IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY CONTROL

SYSTEM FOR PRODUCT QUALITY

IMPROVEMENT

A dissertation submitted in partial Fulfillment of

the requirement for the award of Degree in

Bachelor of Fashion Technology (Apparel Production)

Submitted By
KUNJIKA YADAV
BFT/14/88

Under the Guidance of

PROF. JOMICHAN PATTATHIL

Department of Fashion Technology

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai
May 2018

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude towards all those who helped me
fulfil my project and requirements.

I would like to thank my industry mentor, Ms. Sneha Saksena for her sincere support as a
motivator and a guide.

My sincere thanks to my college mentor Prof. Jomichan Pattathil who continuously helped me
and motivated me in doing my project and letting me complete my graduation project.

My gratitude would also go to the faculty of NIFT Mumbai who have helped me in learning the
basics apparel production and especially to Mr. TS Prakash - CC DFT for guiding us throughout
the course of my project.

Kunjika Yadav

Date: 08 - 05 - 2018

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 INTRODUCTION
For every industry or business, to get increased sales and better name amongst consumers and
fellow companies it is important to maintain a high level of quality. In the Garment industry
quality control is practiced right from the initial stage of sourcing raw materials to the stage of
final finished garment.

Organized manufacturing units cater with large order quantity with a lead time of 30-45 days.
While as per the demand of fast fashion, smaller brands have to get their products
manufactured in maximum 15-20 days. Due to low order quantity and short lead time no
organized vendor agrees to manufacture for online brands. So they have to knock the door of
unorganized vendors who rarely follow SOPs (Standard operating procedures).

Company has a poor in-house quality checking department. Each and every product is visually
checked. This leaves out a lot of defects and quality issues unseen and unresolved.

A lot of customer complaints were observed and were related to quality issues like color
bleeding, loose threads, broken buttons, measurement and size issues and some related to
service like late-delivery, missing item, wrong item or wrong size, increasing return rates.

As a start-up, OLIO lacks a proper or standardized system of quality inspection and quality
control in place to assure utmost quality of products to their customers.

For a company to grow, one must understand that customers drive any business and delivering
quality products is the key to meeting customer demands and retaining a customer base.

This project is aimed at helping the company streamline and improve the overall product
quality by putting proper quality control techniques in place and minimizing defects, by
implementing quality control methods like checklists, guidelines, thus leading to reduction in re
works, costs and customer complaints, further helping them improve on the product they
deliver.

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 OBJECTIVE
The objectives of the project are to:

 Control quality in different departments of production.

 Implement Quality checklist and steps, and inspection system for their garments to
enhance quality, minimize defects rate, and reduce reworks and wastage.
 Pin point most frequent and common quality defects and suggest measures for
rectification for enhanced customer satisfaction.
 Bring to fore front the problems in their services and other aspects to ensure improved
Customer Service (on-time delivery, response time from company's side, returns etc).

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
 Better quality checking procedure
 Reduced defects and customer complaints
 Enhanced quality and customer service

WHY THE STUDY

Quality of a company and their product directly impacts the overall profitability of a company,
whether it is quality inspections during the manufacturing process, quality checks before goods
arrive at the customer, or checking the quality as raw materials and parts enter the factory.

The quality department is tasked with inspecting incoming raw materials, in-process work and
final product before it is shipped.

If there is a way to help the Quality department get its job done faster then the operations
process can move along faster, thus reducing time in the supply chain.

Quality control in the supply chain is critical for maintaining a competitive edge in the
marketplace and reducing operating costs. Without quality control, waste becomes prevalent
beyond a tolerable amount.

No wearers will buy a garment with poor quality and visible defects. So buyers and retailer
knowingly do not purchase a product that does not meet the quality requirement. Quality

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conscious buyers have a strong quality inspection system in place to avoid purchasing of
defective goods.

There is no way garment manufacturers can ignore producing quality products. Quality comes
first to most of the manufacturer supplying garments across the countries.

.Quality must be controlled during processing whether it is done by the operators, supervisors,
pressman, garment packers or one employs a checker or inspector. In case quality of the
product and processes is not being controlled from beginning to end it will cause followings:

 High alteration and rejection of garments

 Requirement of extra manpower for checking of goods and repair work
 Factory may lose customers (buyers) as well as Brand Value
 Low motivated employees
 Need to work for extra hours
 Delay in production completion
 Ultimately production cost will increase if one ignores quality control area in
manufacturing stage

This is why it will be profitable for a company to implement a simple quality control process
and achieve customer satisfaction, retention as well as long term goals.

RESEARCH METHODOOGY
The implementation of the project has used the following methods to obtain data for the study:

1.) PRIMARY DATA:

This kind of data was obtained by reviewing and going into detail of all customer records,
feedback and complaints received in the past, to understand where the issues in quality lie.

The company has a 99.6% female customer base and sells womenswear.

2.) SECONDARY DATA:

This data has been obtained from reference books, research papers, websites and online
articles referred to for the study and will make use of procedures, tools, methods and formulae
used as standard resources for obtaining data and findings.

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 COLLECTION OF DATA PERTAINING TO QUALITY ISSUES

LISTING OUT ISSUES, FINDING OUT CAUSES AND

SUGGESTING REMEDIES

FRAMING AND ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES/CHECKLISTS

ENCOURAGING/TRAINING EMPLOYEES TO FOLLOW

PROCEDURES OF THE SYSTEM

CHECKING EFFECTIVENESS AND RESULTS

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 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Definition of Quality:

No work on the subject of quality would be complete without including the many and varied
definitions of quality from various quarters. Some of these definitions from various quality
experts can be found in the literature and these are as shown below:

Quality is conformance to requirements - Crosby.

Quality is fitness for use – Juran

Quality is a predictable degree of uniformity and dependability, at low cost and suited to the market -
Deming.

Quality is the (minimum) loss imparted by the product to society from the time the product is shipped -
Taguchi.

Quality is correcting and preventing loss, not living with loss - Hoshin.

Quality is in its essence a way of managing the organization - Feigenbaum.

Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product, service or process, which bear on its
ability to satisfy a given need; from the customer’s viewpoint - BS 4778.

Quality is a dynamic state associated with products, services, people, processes, and environments that
meets or exceeds expectations – Goetsch

THE MEANING OF APPAREL QUALITY THROUGH THE PERCEPTION OF PRODUCTION MANAGERS AND
OPERATOR

by Heidi Patricia Scheller , Iowa State University

Product quality and its perceived concomitant benefits can be a means to any and all of the five major
goals of the firm. Throughout the manufacturing literature, quality is correlated to profitability,
improved productivity, increased sales, increased market share, and inventory control (Evans & Lindsay,
1989). Adoption of quality goals by firms has resulted in long-term organizational changes (Leonard &
Sasser, 1982). Historical evolution of U.S. quality systems followed those in Japan with a focus on
teamwork within the organization. Now, workplace democracy is expanding to give workers
responsibilities of authority and control over their processes and products. Thus, in some industries. the
coordination of quality has changed from the specialist function of a quality control department to a
labor-management quality system which can successfully fulfill the goals of the firm (Rubenstein, 1991).

Quality is a recognized goal in the apparel industry, but the literature lacks descriptive studies of how
quality goals are fulfilled in apparel firms. Therefore, the Cyert and March behavioral theory (1963) was

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useful in this study as a theoretical backdrop for the qualitative design, instrument development, and
data analysis framework. Because the Kunz (1993) model further developed the behavioral theory and
related it specifically to the apparel finn, it too, functioned as a conceptual framework for defining the
study's objectives and research questions, as well as providing support in the data analysis.

Definitions of the Quality Concept

The significance of definition has long been recognized by philosophers and linguists, although not
without controversy. Questions about the nature of definition, the existence of indefinables (such as
truth, simple feelings, and quality), and the usefulness of definition have extended back to the theory of
logic proposed by Aristotle (Robinson, 1950). Definition has been considered as a statement of the
entire nature of the thing defined (Oates, 1972). Another explanation of definition offered by Borsodi
(1967) is that it is both a process and an endproduct of distinguishing what is sought to be
communicated by a word from that communicated by other words. This includes making the meaning to
be attached to the word explicit. Furthermore, he points to the four canons of definition: (1) adequacy -
a definition should strive for distinction and comprehensiveness, thereby making it adequate for
communication; (2) differentiation - a definition must specify enough significant properties of the word's
referent to prevent confusion with something else; (3) impartiality - a definition should not be biased in
that no part of the referent of the word being defined should be stressed out of proportion to other
parts of the referent; (4) completeness - a definition must be complete enough to make recognition of
the referent possible. There exists a tradition that definition must be only a short phrase or sentence,
but adequate definition cannot always be brief (Robinson, 1950).

Dimensions of product quality

Throughout Garvin's (1984) review of quality literature, eight common themes have been identified as
basic elements of product quality. Known as the eight dimensions of quality, they include: aesthetics,
conformance, durability, performance, serviceability, reliability, features, and perceived quality.

Garvin's definitions of these eight dimensions are referred to within the contexts of specific products
(1987). Performance is defined as referring to a product's primary operating characteristics which can be
measured and ranked. Features are known as "the bells and whistles" of products and services as
characteristics which supplement basic functions. Reliability is the probability that a product will fail or
malfunction within a certain time period. Conformance is the degree to which a product's characteristics
meet established standards.

