are vigilant when

performing internal QC and know

how to properly trim excess thread

dimensions out of tolerance

Dimensions that are out of tolerance indicate differences in measurements of parts of a garment.To prevent dimension intolerance:

Ensure workers have the proper

measurement specifications and

use the proper patterns

Conduct first article inspection of a

single piece of each size to identify

any issues with dimensions early

Misaligned buttons and holes

Misaligned buttons and holes usually occur due to worker error.To prevent misalignment:

Ensure workers are following

specifications

Ensure workers are vigilant at

the end of the production line

to catch any issues during

internal QC checks

Defects of the color, size or placement of trim such as embroidery, print or zippers.

3. Trim & accessory defects

Trim broken/insecure/inoperableTrim differs from specificationsTrim bleeding

Trim Defects Overview

Trim broken/insecure/inoperable

Trim operation issues are those where a clothing accessory is broken or trim isn’t secure.To prevent trim operation issues:

Ensure workers aren’t rushing

through production

Catch any issues and address

them during internal QC checks

• Incorrect color• Incorrect size• Missing trim

Trim differs from specification

Sometimes trim differs from the buyer’s specifications. Cases of this could include:

To prevent specification deviance:

Ensure all workers are familiar with

the specifications

Keep a product sample on hand for

use as a guide for production

Source: thriftyfun.com

Trim bleeding

Trim bleeding occurs when the color of the trim leeches or transfers onto the garment fabric. To prevent trim bleeding:

Ensure the garment is labeled with

instructions for care

Follow instruction for care as per

the manufacturer’s care label

1. textilelearner.blogspot.com2. ehow.com3. thriftyfun.com

references

Here are just a few importers that have benefitted from our fabric and garment inspections:

Check out our comprehensive guideline for garment inspection!

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