Denim Quality Control

Quality control is responsible for assessing the quality of the fabric and determining whether the
garments produced from the fabric will be able to meet customer requirements.

A system for verifying and maintaining a desired level of quality in the fabric by careful
planning, use of proper equipment, continued inspection, and corrective action as required.

Usually quality check workings are based and according to the approved sample by the
customer. Quality check is done in order to meet the requirements of the customer in the fabric.
Quality control workings start as soon as the fabric is in-house and cutting department issues an
allocation (a form carrying order#, quantity, wash and etc) to the quality control department.

There are usually 4-5 quality checks done on the fabric. They are as follows:

1. Inspection
2. Shading
3. Shrinkage
4. Width
5. Weight

Inspection of the fabric is done before wash, whereas the shading and shrinkage is done after
wash.

Inspection: Inspection is usually 100%. Meaning that all the rolls of fabric required in making of
the garment are checked. Inspection is done in other to see any visual defects on the fabric i.e.
mispick, knots, lose ends/picks and etc. these defects usually occur during the weaving process
of the fabric. The fabric is graded according to the “American fault 4 point system”. In which a
defect ranging from 1-3 inches is given 1 point, 3-6 inches is given 2 points, 6-9 inches is given
3 points and above 9 inches it is given 4 points. Then these linear points are converted into 100
square meters of the fabric.

It should be noted that these linear points are never added to grade the fabric; rather they are
converted into 100sq. meter of the fabric. And according to the calculated answer the fabric is
graded. The value of 15 or anything less then 15; means the fabric is of good quality with
minimum defects and cleared.

Shading: Shading is also done 100%. Shading depends on the original wash. Further after wash
the rolls are classified according to the shade coming in them, because it is not necessary that
after wash every roll will be of the same shade. So the rolls are classified according to the
original shade required by the customer and the shade that is coming after-wash. Families are
made and a packing list shade wise is made in which amount of rolls carrying particular shade is
grouped.

Shrinkage: Shrinkage is usually done on 10-15 rolls. That usually comes out to be 15% of the
required rolls. Shrinkage procedure is that swatches of fabric sizes 25 by 25 centimeters are cut
and sent to washing. After washing the swatches are again measured to see the length and width
of them and the difference is noted. The difference is multiplied by 4 and recorded in wrap and
weft direction.

Width: Width checking is also done 100%. All rolls are quality checked for width measurement.
Usually width checking is done during the inspection of the fabric. Commercial standard for
width is 63 inches.

Weight: Weight of the fabric is done by a standard GSM disc cutter.

Further a comprehensive report regarding quality check is sent to departments such as marketing
and commercial for the approval of fabric for cutting.

Department of Cutting
Once the fabric sample is approved, the cutting department must ensure that proper cutting must
be made according to the size requirements of the customer.

Cutting basically means the cutting of the fabric into required sizes so that it can be stitched into
the required size and shape. The cutting department starts it working after it has been provided
with the cutting standard by the PPC.

As told before in report before bulk production starts, a sample has to be approved, and sample
approval is done before cutting. First of all a Zero base pattern is made. Further “Details of
Cutting Standard and Order Closing” is sent to quality department, where the quality
department gives it comprehensive fabric analysis report especially shrinkage values to the
cutting department. Then marker making of single size is done, fabric sample is cut out and
stitched. There-after before wash measurements are done on the sample and sent to washing.
After the fabric sample arrives from the washing department it is again measured for any
changes. After that the fabric sample graded (given positive or negative values according to the
amount of shrinkage) and that is done by tallying the made sample with the approved sample.

Grading helps to cut the bulk fabric, as it minimizes errors. Because according to how much
fabric is shrinking the fabric would be cut accordingly.

When the fabric sample is approved the sample goes to the cutting master, who grades all the
sizes according to the approved sample. He feeds all the sizes into the computer system and
Gerber plotter makes a maker for all sizes required in the cutting standard.

Further shade wise fabric layering starts to take place, the fabric is relaxed and the marker is
placed on top of the pile of fabrics and the fabrics are cut according to the marker.

After cutting, folding is done; folding is basically the marking of the fabric according to the size,
lot, amount of pieces and etc. After that shade matching is done because when the fabric is
stitched it should have one shade, not that front panel is of some other tone and the back panel of
other. After that the cut fabric is collected and fed to the stitching department by the feeding
department.

Note that there are two types of cutting;

1. Vertical Block Cutting

2. Normal Cutting

Vertical block cutting is done when there is side to side or side to center variation in the fabric.
Then one whole garment is cut from one side of the fabric and the other from center and like
wise. This is done in other to stop shade variation in the garment. In this way a lot of fabric is
wasted.

Whereas normal cutting is one in which garment pieces can be cut from anywhere. In this way
the fabric is utilized much more then vertical block cutting

Spreading Methods: There are four basic spreading methods available to a cutting room. Each method
can utilize equipment from the very basic to the very sophisticated, which depends upon the type of fabric
being spread.

First a word or two on the terminology. A marker maker places the pattern pieces for one or more
garments in to an area equal to the useable width of the fabric and to a length that has been predicted
when the cost of the style was established.