Durability is a measure of product life, or the amount of use the product offers before it breaks down.
Serviceability is defined as speed, courtesy, competence, and ease of repair. Aesthetics refers to how a
product looks, feels, tastes, smells, or sounds, and is considered to be highly subjective. Perceived
quality is primarily reputation of a product. Because people do not always have complete information
about a product, inferences about quality may be made based on suggestive criteria (Garvin, 1987).

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Product-based approach of Quality definition

Product-based definitions consider quality as a measurable quantity of a variable or an attribute of a

product (Garvin, 1984). By this definition, products earn quality status by the amount of desired
attributes they possess. Leffler (1982), asserts that a common distinction made between variants of the
same product is that they are of differing quality. The amounts of unpriced attributes within each unit of
priced attribute defines quality. Examples of these product characteristics include the size or weight of
durable goods, the BTU s of heating fuel (Griliches, 1971), or the knots per square inch in rugs (Garvin,
1984). Clothing which required intensive hand stitching and elaborate boning was considered to be of
high quality in the late nineteenth century (Stamper, Sharp & Donnell, 1991). Product-based definitions
of quality appear in economics literature because they assume that quality is objectively measurable
and can therefore be easily incorporated into theoretical and mathematical models (Garvin, 1984;
Griliches, 1971). Quality change is viewed as vertical product differentiation, in which the absolute
quantities of all attributes per unit of good are increased or decreased (Lancaster, 1989). Correlated to
this type of definition is the higher cost of better quality and the lower cost of lesser quality.
Performance and durability are two elements of apparel quality which emerge from this type of
definition (Glock & Kunz, 1990).

User-based approach of quality

The user-based perspective assumes that quality can only be defined by individual consumers according
to satisfaction of their wants and needs. Goods which best satisfy an individual's preferences would be
considered best quality (Garvin, 1984), and vice versa, perhaps with a continuum between these two
extremes. Juran (1974) defines quality in this way as "fitness for use", while Edwards (1968) similarly
states that quality is the capacity of a good or service to satisfy the wants of its users that are intelligibly
related to the product's characteristics in performance.

Value-based approach of Quality

Value in the context of product quality means a measure of wonh. Value-based definitions of product
quality provide for performance at an acceptable price or conformance at an acceptable cost. Thus,
quality is defined in terms of costs and prices (Feigenbaum, 1961). Value analysis is a technique used
during product design to obtain the optimum value in a product by providing the necessary features for
the lowest possible cost (Evans & Lindsay, 1989). Results of a consumer survey of quality in twenty eight
product categories suggest that quality is being increasingly perceived in relation to price (Garvin, 1984).
In a study based on market data over ten years, Takeuchi & Quelch (1988) assen that consumers'
priorities and perceptions change over time, and that consumers' perceive a product's quality relative to
competing products. They also indicate that the trend is toward consumers demanding high quality at
low prices, as well as emphasis on values of durability, reliability, craftsmanship, and longevity in
products.

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Commitment to Quality

Successful apparel manufacturers have realized that responsibility for good quality in their products lies
with management, and that the total commitment of top management is necessary for best quality
despite the efforts of a quality control department (Hudson, 1988). Gilbert (1987) wrote that the
importance of quality to an organization can be measured by what the organization will sacrifice to
achieve it. High levels of commitment to quality have been achieved through programs to instil values
and train workers, as well as through control and evaluation systems (Garvin, 1986). In a study of quality
problems and attitudes in U.S. and Japanese manufacturers of air-conditioners, Garvin found support for
the view that differences in quality performance (as measured by supervisors' reports of percentages of
specific category defects) are correlated to differences in attitude. Among U.S. manufacturers, and
between Japanese and American manufacturers, high levels of quality were associated with strong
manager and worker commitment to quality. American supervisors overall reported that production
schedules took priority over quality, whereas, in the Japanese companies, the importance of quality was
evident through workers' strong commitment to quality goals.

QUALITY IS MORE THAN MAKING A GOOD PRODUCT

By Hirotaka Takeuchi and John Quelch

Many U.S. companies have turned to promotional tactics to improve their quality image. Such
efforts are evident in two trends. The first is the greater emphasis advertisements place on the
word quality and on such themes as reliability, durability, and workmanship. Ford, for instance,
advertises that “quality is job one,” and Levi Strauss proffers the notion that “quality never goes
out of style.” And many ads now claim that products are “the best” or “better than”
competitors.

The second trend is the move to quality assurance and extended service programs. Chrysler
offers a five-year, 50,000 mile warranty; Whirlpool Corporation promises that parts for all
models will be available for 15 years; Hewlett-Packard gives customers a 99% uptime service
guarantee on its computers; and Mercedes-Benz makes technicians available for roadside
assistance after normal dealer service hours.
While these attempts to change customer perceptions are a step in the right direction, a
company’s or a product’s quality image obviously cannot be improved overnight. It takes time
to cultivate customer confidence, and promotional tactics alone will not do the job. In fact, they
can backfire if the claims and promises do not hold up and customers perceive them as
gimmicks.
To ensure delivery of advertising claims, companies must build quality into their products or
services. From a production perspective, this means a companywide commitment to eliminate
errors at every stage of the product development process—product design, process design, and

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manufacturing. It also means working closely with suppliers to eliminate defects from all
incoming parts.
Equally important yet often overlooked are the marketing aspects of quality-improvement
programs. Companies must be sure they are offering the benefits customers seek. Quality
should be primarily customer-driven, not technology-driven, production-driven, or competitor-
driven.
In developing product quality programs, companies often fail to take into account two basic
sets of questions. First, how do customers define quality, and why are they suddenly
demanding higher quality than in the past? Second, how important is high quality in customer
service, and how can it be ensured after the sale?
As mundane as these questions may sound, the answers provide essential information on how
to build an effective customer-driven quality program. We should not forget that customers,
after all, serve as the ultimate judge of quality in the marketplace.

THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY CONTROL IN APPAREL INDUSTRY

By Matthew Kowalak

The quality of apparel in the fashion realm is a combination of design and materials of the
products which are needed for the intended use and target market it will be sold in. But is that
enough?

Here’s why that is NOT good enough and why it is crucial to go the extra mile to really excel and
stand out from your competitors. Let's look at the importance of quality control in apparel
industry!

The apparel industry critically depends on the factories, the complex supply chain, and if the
best practices are being implemented regarding their quality control systems. Nobody will buy a
product that is of poor quality or has any visual defects. In the fashion word, particularly in
China, there are so many fast-fashion products being mass produced which will maybe be worn
a season then thrown out.

This is how the world of manufacturing works, no way around it. However, with the ability to
connect to people all over the world via social media from anywhere, you can fine tune the
design and composition of a product to their needs. This is why it is important to research
which fabrics and materials are not just trending but also sustainable to produce and of high
quality.

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The Acceptable Level of Goods

Quality for textile and apparel can be defined as the acceptable level of the goods. Can this be
measured? And what should be measured?

For the textile industry one should focus on:

 The actual design of the product

 Quality of fibres and materials
 From where they are sourced
 Yarns and stitching
 Method of dyes and coloring techniques
 Sizing, cutting and assembly
 Accessories extras such as buckles, zippers etc.

This is why it is important to start your quality control inspection from the start of the
production cycle. For apparel and accessories there are 3 main phases of inspections involved:

 Raw materials inspection for fabrics and accessories

 In process inspection
 Final inspection and tests
It is important that your quality control system in place monitors and keeps up in all three of
these phases. If the systems are not being controlled and kept up you might risk one of the
following occurrences:

 Rejection of products, accessories

 Require outside quality control services (extra expenses)
 Degradation of Factory and Brand Value
 Low motivated employees, nobody wants to get blamed
 May cause for a recall
 Delay in production times

The Production-Service Connection

Product performance and customer service are closely linked in any quality program; the
greater the attention to product quality in production, the fewer the demands on the customer
service operation to correct subsequent problems. Office equipment manufacturers, for
example, are designing products to have fewer manual and more automatic controls. Not only
are the products easier to operate and less susceptible to misuse but they also require little
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maintenance and have internal troubleshooting systems to aid in problem identification. The
up-front investment in quality minimizes the need for customer service.
Besides its usual functions, customer service can act as an early warning system to detect
product quality problems. Customer surveys measuring product performance can also help spot
quality control or design difficulties. And of course detecting defects early spares later
embarrassment and headaches.

How Do Customers Define Quality?

To understand how customers perceive quality, both L.L. Bean and Caterpillar collect much
information directly from them. Even with such information, though, pinpointing what
consumers really want is no simple task. For one thing, consumers cannot always articulate
their quality requirements. They often speak in generalities, complaining, for instance, that they
bought “a lemon” or that manufacturers “don’t make ‘em like they used to.”
Consumers’ priorities and perceptions also change over time. Taking automobiles as an
example, market data compiled by SRI International suggest that consumer priorities shifted
from styling in 1970 to fuel economy in 1975 and then to quality of design and performance in
1980.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT of the product is the key to keep the garment sector on the track of
global competition.
At this critical point, manufacturers should give top priority to reduce defects in their products
and become competitive. As the world financial situation is changing quickly, industries are now
giving more focus on customer demand for superior quality product, turnover and enhanced
productivity.
A study by M.M. Islam and A.M. Khan shows that rejected garments after shipment is very
usual in the garment manufacturing industries in Bangladesh and this problem greatly hampers
the reputation of our garments industries.
According to Tennant and Geoff, A systematic continuous improvement process can largely
minimize the defect percentage and increase the productivity.
Dr. Sikorski emphasis that in order to achieve the overall objective in minimizing defects and
rejection of finished products it is required to set up document and maintain a system able to
ensure that products are conformance to the standards specifications.

