Garment inspection checklist

This article describes common industry practice, not official rules.

A garment inspection checklist lists what the inspector checks on the goods and what counts as a defect. In many cases the buyer writes it. It usually refers back to the purchase order, the approved sample and the buyer's specification, so the inspector knows which version of the product is the reference. The items below are the areas that checklists commonly cover. The buyer decides which items apply to a given order.

Quantity and packing

• Piece counts compared with the packing list.
• Carton counts, and whether the carton marks match the shipping marks.
• Packing method, such as polybags, inner packing and folding, as the buyer specifies.

Labels and tags

• Care label, size label and brand label, checked for position, content and attachment as the buyer specifies.
• Hangtags and any other tags the buyer asks for.
• Wording and symbols compared with the artwork and the specification.

Appearance and workmanship

• Stitching and seam condition, including open seams and skipped stitches.
• Loose threads and loose trims.
• Stains, holes, marks and other visible defects.
• Shading between panels, where the same colour sits on different pieces of fabric.
• Symmetry of collars, pockets, sleeves and other paired parts.
• Print and embroidery placement and quality.

Fabric and colour

• Fabric appearance and feel compared with the approved sample.
• Colour compared with the approved sample and the colour references the buyer provides.
• Colour judged under the lighting the buyer specifies, since colour can look different under other light.

Measurements

• Measurements taken at the points shown in the technical drawing.
• Results compared with the size specification.
• Tolerances the buyer sets in the checklist. The checklist usually states how much variation is allowed for each measurement.

Fit

• Fit checked on a form, if the buyer asks for it. The checklist usually states which fit notes to record.

Accessories and trims

• Zips, buttons, snaps, drawstrings, elastic and other trims.
• Position, attachment and how each one works.

On-site tests

Checklists sometimes include tests the buyer asks for. These are described in words in the checklist, along with the method and what to record. Examples are a pull test on buttons or a colour rub check on printed areas. The inspector runs these tests only when the checklist asks for them.

Laboratory testing is a separate activity. A laboratory measures properties under controlled conditions and issues a test report. A test report from a laboratory is not the same thing as an on-site check during inspection.

Fabric inspection before cutting

Some buyers check the fabric as a separate step before cutting starts. The fabric check usually looks at the roll condition, shade and visible defects in the fabric, as the buyer specifies. Finding a problem at this stage is usually easier to handle than finding it in finished garments.

Defect classes and tolerances

The checklist usually sorts defects into classes, such as critical, major and minor, and states the tolerance for each. The buyer sets these classes and tolerances in the checklist. Read them before the inspection starts, so the inspector and the factory use the same definitions.

For children's garments, whether a legal or certification requirement applies is for the regulator or an accredited laboratory to confirm.

Does the checklist replace the approved sample?

The checklist usually refers to the approved sample. It describes what to check and how to judge it, and the sample shows what the finished product should look like.

Who decides what goes on the checklist?

The buyer usually decides. The inspection company or inspector may suggest additions, but the items and the tolerances are set in the checklist the buyer provides.