Spreading is the process of laying the fabric on a cutting table to the length of the marker with an
allowance at each end for the movement or relaxation of the fabric once having been removed from the
roll. Once the fabric is spread on the table, the fabric may be referred to a spread or lay depending upon
where in the world you are. The diagram below shows a basic spreading machine.
A spreading machine is a device that holds the roll of fabric above the table from which the spreader (the
person spreading the fabric) moves up and down the table. There are basically 3 types of spreading
machines. The most basic, as shown above, allows the spreader to place a roll on a bar that is held
parallel to the table. This type varies from a homemade “A” frame spreading only in two directions to a
semi-automatic machine where the spreader rides on a platform attached to a power driven machine.
The second type is similar to the above but has a turntable. This allows the roll to be rotated after each
ply is laid on the table so that the face side of the fabric can spread alternatively up and down. This is
face to face spreading. 

The third type of spreading machine is especially built to spread fabric face to face as shown above but
with the use of end catchers. These machines are available as manual machines where the end catchers
are positioned at the ends of the marker length and when the machine is driven in to the end catcher, a
fold is made. This is most appropriate for fabrics such as fusible, linings and pocketing which are less
expensive than shell fabrics. The use of end catchers causes slightly higher spread loss unless the
equipment is maintained in perfect condition, which is usually not the case.

More sophisticated machines provide options such as tension free feeding of the fabric to the table,
automatic selvedge positioning and automatic defect tag detection. This last option is based on the mill
tagging major defects with a metallic tag that a sensor on the spreading machine can detect and stop the
machine from continuing. This is helpful where the speed of the machine is very high reducing the
opportunity for the spreader to detect most of the defects. The only problem with this is that the mills in
general are only capable of identifying major defects and some mills can only detect approximately 70%
of the major defects. Because of this situation, the use of high speed spreading machines is more
appropriate to fabrics that are known to have a very low incidence of defects. 

There are four basic methods of spreading fabric on a cutting table. Each method is appropriate for
specific fabric types and marker configurations.

The four methods are:

1.     2 Way Face To Face. Also referred to as “zigzag” spreading, is used when spreading fabrics, which
do not have a direction or nap. This includes denim, casual twills and some knit fabrics. This method is
one of the fastest as the fabric folded at the end of the spread and continues back and forth. The markers
made for this method of spreading allow for the pattern pieces to be placed in the marker in a random
fashion as each ply of the pair that apply to the making of one garment are laid in different directions
making the placing of pattern pieces in the marker in one direction redundant. This result in the most
efficient markers with the least amount of waste. The folds at the ends of the spread fabric do however
cause additional spread loss, as the folds are difficult to keep in line.

2.     1 Way Either Way. This method is used on fabric that has a direction or slight nap but also where the
direction of the nap can fall in either direction. Included in the fabrics to which this may apply could
include some sportswear fabrics where if panels within one garment were cut in different directions, such
as is the case with denim, a shade difference may be perceived but garment to garment the difference
may not be detected. The advantage of this method is that half of the ply ends result in a fold, which is
faster than turning the roll on the spreading machine and traveling back to the beginning of the spread to
start the next ply. Unfortunately, this method is rarely used, as it requires the person spreading the fabric
keeps track of where they are to maintain the sequence, a process not required by the other methods.

3.     Face-to-Face One Way. For fabrics where there is a direction or nap, this method allows for the fabric
to be spread in pairs but each ply is spread in one direction. This may be used on plain fabric, plaids, and
stripes.

4.     Face-Up One Way. This one of the most widely used methods for fabrics which have a direction or
nap and where there are asymmetric panels within the garment such as a front panel of a blouse where
one front may have a grown-on (as part of the panel) facing where the other front panel does not causing
the two pattern pieces to be different. Fabrics would include velvets, corduroy and other napped fabrics.
This is the most expensive method as after each ply is laid on the spread, the roll is transported back to
the starting point where no work of direct value is being performed

Spreading Methods
Spreading Matching Plaid Fabrics:

The spreading and cutting of matching plaid fabric requires a special set of methods to ensure that the
plaid lines match where required. Woven and printed plaid fabrics are inherently inconsistent. This is due
normal variations in weaving and finishing, which are normally not detected, in plain fabrics. This means
that the repeat of the plaid pattern varies to an extent that does not allow the spreading on multiple plies
of fabric where all of the plaid lines match.

The repeat in plaid fabrics within a roll and from roll to roll can vary several inches per yard so to control
the position of the plaid lines, the fabric can either be spread a few plies at one time or special plaid
matching pins can be used. Spreading a few plies at one time is very time consuming and therefore
expensive although many companies use this method as was the case 100 years ago.

The use of plaid matching pins involves the following procedure.

First the marker, which is usually shorter than would be used on a plain fabric, is laid on the table parallel
to the edge of the table. The pins are then driven in to the table at one end of the marker, usually 3
across the width of the fabric. Next another set of pins is positioned in a row across the width of the
marker at a point usually at the end of the first pattern. This might be 30” from the first row of pins. A
third row of pins may be added at the end of the marker to control the plaid lines in the warp direction as
opposed to the first two rows of pins which will control the plaid patter in the fabric in both warp and fill
directions.