It can be observed that quality means different things to many people, including the quality
Gurus. One thing is certain, quality has changed gradually over the years as a result of changes
in customer needs. Thus the definition offered by BS 4778 and Goetsch [23] is considered most
appropriate in light of these circumstances

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STEPS OF GARMENT INSPECTION:

Garments Inspection:
Garments are assembling of different elements such as fabric, sewing threads, buttons, trims,
etc. The quality of garments depends on proper inspection of every step of garment
production. For maintaining the required quality level needs to check every step of garment
production. This procedure is known as garments inspection. Garments inspection is very
important for quality garments. In garments industry, there are three stages of garment
inspection.
The steps of garment inspection are as below-
1. Raw Material Inspection
2. In-Process Inspection
3. Final Inspection

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1. Raw Material Inspection:

We all know that, the main raw material of the garment is fabric. Therefore, raw material
inspection is also known as fabric inspection. The fabric is the main raw material for garment
making. So the fabric is inspected very carefully in the garment industry. Normally 4.0 points
system and 10 point system are used for fabric inspection. The 4.0 point system is used for
better quality fabric and 10 point system is used for comparative poor quality fabric.

2. In-process Inspection:

The inspection, which is carried out before assembling all the component of a garment is known
as in-process inspection. In-process inspection is also known as online inspection. This is the
long inspection process due to whole production inspection is done in this process. Therefore,
online inspection is very important for garment inspection system.

The online inspection is carried in following sections-

 Cutting Section
 Sewing Section
 Finishing Section

3. Final Inspection:

Final inspection is the inspection system which is carried on a complete garment. Before this
stage, a component of a garment or an incomplete garment is inspected. So, final inspection is
very important from customer point of view. Size of garments fitting and other defects is
inspected during final inspection. There are various systems for final inspection.

QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES

Product and service quality play a significant role in business sustainability. The same applies to
garments as a product. In the buyer's market, quality is the core of a business for what it gets
acceptance and credibility among its clients. This article shows quality control practices that are
being followed by most of the organized garment export houses.

 Fabric Quality Checking

The fabric is the primary raw material and most costly item in apparel product manufacturing. A
defective fabric will produce a defective garment. To avoid fabric related defects in garments,
fabrics are inspected prior to cutting. Depending on the quality standards 100% inspection or
10% or random lot inspection is done. Common defects found in fabrics are like - weaving

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defects, holes, printing/dyeing defects, water crease marks, color variations etc. Factories
generally follow 4-point system for fabric inspection for woven as well as knits fabrics.

 Trim and Accessory Quality Checking

All trims are checked for durability and performance. All trims are attached correctly using
proper attachment methods. Ribbons ends are heat sealed. Trim materials are checked to
perform consistently with the base fabric performance with no differential shrinkage.

 Cutting Quality checking

Shade variation in cut bundles is being controlled. Other important quality aspects that are
taken care are like – using a pattern according to fabric shrinkage, controlling fabric skew or
torque, all plaids, horizontal/vertical stripes are given extra care so as to match the stripes.
Light weight fabrics are relaxed to avoid measurement error while stitching.

 Stitching Quality Checking

Quality is checked whether garment construction meets with the buyer requirement like
garment measurement, stitching quality, seam quality, trims and label are attached correctly.

 Finishing and Washing Quality Checking

All the garments are given sufficient time to relax and dry thoroughly prior to packing to avoid
foul smelled. Thread cutting, ironing, spotting and other finishing processes are done under
strict quality control measures. 100% garments are checked for - Correct labeling, hangtag
positioning and carton marking, Correct ratio packing, quantity check in each carton as per the
packing instruction. All the packed garments are inspected 2.5AQL quality audit before
forwarding goods to the buyer's Q.A. team.

 Safety Measure for Kids Garments

To ensure no broken needle remain inside the garment, all kids garments are passed through a
metal detecting machine. Secondly, garments with small parts embellishments as sequins,
beads etc. are labeled with "WARNING...CHOKING HAZARD". Accessory items with sharp points
and edges are not used on children garments. Button pull strength, a sequence as per the
buyer's requirement.

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Section Wise Quality Control in Garment Factory
Quality controlling areas are as follows:

1. Quality control in store section:

Store section is centralized in apparel industry and all the fabric comes to this unit first from the
supplier and audited here and kept until it is distributed to other section. Following controlling
are checked here.

 Inventory
 Fabrics
 Material
 Swatch board making
 Cleanliness
 Reporting
2. Quality control in sample section:
Samples must be checked by quality control personnel before sending it to the buyer.

Important points to be checked in sample section:

Whether the samples are as per specifications or not, such as, style description, sketch,
measurement sheet, photograph etc. and workmanship has to be checked with reference
sample or related documents provided by the buyer. Report to be submitted to the
merchandiser as well as to the superior.

3. Quality control in cutting section:

Quality control of garments cutting section plays a vital role in garments because right
measured cutting is required to get the right shape of garments. Besides cutting is the first
working department of garments production. So its quality must be checked with carefully.

A. Patter/Marker:
Pattern and marker must be checked by the quality control personnel check points are as
follows:
 Measurement
 Gradation
 Allowances
 Pattern parts missing
 Mixed parts

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  Pattern shape
 Direction of pattern in the marker
 Pattern alignment with respect to the grain line
 Poor line marking
 Marker too wide than fabric width
 Notches and Drill marks omitted
 Mismatch checks and strips
 Overlapping
 Too thick line or double line marking
 Invisible line marking
 Marker incorrectly positioned on the lay.
B. Spreading:
During fabric spreading the following points should be checked:
 Fabric relaxation
 Incorrect tension of plies
 Wrong direction of plies
 Unacceptable damages found
 Mismatching of checks and strips
 Narrow fabric
 Shaded fabric
 Misalignment of plies
C. Cutting:
During cutting the following points should be checked:
 Inaccurate cutting.
 Notches-misplaced, too deep, angled, omitted or wrong type.
 Drill marks-wrong drills, omitted, angled.
 Knife cut-garment parts damaged by careless use of knife.
 Frayed edges, scorched or fused edges caused by a faulty knife.
 Slits opened inaccurately of omitted.
D. Others:
 Bundling with bundle card
 Numbering
 Cut panel checking
 Wrong size in the bundle
 Fused parts checking
 Cleanliness
 Proper storing
 Proper is suing
 Prefer test cutting then bulk cutting
 Reporting

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4. Quality control system in sewing section:
There are some systems which are practiced in sewing floor are as follows:
 Traditional systems
 JC Penny system
 Traffic light
 SPC
Points to be considered during controlling quality in the sewing line are as follows:
 In line inspection should be performed at the workstation.
 Inspector ratio in the line depends on the system being implemented in the line.
 As per JC Penney system, one inspector for 30 operations. All operators be audited
minimum twice a day, where operator are skilled.
 As per pre-production meeting, inspector will be provided considering the controlling
system.
 Defect and measurement both should be checked in the line.
 The inspectors must select the units at random basis from a bundle.
 The inspector must inspect exactly the number of units called for the sampling plan.
No more no less or as per the system.
 If the inspector finds a defective unit, corrective action should be taken.
5. Quality control in finishing section:
This is the final section to make the product saleable condition and the finishing processes
should be controlled to achieve the quality target.

Checking areas in finishing section are as follows:

 Iron/Press
 Folding
 Tagging
 Packing

Defining garment defects in a QC checklist

A quality control checklist—sometimes called an inspection criteria sheet (ICS)—is a vital

document for inspection and consistent quality of any product, including garments.

Critical defects for garments

A critical defect is one that presents a safety hazard to the user, might cause property damage
or otherwise harm the end user of the product. A single critical defect found in a single garment
typically results in the importer’s rejection of the entire order. Major reasons for such swift
dismissal of an order containing a critical defect are that it:

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  Puts consumers at risk of bodily harm
 Threatens the reputation of distributors throughout the supply chain, and
 Exposes the brand to liability and unnecessary costs in the event of a product recall

One example of a critical garment defect is finding a needle or other sharp object included in
the packaging of the finished goods. This isn’t a defect unique to garments. But due to the
cutting and sewing processes involved in manufacturing softlines products, you’re more likely
find it in these product types.

Garment orders are more likely to fail inspection due to mold, another critical defect that’s
relatively common. A large portion of international garment production takes place in countries
like Indonesia, Vietnam and others in Southeast Asia. Humid climates typical of that region
make the garments there more vulnerable to mold during packaging and storage. Mold can
spoil an entire order of garments if the factory doesn’t take action to prevent it.

