Different Types of Defects in Garments: Identification and Solutions
Noor Ahmed Raaz
Specialized in Apparel Manufacturing
Owner and Editor in Chief Textile Merchandising
Asst. Prof., Department of Textile Engineering
Atish Dipankar University of Science & Technology
Email: textilemerchandising1@gmail.com
Garment Defects
Defect is a common term in the garment industry. Garment defects are also well known as rejecting the item. Different types of defects are found in the garment industry. In the garment industry, these defects are dependent upon the classification of defects and an inspector’s ability to make decisions. Creating a list of every defect that might be encountered during a quality inspection is not realistic. Having said that, the tables that follow do provide details of the majority of defects. According to the garments, workmanship and appearance garment defects are divided in three ways-
1. Critical defects
2. Major defects
3. Minor defects
1. Critical Defects
A critical defect is one that is likely to result in hazardous or unsafe conditions when using the product. A critical defect is also a deviation from delivery requirements that prevent the product from being received. If one (1) occurrence of critical defect is observed during the inspection, the entire lot will be rejected. A 100% inspection will be carried out by the garments factory QA Staff to remove the defective product/s.
2. Major Defects
A major defect is one that is likely to result in a customer complaint or return. A major defect is also one that will most likely result in product failure after a period of time that is considered unacceptable to the customer or end user. A major defect will usually (but not always) be obvious to the inspector during the visual garment inspection. It will also be obvious to the customer during use.
Garments Defects
3. Minor Defects
A minor defect is one that is unlikely to result in a customer complaint or return. A minor defect is a deviation from the required standard, but one that is unlikely to affect the usability of the product. A minor defect will usually be seen by the inspector but may be overlooked by the customer.
Garments Defect Table
Defining whether the defect is Critical, Major, or Minor might require some degree of personal judgment. Some defects might be obvious – others less so. It is essential that the quality control inspectors are familiar with all of the defect types contained in these defect tables. It is also important that these inspectors have sufficient experience and knowledge to ensure the right decision is made. The tables are designed to be used for reference only – they are not a fully comprehensive list of faults and must not be considered inclusive or exhaustive.
| SL | Garment 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 | – |
| 12. | Buttonhole too big for the button | – | X | – |
| 13. | Zipper puller self-lock not secure | – | X | – |
| 14. | The zipper slider does not glide through the zipper teeth smoothly | – | X | – |
| 15. | The zipper stitching margin is too small, which may cause the 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 in 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 | – |
Mohammad Noor Nabi, known by his author name Noor Ahmed Raaz, is a PhD Fellow at Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTEX) and the Founder & Editor of Textile Merchandising. He is also an Assistant Professor and Chairman of the Textile Engineering Department at a renowned university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. His research focuses on textile innovation and sustainability. Awarded the Research & Development Fellowship twice from the Ministry of Science & Technology in Bangladesh, Noor Ahmed Raaz is dedicated to advancing textile engineering through education, research, and industry collaboration. For inquiries or collaborations, contact Noor Ahmed Raaz via email at textilemerchandising1@gmail.com or WhatsApp at +8801673758271.