Major defects for garments

Major defects are those which don’t pose a threat to the safety of the user, but don’t meet the
importer’s specifications orgolden sample. These defects typically lower the value or usability of
the product, hurt salability and can lead to customer returns. Depending on the type and
quantity found, major defects may prompt the importer to refuse an order, asking the supplier
to hold it until they’ve addressed the quality issues found during inspection.

Factory workers may be able to reasonably repair or rework the defective garments. Other
times, the factory cannot easily remedy major defects, and the importer may ask their supplier
to cover the loss or manufacture replacement pieces. Some brands may also accept imperfect
garments and offer discounts through special distribution channels, such as factory outlet
stores and other retailers.

Issues with sizing out of tolerances or incorrect stitching are often considered major defects
that would result in the importer rejecting an order of garments. If the clothes don’t fit
correctly or tear or fall apart easily, these products are likely to be returned by customers and
tarnish the image of the brand on the label.

Minor defects for garments

Minor defects found in relatively small quantities typically don’t affect the salability of a
product and aren’t normally identified by the customer. But they’re still issues outside of the
standard the importer and supplier have agreed upon.

Minor garment defects can take many forms and include issues such as:

 Misprinting of “Made in Chins” instead of “Made in China” on a shipping carton

 Untrimmed threads, missing stitches or uneven stitching on a garment

20
  Minor variation in shading between garment pieces
 Variation of care label quality or content

Minor defects also include dirt and other materials on the surface of a garment that can be
easily washed off. Such defects found in isolation are typically accepted by the importer. It’s
when these defects are found in numbers outside the acceptable quality limit that they lead to
failing product inspection.

SL Garments Workmanship and Appearance Critical Major Minor

1. Brand name differs from PO/sample X – –

2. Broken / Skip stitch – X –

3. Open seam or hem – X –

4. Wavy seams/stitch – – X

5. Collar Fullness or tightness of fabric (Bubbling) – X –

6. Unintentional pleats form along the seam – – X

7. Missing / wrong accessories – X –

8. Thread discoloration – – X

9. Incorrect interlining weight in relation to the fabric – – X

10. Sharp ends, Bent Buttons / snaps post X – –

11. Button too big for the buttonhole – X –

21
12. Buttonhole too big for the button – X –

13. Zipper puller self-lock not secure – X –

14. Zipper slider does not glide through the zipper teethsmoothly – X –

15. Zipper stitching margin too small that may cause slider to jam – X –

16. Snapping action too tight to close – X –

17. Snapping action too loose to close adequately – X –

18. Belt loop Missing/Incomplete – X –

19. Color shade variation within a box – X –

20. Missing collar bone – X –

21. Broken hanger resulting to sharp end/edge X – –

22. Poorly attached hanger hook – X –

23. Poly bag / inner box damage / wrinkled – – X

24. Brand name differs from PO/sample X – –

25. Poly bag / inner box too loose or too tight – X –

22
 WHAT IS QUALITY CONTROL

INTRODUCTION

Quality is defined as the level of acceptance of a good or service. It is a very essential requirement
for any kind of product. Every product should maintain the standard quality level. In this 21st
century of globalization market are becoming more and more complex, that’s why every industry
are facing a high level of competition for their business. So the product must fulfill the customer
requirement. For this reason every product should maintain the quality level. For the textile
industry and apparel industry, product quality is calculated in terms of quality standard of fiber,
yarn. Fabric construction , color fastness, design and the final finished garment. Nowadays buyers
are very much quality conscious. If it is possible to maintain a high Quality system of inspection
policy, the buyers shall be motivated and more quality products can be made.

The fitness for use concept can be applied to garment. For a garments to be fit for use provided
its style acceptable.1. It must be free from defects such as stain, material defects, open seam,
loose hanging thread, misaligned buttons and button holes, defective zipper etc.2. Must fit
properly for the labeled size.3. It must perform satisfactorily in normal use, meaning that a
garment must be abler to withstand normal laundering / dry cleaning / pressing cycle without
color loss or shrinkage, seams must not come apart, fabric must not tear and so on.But
maintaining an adequate standard of quality also costs effort. From the first investigation to find
out what the potential customer for a new product really wants, through the processes of design,
specification, controlled manufacture.

Quality Control

Quality is of prime importance in any aspect of business. Customers demand and expect value
for money. As producers of apparel there must be a constant endeavor to produce work of good
quality.”The systems required for programming and coordinating the efforts of the various
groups in an organization to maintain the requisite quality”. As such Quality Control is seen as
the agent of Quality Assurance or Total Quality Control.

Objectives

To maximize the production of goods within the specified tolerances correctly the first time. • To
achieve a satisfactory design of the fabric or garment in relation to the level of choice in design,
styles, colors, suitability of components and fitness of product for the market.Satisfactory quality
can only be ensured through:

1. Knowing the customer need.

2. Designing to meet them.

3. Faultless construction.

23
4. Certified performance and safety.

5. clear instruction manual

6. suitable packaging

Satisfaction quality can be ensured from the customer’s point of view by providing:

1. Right product.

2. Right quality.

3. Right time.

4. Undamaged condition.

To ensure the quality level of a garment we need to observe some specific sector

1- Fault free fabric.

2- Shade matching of the garments.

3- Making the pattern as per buyer requirement.

4- All the different parts of the garment should have the perfect size.

5- Good stitching, seam formation should be perfect.

6- Additional accessories such as button, zipper, tag, level is in right position.

7- Packing and packaging.

24
 TOOLS OF QUALITY

Many organizations use quality tools to help monitor and manage their quality initiatives.

There are several types of tools that can be used. However, there are seven management tools
for quality control that are the most common. Different tools are used for different problem
solving opportunities and many of the tools can be used in different ways.

The 7 most common quality tools?

1. Flowchart

This tool is used when trying to determine where the bottlenecks or breakdowns are in
work processes. Flow-charting the steps of a process provides a picture of what the process
looks like and can shed light on issues within the process. Flowcharts are also used to show
changes in a process when improvements are made or to show a new work flow process.

Example Flowchart

25
2. Check Sheet

A check sheet is a basic quality tool that is used to collect data. A check sheet might be used to
track the number of times a certain incident happens.

As an example, a human resource department may track the number of questions by

employees, per category, per day. In this particular check sheet the tools shows the total
number of questions received by the human resources department.

26
This information helps that department identify opportunities to proactively share information
with employees in an effort to reduce the numbers of questions asked.

Example Check Sheet

3. Cause and Effect (fish bone) Diagram

A cause and effect diagram, also know as a fish-bone diagram, shows the many possible causes
of a problem. To use this tool, you need to first identify the problem you are trying to solve and
simply write it in the box (head of the fish) to the right.

Next, you will list the major causes of the problem on the spine of the fish. Causes are typically
separated into categories of people, process, materials and equipment. Causes are then
identified through brainstorming with a group familiar with the problem.

Once all of the possible causes are identified, they can be used to develop an improvement plan
to help resolve the identified problem.

Example Cause and Effect (Fish Bone) Diagram

27
4. Pareto Chart

A Pareto chart is a bar graph of data showing the largest number of frequencies to the smallest.
In this example, we are looking at the number of product defects in each of the listed
categories.

When you look at the number of defects from the largest to the smallest occurrences, it is easy
to see how to prioritize improvements efforts. The most significant problems stand out and can
be targeted first.

Example Pareto Chart

28
5. Control Charts

Control charts or run charts are used to plot data points over time and give a picture of the
movement of that data. These charts demonstrate when data is consistent or when there are
high or low outliers in the occurrences of data.

It focuses on monitoring performance over time by looking at the variation in data points.
And, distinguishes between common cause and special cause variations. The Dow Jones
Industrial Average is a good example of a control chart.

Example Control (Run) Charts

29
6. Histograms

Histograms are bar chart pictures of data that shows patterns that fall within typical process
conditions. Changes in a process should trigger new collection of data.

A minimum of 50-75 data points should be gathered to ensure an adequate number of data
points have been collected. The patterns that are detected demonstrate an analysis that helps
understand variation.

In this example, it shows that the receptionist received the most phone calls about contribution
statements for that period.

Example Histogram

30
7. Scatter Diagrams

Scatter diagrams are graphs that show the relationship between variables. Variables often
represent possible causes and effect.

As an example, a scatter diagram might show the relationship between how satisfied
volunteers are that attend orientation training. The diagram shows the relationship between
volunteer satisfaction scores and volunteer orientation training.

31
 Example Scatter Diagram

Each of these quality tools has unique advantages for certain situations. And, not all tools are
used for all problem solving.

Once a tool is learned, it can be adapted to different problem solving opportunities.

Additionally, as with anything else, using tools properly takes practice and experience.
Simply start using each of the tools, and over time, you will become proficient and a great
problem solver!

Basic Information

Company Name OLIO

Chairman And Managing Director Sneha Saksena
Address Saket, Delhi NCR
Production Head Mr. Luqmaan
Type Of Manufacturing Garment
Year Of Establishment OLIO - 2016
Core Products Womens wear
Capacity Per Day

32
Organizational Structure

The OLIO office consists of employees heading down in hierarchy as:

 Director
 Designer
 Marketing and Social Media Head
 Technical and Production Coordinator
 Order, Packaging and Shipping Head
 HR/Admin Head

In Production:-

 Production Head (Women’s wear)

 Spreading and Cutting Head
 Sewing Room Head
 Finishing & Quality Head

There are 9 different departments in Raymond Ltd.. They are:-

1. Human resource
2. Marketing & Merchandising
3. Production Planning
4. Fabric & Trims Stores
5. Sampling and Pattern Development Section
6. Spreading & Cutting Section
7. Sewing Lines & Finishing Lines
8. Garment Quality
9. Warehouse

In OLIO, there are no separate departments for Sampling and pattern, nor for sewing and
finishing.

The garment quality head is one person who has been recently deployed as there was no proper
inspection or quality system in place before.

33
Production Flow Chart of Organisation

Design Ready

Production Plan

Sampling Room

Pattern Development

Spreading & Cutting

Department

Sewing Department

Finishing

34
Packing

Warehouse

Shipment

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

35
 1600 120

1400
100
1200
80
1000

Percentage
800 60
Defects

600
40
400 Cumulative
Defects
20
200
Cumulative
Percentage
0 0 Defect

Ishikawa Diagram:
SKIP STITCH

Where the stitch length is inconsistent, possibly appearing as double the normal stitch length;
or where you can see that the threads in the stitch are not properly connected together.
Caused by the stitch forming device in the sewing machine, missing the thread loop during
stitch formation causing a defective stitch. On looper type stitches, this will allow the seam to
unravel causing seam failure.

Machine
Man
 improper threading
 machine maintenance
not done timely
 mismatched/improper
needle for fabric
 wrong thread size
 broken/deflected needle
 tension variation in looper and
needle thread
 use of incorrect feed or plate
 Speed variation in feed dog
and the loop formation
 Low SPI of the machine
 Worn thread guides, paths or
eyelets SKIP
STITCH
 Inherent shrinkage
36

Method Material
 Ishikawa diagram for Skip Stitch

Suggestions-

 Timing of hook or looper with needle should be adjusted properly

 Use appropriate needle to facilitate loop formation
 Repair damage machine parts
 Proper threading of the machine should be ensured
 Adjust the needle height and testing before bulk sewing
 Checking the right eye position of the needle
 Adjust tension properly
 Using good quality thread
 Choice of needle thread in accordance with the needle size
 Presser foot should be properly adjusted as per the hole in the needle plate

OIL STAIN

Stains appear as spots or patches of grease, oil etc on the garment. Generally caused by
improper material handling or ignorance to machine cleaning on a regular basis.

Man Machine
 oil bed not cleaned
 greasy hands  oil creeping up to thread to
 consumption of food at take up hook
work place

OIL STAIN

 not ensuring a clean  other required material 37

 hot environment
working place like thread etc. not
leading to excess
cleaned
sweating
 Ishikawa diagram for Oil Stain

Suggestions-

 Regular machine maintenance

 Operator cleanliness and discipline to be maintained
 Organised, clean and well ventilated workplace
 Lubricant free, Teflon coated thread take up hooks
 Regular cleaning of machine and the table

STITCH RUN OFF

When the stitch line runs off the edge of the seam and the edge of the seam is not properly
stitched.

38
 Machine
Man
 High RPM of the machine
 Improper training of the
 Presser foot not adjusted
operators
accordingly

STITCH
RUN OFF

 Improper material
 Use of thick fabric with
handling
improper needle
 Guides not provided

Method Material

Ishikawa diagram for Stitch Run Off

Suggestions-

 Proper training should be provided to the operator

 Maintain the speed of the machine by conducting regular checks
 Providing proper guide/folder attachments to the operators
 Use of correct needle in accordance with the fabric

UNEVEN/HI-LO

The stitches are not straight or improperly formed

39
 Man Machine

 Improper machine  Faulty feed dog

maintenance  High RPM of the machine
 Operator holding back or  Incorrect pressure of presser
pushing fabric in variance foot
with the machine feed UNEVEN/
HI-LO

 Guides not provided

Method

Ishikawa diagram for Uneven/Hi-Lo

Suggestions-

 Use of suitable thread

 Proper guides should be provided
 Tension, SPI and presser foot should be adjusted properly
 Feed dog to be checked

40
 Customer Complaints Data

5% 3%4% 5%
8% 4% 4%
3%
5% 3%
31%
4% 9%
3%
5%
2%
10% 4% 2%
2%
6% 2%4%3%

Belt Loop missing Broken Button Button Missing Button not secure
Dirt Marks Fit Issue Holes Improper pressing
Item does not match image Item Missing Late delivery Loose threads
Misprint Oil stain Pilling Pocket Misaligned
Puckering Color Bleeding Seam grin Shade variation
Wrong Size delivered Zipper Malfunction Hook/zipper not secure

The data retrieved from customer complaints brought out many concerns and issues to look after and
rectify.

 31 % of the complaints were related to fit issues and size problems, followed by color bleeding,
holes, stains marks if we talk about quality related issues.
 In service quality, complaints mostly consisted of
 8% late delivery, item not matching image etc.

41
 Customer Complaints Data
Broken Button
Button Missing
Button not secure

6% 4% 5% Dirt Marks
6% 3% Fit Issue
8% Holes
12%
Improper pressing
Loose threads
5% 13%
2% Misprint
Oil stain
7% 6%
Pilling
6% 6%
4% 7% Pocket Misaligned
Puckering
Color Bleeding
Seam grin

When the data related to product quality was highlighted:

 13 % fit issue
 12% color bleeding
 8% dirt marks
 7% loose threads
 6% holes
 6% improper pressing/creases/wrinkles

And so on.

42
 Customer Complaints Data
20
18

16

14
12

10
8

4
2
0

In descending order, highest number of issues lie in:

1. Fit /size/ measurement variations
2. Color bleeding
3. Dirt Mars
4. Loose threads and Pillingg
5. Holes
6. Seam grin and Shade variation
7. Improper pressing
8. Pressing
9. Missing Button
10. Broken Button
11. Insecure button
And on.

43
 1. Color bleed/crock/fading:
Crocking is the color transfer that occurs when fabric rubs against something, such as furniture,
shoes, or skin. This happens when the dye has not properly adhered to the fabric.
Color bleed occurs when the fabric gets wet and dye leaches out of the fibers. This commonly
occurs in the washing machine and can result in color transfer between items in the load.
Color fading is when the fabric has lost much of its dye and therefore lacks vibrancy and depth.
Causes:

 Poor quality dye

 Poor quality mordant
 Incorrect dying technique
 Incorrect dye used for the type of fabric (not all dyes work on all kinds of fabrics)
 An excess of dye left in the product because the item was not properly rinsed out
during the dying process
 The manufacturer has not used fixer or ‘mordant’ to bind the dye to the fabric
 The mordant has washed out of the fabric due to prolonged hot washing and so is no
longer holding the dye to the fibers
 Wear and tear: friction between fabrics that can cause micro-breakages in the fibers
and lead to the release of dye
 Bleaching, which can be caused by the fabric's exposure to bleaching products, heat,
and/or sun.
Remedies:

 On visiting the vendor who handles the dyeing and block printing for all the garments, it
was observed that the dye used was of poor quality, as it did not hold or set the dye on
fabric for too long.
 The workers did not let the dyed fabric dry for longer required time.
 A new stronger mordant dye was suggested to be used so that the mordant in the dye
holds and binds the dye to the fabric and doesn’t wash off easily.
 The fabric was treated with Rit Dye Fixative
 In a few cases, excess dye was left in the fabric which came off when the fabric was
washed after dyeing. After the first wash, the fabric was left outside to dry, after which
the color did not bleed upon gentle wash cycles.
 It was advised to take care of it and be sure to send the fabric for one wash in cold
water after washing.
 The care instructions for the garments made of dyed fabric mentioned “dry clean only”
which would now be changed to “COLD GENTLE WASH”.

44
2. Shade Variation (within the garment)
Causes:

 Arises due to improper cutting, bundling and numbering.

 Different Batch mixed for same garment.
Remedies:

 The workers were instructed to pile the bundles for different styles and shades
separately. The garment parts are to be kept in proper bundle with number.
 One batch fabric shade was suggested to be used for same garment in every part. If the
shade varies, then either reject that fabric or bundle it up with the right style it belongs
to.
 Use of standard dyes and colors was suggested and to be used in a uniform consistent
manner, while visiting the vendor.
 Standardize dyeing procedure.

3. Holes:
Causes:

 Holes can come from fabric, due to improper care or storage of rolls in inventory or
it could be caused by the production side, either by improper trimming or broken
needle puncturing the fabric
 Careless Handling
 Very stiff & dry yarn
 Cutting issues
 Improper cleaning of needle and machine.

Remedies:

 Better and more careful storage of fabric rolls in stock.

 Better inspection of fabric and cut piece in place once the rolls are out of inventory
before cutting.
 Use a fabric fault detector.
 Careful handling of fabric while sewing was suggested to operators.
 While storage, fabric and garments should be kept away safely away from sharp,
damaging objects.

45
4. Stains/dirt:
Causes:

 Ink, food and drinks spilled on the garment.

 Workers with dirty hands handling the garment.
 Machine oil bed not clean.
 Manhandling and improper storage of garment.
 Oil leakage from machine onto thread and fabric.
 Using water instead of steam to iron garment.

Remedies:

 Iron should be regularly checked for dirt/impurities and malfunctions.

 Machines should be regularly cleaned and oil leakage looked after.
 Checking oil bed before use of machine.
 Lubricant free, Teflon coated thread take up hooks
 Operator cleanliness and discipline should be practiced.
 Operators should wash hands if dirty or after consuming food.
 If not, operators should wear gloves.
 Organised, clean and well ventilated workplace so that no humidity or dust reaches
garments.
 Steam should not be substituted with water.
 Proper, safe, clean storage of garments once made.
 Not touching garment with sweaty hands.

5. Seam Puckering
Causes:
 This problem arises due to uneven stretching on to plies of fabric during sewing,
improper thread tension, wrong sewing thread selection, dimensional instability
of the plies of fabric etc.

Remedies:
 Fabric should be smoothly laid flat on the machine bed before sewing, taking
care it does not skew or stretch. Even while sewing.
 Thread tension should be checked.
 Feed dog, eyelets and thread guides should be checked periodically for damages
 Machine feed mechanism must be better quality
 Operator training
 Tension, SPI and presser foot pressure should not be fiddled with much

46
  UBT/trimmer should be used instead of pulling and breaking thread
 Needle-thread-fabric combination should be well judged
 Sewing thread must be selected proper.

6. Uncut/ loose thread

Causes:
 It appears due to improper trimming or finishing.
Remedies:

 UBT/thread trimmer should be used

 Operators should be trained to cut/trim the threads after sewing
 They should also be trained to look for other loose/uncut threads.
 Garments finishing should be checked properly during inspection stage.

7. Wavy Staggering Stitches

Causes:
 It appears due to improper handling of cut pieces , faulty feed mechanism , needle
deflection or wrong needle.

Remedies:
 Shrinkage should be taken into account beforehand and suitable thread should be used
 Needle to be changed
 Needle size and thread size should be changed
 Operator training
 Guides should be provided
 Feed mechanism to be changed
 Tension, SPI and presser foot pressure should not be fiddled with much
 Feed dog should be checked periodically

8. Measurement Variation
Consistency in measurement of finished knit garments has a great role in the fitting of
garment.
A lot of returns are due to sizing or measurement variation issues.
Several customers complained about size / fit issues which may occur due to faults in
measurements, dimension or shrinkage.

47
 Production tolerances are established for variation in dimensions that occur during
garment production. Some dimensions such as a collar on a dress shirt, may have zero
tolerance. Others may allow ¼ to ¾ inch, depending on where the seam is located. Smaller
tolerances allow less variation in size dimensions of finished garments. Factors that can
cause changes in dimensions during the production process are these:
Causes

 Tolerances allowed in cutting and sewing

 Fabric distortion during spreading, sewing, and pressing
 Inaccurate cutting and sewing
 Shrinkage from heat, steam, and fusing
 Notches incorrectly placed
 Sometimes improper trims

Tolerances are established because of the realities of potential size variation that can be cased
at different stages of the production process. For example, if fabric is spread and cut under
tension, the resulting garment pieces will relax and become smaller than the pattern piece. If
garment pieces are cut inaccurately, variation in measurement can occur. Some machines trim
as they sew and too much seam allowance can be removed. Inaccuracies of sewing may not
become apparent until the garment is finished. Pressing can also cause size distortion.
Unskilled handling of garments during pressing may cause distortion or stretching. Excess heat
on some fabrics causes shrinkage.

Reasons that affect the measurement variation:

 Poor Dimensional Stability of fabric.
 Lack of sufficient fabric relaxation.
 Poor shrinkage control in Compacting
 Excessive dragging during spreading
 Incorrect Seam and Ease allowance in pattern
 Too many no. of plies during Spreading
 Blunt Knife edges
 Excessive Trimming wastage during Sewing.
 Incorrect Machine settings leads to pull/pucker the fabric
 Not following the correct measurement charts at all the stage.
 Lack of awareness among workers in all stages of Production.

Remedies:

 Proper training of operators

 Spread the fabric and let it relax for sufficient time.
 Do not load the roll with too many plies as it may lead to the fabric compressing under
pressure and shrinking or losing shape.

48
  Use of proper and sharp knife.
 Avoid shrinkage of fabric.
 Pay attention to correct measurement and size charts for the same to avoid problems.

Fitting and Sizing Issue

Fitting issue of garments has impact on the customers buying decision. The main concern of
customers especially teenagers and women is to purchase garments that have proper fitting
and yet fashionable. Although cuts and styles of the clothes we buy is important, the more
important factor that influences the buying decision is the proper fitting which is according to
the persons body structure. Clothes are not only for body protection and covering, but also
have social and emotional aspects attached to them. For example - a petite girl wearing clean
and proper fitted clothes that are not too tight and loose would look more flattering then
another petite woman who wears tight fitting non-clean dress.

The garments which after wearing does not show any wrinkles, pulls or unnecessary fluffiness is
of proper fit. Also the clothes with right placed seams, darts and grain lines has good fitting. The
importance of proper fit of garment varies with its type. Like in case of tight fitting dress
smallest of misfit is quite visible and noticeable, whereas for loose fitting clothes 100% proper
fit is not required and does not make much difference. Even if the fabric is of high quality,
craftsmanship on the dress excellent, but if the fitting is not up to the mark then other things
does not matter.

Apart from the customers, the readymade garment manufacturers and retailers also bear the
consequences in terms of loss of time, resource and damage to merchandise due to fitting issue
problems. Although the problem might seem not so big, but in the form of return of purchased
clothes, non-satisfaction towards the brand and time taken in trial rooms puts additional
expenses on the seller. Whether a particular garment is purchased or rejected is decided on the
bases of its fit. Customer satisfaction depends upon the designing, style and most important the
fit & size of the garment. Apart from visual attractiveness the comfort level of the well fitted
clothes is more preferred. Generally garments with not so good fitting lie unused most of the
time in our closets.

Even if the garment is made of high quality fabric with excellent work on it and of latest style,
the customer would not be enough motivated to buy it in absence of proper fit. Women and
children are two segments of customers whose number of return of ill-fitting clothes is more
than other age groups and sex. Due to it the sales declines and unnecessary costs build up on
the retailers head.

However well fitted clothes do not imply that they have to be body hugging or tight, different
types of dresses and garments need different degree of fitting, like the right fitting criteria for

49
evening wear and nightwear is different. According to a survey done on teenage boys and girls,
the readymade garments do require some alteration to be made and also one is ready to shell
out few extra bucks for better fit.

The most common criteria for judging the fitting size are, whether hemline is even or not,
seams on vertical front should be straight, darts that are narrowed extending before the wide
part of the body they are given to shape up, neckline comfortable and shoulder seam a &
waistline seam in accordance.

The different issues related to the fitting and sizing of the readymade garments are as follows:

Sizing criterion

Every brand before producing ready-made garments in bulk quantity, first examines the general
types of fitting and sizing that could be given for a particular set of population. The main
concern of the manufacturers and retailers about fit issue is which size should be made and
how they are to be labeled. The customers are also included with the problem of proper fit as
they are directly or indirectly connected to it. It is not possible to adopt particular sizing criteria
for the clothes of women, children and men at an international level. Therefore the garment
manufacturers set the sizing standards according to their customer database and the
information of retail shops. The sizing standards vary from one brand to another therefore the
customers generally face dissatisfaction due to this factor.
Certain garment measurements are considered for fixing the sizing standards like length, waist
measurement or chest measurement based on garment type. For example for trousers waist
measurement is the main decisive factor for fixing the size, whereas for t-shirt it is the chest
measurement. Usually there are 4 main size options available for a garment i.e. small, medium,
large and extra large. Most manufacturers comply the sizing and fitting system of the well
known brands, whether it has been developed in their country or not. However, this concept is
wrong as the physical measurements of people of different countries vary. This problem is
mainly experienced in international brand. Hence sometimes poor fit is the result, which
ultimately leads to customers dissatisfaction.

In order to achieve better sizing in readymade garments, it should defined specifically for
different countries, also should differ region-wise even in same country. The type of garment
also decides the sizing parameters to be followed. This would roll out better customer
satisfaction, boosting the sales.

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Problems of standard set for sizing

The main problem of sizing standards lies in the age-old data compared to recent data about
the human body measurements. The waist and hip ratio of different brand shows vast
differences, this further leads to customer frustration and confusion at the time of purchase.
Time is also wasted in trial many brands. The same size measurement varies in different brands
can be easily unveiled. For example if we purchase 30 waist jeans of five different brands, the
measurement would differ. The difference would be more than marginal.

In India the multinational companies manufacturing garments do not consider the physical
body structure of the Indians. The size charts are made according to the English and American
standards which is not at all practical. However Indian standards for sizing are being developed.

Body Variations

The sizing standards should be prepared according to sexes and different age groups, for a shirt
that fits a man of 30 years of age would not fit an old man of 60 years of age. According to the
bust, hip, waist and stomach measurements body types have been classified as- spoon,
rectangle, hour glass, pear shaped, diamond, triangle, inverted triangle and apple shaped. Such
classification is there due to the distribution of flesh and fat in a persons body. Thus despite of
preparing standard size charts, the problem of exact fit is going to remain in case of readymade
garments.

OLIO has a size chart of its own, and the certain measurements for hip, bust and waist in S, M, L
vary from dress to dress due to variations in styles, cuts and silhouettes.
What may be 26 waist of a Small garment for a fitted A line dress will have a 30 waist on a
trench dress as the style on a trench dress’ waist is loose and not fitted unlike an A line or
mermaid. So due to variations in styles, there is little the company can do about it.
The size chart are given on website for every product and customers are advised to follow it
and make buying decisions as per that.

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Measurements for a kaftan dress : Size chart

Wrap dress measurements: Size chart

52
 Measurements for a fitted waist Dress: Size chart

THE COMPANY POLICY

 The company lets the customer pay by debit/credit card, Pay U Money and also by COD
(Cash on Delivery). International orders can also be paid for by PayPal.
 Due to a lot of commonly recurring defects in garments and the company's Return
Policy, it becomes a hassle for customers to get their orders exchanged or returned.
 It takes 5-7 business days for the orders to process and ship out and another 4-7 days
for the order package to be delivered, depending on the location.
 The order can be exchanged but not returned.
 Final sale items are strictly non-returnable/exchangeable.
 As company policy, they do not offer refunds on products sold.
 If the size doesnt fit or the customer prefers a different style, they have 14 days to
request Return beyond which it will be invalid to do so.
 Once the customer has requested return through the Return Portal, they receive an
email with return shipping details.
 Cost of the courier sent to back to company is to be borne by the customer. Cost of
shipping the corrected garment to customer will be borne by company.
 Even if the garment has a defect (which is the company's fault and not the customer's),
the shipping cost is supposed to be borne by the customer.
 This policy makes the customer a little hesitant and infuriated to go ahead with the
procedure.
 Due to all of this the company ends up getting negative feedbacks and a bad repute
with the customers.

53
Drafting a checklist for Quality Control
A QC is assigned to look over all sections.
A worker and a helper are assigned to each department/room to carry out the process and
inspection to see to it that the checklist guidelines are being followed.

GUIDELINES:

FABRIC INSPECTION GUIDELINES:

These are the steps to be followed by the company for inspection procedure:

 Determine the amount of rolls to be inspected.

 Place the fabric rolls on inspection machine.
 Know the difference between face and back side
 Make sure there is ample light in the room for clear vision
 Use the valid swatch cards and match them with the fabric for any shade variation
 Start and run the machine at a convenient speed that the operator can easily check for
all major defects at.
 Cross check the length of the roll with whatever is stated on the roll.
 Look for fabric defects like missing yarn, slubs, pilling, holes. Running stitch,
loose/broken warp or weft, float warp etc.
 Mark all the defects with a tack gun or mark and record the data.

How to record the defect by using 4.0 system

Defect size by Inch No. of point to record

0 – 3 inches 1

3 – 6 inches 2

6 - 9 inches 3

9 – up inches 4

How to Calculate the Defect of 4.0 system

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 Total Points x 3600
__________________________
Fabric (Yards) x Fabric Width
The accepted level is 26 points below per one hundred yards. If it is more than 26 points that’s
mean the fabric quality is rejected. The fabric inspector should mark down the defect carefully
and another inspection should be done immediately if the result is not satisfied.

 Fabric must be relaxed for 24 hours before spreading and cutting.

SPREADING GUIDELINES:
 Spread the plies one after the other properly. Make sure to do away with all kinds of
creases, wrinkles and lines.
 Align the plies properly before spreading all of it.
 Misaligned plies will result in garment parts getting cut with bits missing in some plies at
the edge of the spread.
 Ensure minimum ply tension.
 Do not put too many plies one over the other as it may increase ply tension and leave
creases.
 (A tight spread will contract after cutting, resulting in smaller and skimpier components
than what should be. A slack spread possesses excess length within the stipulated end of
the spread. Cut components from a slack spread will tend to be oversized.)
 Narrow fabric causes garment parts at the edge of the lay getting cut with bits missing.
Incorrect tension of plies, i.e., fabric spread too tight or too loose, will result in parts not
fitting in sewing, and finished garments not meeting size tolerances.
 Check that no 2 or more plies are overlapping each other as it may result into splicing.
 The patterns on the plies should be aligned along the grainline.
 Check that all plies are facing the right/correct direction.
 Check number of plies laid is as per the required no. of lays.

MARKER MAKING GUIDELINES:

 Check and verify length and sizes of all patterns. Marker width and length.
 Check number of markers as markers for styles may be missing.
 Check count and verify the quantity of lays.
 Check style, lot no. etc. so that parts of different styles and sizes do not get mixed.
 See that patterns are facing the correct direction in napped fabrics.
 See that patterns are facing one direction in one way fabrics.

55
  Measure and check all individual parts marked in marker.
 Check that patterns are aligned with fabric as per grainline.
 See that all lines and marks on pattern are thick and sharp enough to be visible.
 Check for allowance.
 Check that notches and drill marks are aligned and in place.

CUTTING ROOM GUIDELINES:

 Use a cutting machine with a sharp knife or sharpen the knife before the process.
 Cut the fabric lay on the edge of the pattern where the cut lines are marked.
 Take care that fabric is not frayed.
 Do not rush, as it may result in frayed edges. As poor cutting can result into fuzzy or
ragged edges.
 Check knife speed, lubricate cutting blade, keep knives sharp and place wax papers
between plies to avoid fusion so that a single ply is picked quickly and easily.
 Be precise and avoid over cuts and under cuts
 Check that notches are placed and aligned properly.
 Check drill holes. As they may be too large or too small after cutting.
 Avoid movement of fabric as even slight bit of it will move the fabric and prevent drill
holes from being made or omitted.
 Check machine maintenance before using as the equipment may not be properly
cleaned or oiled and may thus leave oil stains and spots.

After cutting, perform visual and measurement (i.e. top to bottom ply, hard pattern to cut
pieces), inspection of cut parts.
• Discuss the problems found and recommend solutions to the head.
• Take corrective measures.

SEWING ROOM GUIDELINES:

 All fabric/components/trims/labels should be cross checked, and must reflect
fiber/component content, style no. etc.
 Check accessories and fabric pieces.
 Verify needle control and safety procedures are being followed.
 Check to be sure that all components/trims/labels are available so production schedules
can be met.

56
  Measure placement and size of pattern pieces against specification sheet.
 Check seam construction, thread color and size against specification sheet.
 Check thread is of good quality and not fraying.
 Check that all small parts are securely attached.
 Check machine is in good condition.
 Check needle size and SPI.
 Check the machine isn’t leaking.
 Check bobbin is in place and working.
 Check thread tension.
 Check that the machine bed is clear of all things that may be a hindrance.
 Cut off loose uncut threads.
 All measurement points listed in the measurement box of the specification sheet are to
be measured on atleast one product of each size and color during the In-Process
inspection.

FINISHING & PACKAGING GUIDELINES:

 Check that the press is working.
 Check for and rectify any possible leakages.
 Take care to use steam instead of water because otherwise it leaves stains and and
marks on the garment.
 Check that the room is well ventilated and hands are clean so as to not leave any stains
due to dirty hands or humidity.
 Check that the table is clean, devoid of any dust marks.
 Spread the garment properly and brush off creases.
 Iron gently, applying steam wherever necessary.
 Press and make pleats, darts, and folds wherever needed.
 Do not over run the prints as it may damage them.
 Take special care while ironing collars.
 Press and fold the garment.
 Package it neatly and seal.

57
Quality Control Checklist:

The list of questions to be asked in the quality control checklist is as follows:

1. Do the colors match the colors given for the style and order?
2. Do they match the sample?
3. Is the color consistent in all products; i.e. there is no shading?
4. Do the rub off or fade? Check by rubbing the garment with a white tissue or white cotton
fabric.
5. Is the quality of the materials identical to the sample?
6. Is the quality consistent across all pieces?
7. Does the garment smell of textile ink, mold, or cigarette smoke?
8. Are the products the same size as the original sample or order request?
9. Are the dimensions accurately duplicated in production?
10. Is the weight of the finished product the same as the original sample?
11. Have the requested finishes been added, such as linings, closures, hooks, etc.?
12. Are they exactly like sample?
13. Are the buttons, zippers, snaps, etc secure and strong?
14. Are the products durable?
15. Do the seams pull? Is the metal pliable?
16. Is the stitching strong and same as the sample?
17. Is the quality of the label, tags, and poly bag as requested?
18. Labelling and swing tickets are as specified.
19. Measurements are as specified on production size chart.
20. Fabric is of the correct quality and weight, and it is without flaws or stains.
21. Colour of all trims, threads, zips etc. is correct.
22. Prints and embroideries are positioned correctly.
23. Seams are secure, especially at joins/junctions and ends of cuffs and hem welts.
24. Stitching is free from slip/skip stitches and that seam grinning is not apparent.
25. All seams are to be correctly tensioned balanced, lie flat and seam width is even
throughout. They must not be puckered, grin or crack. All raw edges are overlocked.
Stitch density is as sealed sample.
26. There is no needle damage.
27. Button and buttonhole stitching is neat and secure, and that buttonholes are correctly
aligned to the button.
28. Reinforcing is present e.g. bartacks, shoulder tape etc.
29. Stripes and checks to match at side seams and centre front, collars to be balanced and
pockets are even. Check that stripes do not run off along the hem line.
30. No shading within the garment.
31. Ribs and cuffs are of even width throughout their entire length.
32. Collars and pockets are securely sewn, evenly balanced and correctly aligned.
58
33. With front fastening styles, check that all front edges are level at the hem line and that
the top placket adequately covers the under placket.
34. Garments are free from loose threads and that threads are cleaned from inside and
outside of each garment.
35. Garments have been correctly pressed, that they are not overpressed and glazed or
underpressed and creased.
36. Garments are hung/folded and packed exactly as detailed and check all labels/stickers
on bags are correct.

59
Sr. No. Date of Order Remark
1 27-03-2016 Item does not match image
2 25-12-2016 Fit Issue
3 29-03-2016 Fit Issue
4 03-04-2016 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
5 05-04-2016 Late delivery
6 06-04-2016 Fit Issue
7 08-05-2016 Don’t know how to wear
8 17-05-2016 Dirt Marks
9 17-05-2016 Wrong Size Delivered
10 02-06-2016 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
11 02-06-2016 Dirt Marks
12 09-06-2016 Seam grin
13 12-06-2016 Loose Threads
14 12-06-2016 Shade Variation
15 16-06-2016 Item missing
16 16-06-2016 Fit Issue
17 19-06-2016 Item does not match image
18 21-06-2016 Oil Stain
19 28-06-2016 Late delivery
20 03-07-2016 Fit Issue
21 05-07-2016 Holes
22 06-07-2016 Fit Issue
23 12-07-2016 Misprint
24 15-07-2016 Broken Button
25 15-07-2016 Late delivery
26 22-07-2016 Item does not match image
27 27-07-2016 Loose Threads
28 30-07-2016 Wrong Size Delivered
29 03-08-2016 Button Missing
30 11-08-2016 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
31 11-08-2016 Puckering
32 18-08-2016 Item received does not match image
33 19-08-2016 Improper pressing
34 24-08-2016 Shade Variation
35 01-09-2016 Dirt Marks
36 01-09-2016 Button not secure
37 07-09-2016 Button Missing
38 16-09-2016 Seam grin
39 19-09-2016 Puckering
40 22-09-2016 Belt Loop missing

60
41 23-09-2016 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
42 28-09-2016 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
43 04-10-2016 Late delivery
44 07-10-2016 Late delivery
45 10-10-2016 Loose threads
46 12-10-2016 Fit Issue
47 12-10-2016 Pocket Placement misaligned
48 23-10-2016 Quality Issue: color bleeding
49 27-10-2016 Shade Variation
50 04-11-2016 Button Missing
51 07-11-2016 Dirt Marks
52 15-11-2016 Holes
53 20-11-2016 Fit Issue
54 20-11-2016 Snap Button came off
55 26-11-2016 Improper pressing
56 27-11-2016 Fit Issue
57 28-11-2016 Button Broken
58 01-12-2016 Loose threads
59 08-12-2016 Dirt Marks
60 11-12-2016 Shade Variation
61 16-12-2016 Fit Issue
62 16-12-2016 Button Broken
63 18-12-2016 Button not secure
64 19-12-2016 Pilling
65 21-12-2016 Puckering
66 22-12-2016 Oil Stain
67 23-12-2016 Late delivery
68 23-12-2016 Button Missing
69 27-12-2016 Misprint
70 29-12-2016 Item Missing
71 31-12-2016 Item Missing
72 01-01-2017 Pilling
73 02-01-2017 Late delivery
74 13-01-2017 Wrong Size
75 13-01-2017 Seam grin
76 17-01-2017 Zipper/hook not secure
77 20-01-2017 Button Missing
78 21-01-2017 Dirt Marks
79 25-01-2017 Pilling
80 30-01-2017 Quality Issue: Color bleeding
81 02-02-2017 Seam grin

61
82 05-02-2017 Item does not match image
83 05-02-2017 Oil stain
84 07-02-2017 Quality Issue: Color bleeding
85 08-02-2017 Pilling
86 10-02-2017 Pilling
87 10-02-2017 Improper Pressing
88 12-02-2017 Late Delivery
89 12-02-2017 Dirt Marks
90 13-02-2017 Zipper Malfunction
91 21-02-2017 Zipper Malfunction
92 24-02-2017 Wrong Size
93 25-02-2017 Improper Pressing
94 28-02-2017 Button not secure
95 28-02-2017 Puckering
96 03-03-2017 Improper pressing
97 03-03-2017 Item received does not match image
98 03-03-2017 Zipper Malfunction
99 04-03-2017 Pilling
100 08-03-2017 Oil Stain
101 03-05-2017 Misprint
102 08-05-2017 Dirt Marks
103 19-05-2017 Loose Threads
104 04-06-2017 Button Missing
105 08-06-2017 Button not secure
106 08-06-2017 Oil Stain
107 10-06-2017 Improper Pressing
108 11-07-2017 Late delivery
109 21-08-2017 Late delivery
110 04-09-2017 Misprint
111 06-09-2017 Seam grin
112 06-09-2017 Holes
113 05-10-2017 Loose Threads
114 11-10-2017 Item missing
115 19-10-2017 Hook not secure
116 25-10-2017 Shade Variation
117 25-10-2017 Dirt Marks
118 06-11-2017 Dirt Marks
119 13-11-2017 Pilling
120 17-11-2017 Zipper/Hook not secure
121 21-11-2017 Belt Loop Missing
122 28-11-2017 Wrong size

62
123 28-11-2017 Fit issue
124 29-11-2017 Pilling
125 02-12-2017 Oil stain
126 04-12-2017 Zipper/Hook not secure
127 05-12-2017 Zipper Malfunction
128 09-12-2017 Snap button missing
129 17-12-2017 Pocket placement misaligned
130 17-12-2017 Late Delivery
131 17-12-2017 Pilling
132 18-12-2017 Puckering
133 19-12-2017 Shade Variation
134 20-12-2017 Holes
135 20-12-2017 Zipper Malfunction
136 21-12-2017 Puckering
137 26-12-2017 Holes
138 29-12-2017 Button Missing
139 03-01-2018 Seam grin
140 08-01-2018 Improper Pressing
141 08-01-2018 Fit Issue
142 10-01-2018 Item does not match image
143 15-01-2018 Fit Issue
144 15-01-2018 Pocket Misaligned
145 16-01-2018 Fit Issue
146 20-01-2018 Fit Issue
147 21-01-2018 Dirt Marks
148 22-01-2018 Holes
149 23-01-2018 Fit Issue
150 25-01-2018 Improper Pressing
151 27-01-2018 Pilling
152 28-01-2018 Seam grin
153 28-01-2018 Wrong Size Delivered
154 28-01-2018 Fit Issue
155 28-01-2018 Late delivery
156 29-01-2018 Shade Variation
157 31-01-2018 Shade Variation
158 01-02-2018 Broken Button
159 04-02-2018 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
160 04-02-2018 Holes
161 06-02-2018 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
162 08-02-2018 Misprint
163 11-02-2018 Product does not match image

63
164 11-02-2018 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
165 12-02-2018 Late Delivery
166 13-02-2018 Seam grin
167 16-02-2018 Loose Threads
168 17-02-2018 Late Delivery
169 17-02-2018 Quality Issue: Color Bleeding
170 20-02-2018 Belt Loop Missing
171 02-03-2018 Oil Stain
172 03-03-2018 Loose Threads
173 03-03-2018 Broken Button
174 06-03-2018 Item Missing
175 08-03-2018 Loose threads
176 15-03-2018 Oil Stain
177 17-03-2018 Fit Issue
178 20-03-2018 Loose Threads
179 21-03-2018 Holes
180 29-02-2017 Product does not match image
181 30-02-2017 Item missing
182 30-02-2017 Misprint
183 30-02-2018 Puckering
184 30-02-2018 Holes

64
 REFERENCES
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/813/fitting-sizing-issues-in-ready-to-
wear-garments?page=2

http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/19063/Kasambala%20Kempen%20Panda
rum%202015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

http://garmentstech.com/in-line-inspectionquality-control-checklist-for-garments/

https://startupfashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/StUF-Quality-Control.pdf

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxvbmxp
bmVjbG90aGluZ3N0dWR5fGd4OjZmNzNiMDY5YTY5NTMxZjI

http://fashion2apparel.blogspot.com/2016/12/major-minor-defects-garments.html

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/3092/defects-in-garments

https://www.intouch-quality.com/blog/3-key-areas-of-quality-control-for-garments

http://www.qclink.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Quality-Management-Procedure-
and-Guideline.pdf

https://lindstromgroup.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/03/qa_manual_volume_2.1_workwear.pdf

https://hbr.org/1983/07/quality-is-more-than-making-a-good-product

http://fashion2apparel.blogspot.com/2017/03/quality-control-cutting-room.html

http://textilelearner.blogspot.com/2015/05/statistical-quality-control-in-apparel.html

https://www.scribd.com/doc/93123833/Inspection-Procedures-for-Quality-Assurance-
in-Cutting

http://www.garmentsmerchandising.com/process-flow-chart-of-quality-control-in-
sewing-section/

https://www.intouch-quality.com/blog/how-to-classify-defects-for-garment-inspection

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