The diagram below shows the design of the plaid matching pin and the “chuck” that is used to drive the
pin in to the table without damaging the point of the pin.

The diagram above shows the possible positioning of the pins when spreading an asymmetric plaid fabric.
Once the pins are positioned, the ends of the marker and splice points are marked on to the table, the
marker is removed, underlay paper is laid down and the first roll is prepared for spreading.

The fabric is spread from one end of the pins starting with the same plaid repeat each time. During the
spreading of the first roll, the length between the repeats may change as shown below.

The fabric is allowed to stay reasonably flat and tension free throughout the process so that pattern
pieces at the left end of the spread remain matched. The pattern pieces at the other end of the spread
where the plaid lines have been allowed to move on the pins, may require re-laying again on a set of pins
after the panels at the left end have been cut. This will be considered when the marker is made with
pattern pieces that are laid side by side at the right end of the marker will remain constant within on ply or
pair. Sleeves, pockets and facings may be laid in this area of the spread where each garment may be
slightly different.

Using this method allows for a reasonable number of ply to be spread at one time while ensuring that the
panels that were placed at the left end of the marker remain identical. During cutting, the marker may be
cut apart to allow exact placement of the pattern pieces in to the correct position. In Europe and South
America, it is common to see in cutting a process which is quite different than what is considered in the
US and Canada as normal. This involves the expectation that once fabric is spread, the cut parts must be
removed from the table as quickly as possible. To do this, European manufacturers will use a manual
cutting machine, called a straight knife, to cut the spread fabric in to large rough cut pieces. These pieces
are then transported to a band knife, where more accurate cutting can be achieved than is the case with a
straight knife.

In all methods of spreading, the objective must always be to conserve fabric. When spreading over
several makers placed end to end, there is an opportunity to use or “work-in” the roll ends leaving very
short pieces from each roll. This planning is normal in the minds of well-trained experienced spreaders
but where inexperienced staff is used, there is a tendency to create more roll ends and increase the fabric
consumption. Good cutting room managers will emphasise this every day to their staff and not use more
fabric than was planned.

In good cutting rooms, the staff will go one step further. As the complete the spreading of an order they
will stop and calculate the fabric that will be remaining at the end of the process. In some cases, this
gives the customer the opportunity of cutting additional units from fabric saved in a specific ratio of sizes.
This may cause the need for a new marker to be made but the key point is the value of the fabric is far
greater than the cost of the cutting room process and is therefore more important than the time required
to complete the process. This causes a problem where the customer supplies the material and is paying
a plant on a CM or CMT basis. The plant may place less emphasis on fabric consumption and greater
emphasis on cutting output. This becomes evident when the plant has to report to the customer that they
need more fabric than was planned for an order. Worse is a situation where the plant reports that they
have cut 5 out six orders requiring the same fabric and then report they are short. Most plants do not
understand that when a group of orders are planned against sales, the person planning the orders has
created the best breakdown by size or in a multi-style situation, the ideal breakdown across the styles to
service their customer’s needs.

One simple way to identify if a plant has fabric consumption under control is to review the plants inventory
control system. If there is a several day delay in the cutting room reporting the consumption of fabric for
each order or the reporting does not clearly identify the specific rolls used and yardage returned to
inventory, then the plant has no control. It is not unusual to find that the staff spreading the fabric is not
recording the rolls used and the length spread. If these kinds of problems are identified, then the plant is
likely not a good choice and this attitude will be evident in other areas.

In some plants that do not have good controls, the cutting room will spread more ply’s than required in
each order to cut up to 2% more units than planned. This will not be reported to a customer that only
allows seconds and missing units to be no more than 1% to 2% and acts as insurance against having
problems when the orders are shipped. In this situation, the plant will over time accumulate units not
shipped and occasionally sell the excess units. This is very dangerous as most customers who supply
the fabric, will become very upset when they realize what has been happening to their fabric. Some
customers may understand this process and unless they find this abuse has been excessive will ignore
the problem because they cannot assist or are not prepared to assist the plant in overcoming the reasons
for the plant cutting more units than necessary. More on what a contractor may do to keep the customer
happy later.

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Material utilization
When we look at product costing in the apparel industry, we see that the largest amount of
money is allocated to fabric, as much as 50% or more depending on the product. Each area of the
production process from scheduling through sewing has to work in harmony to reduce the
amount of money spent on piece goods. Material utilization is a continuous practice of using
common sense, modern technology, analytical thought process and motivated people to best use
material dollars to generate a bottom line profit.

It has been said that if we want to look for profits we need to look in the “rag bag.”  In 1989 a
South African study concentrated on these losses. This study conducted by the Clothing Industry
Productivity Association (CLIPA) showed that there was an opportunity to save a minimum of
2.7% without touching the actual arrangement of parts in the marker.  A 3% target is possible for
any firm that doesn’t currently have a material utilization program, but even if there is a
program, there are areas that may have been overlooked.

Shortage versus invoice - Discrepancies can occur when fabric is purchased by the pound then
cut in yards per dozen, or the rolls just don’t measure up.  Length and width can vary from the
invoiced total.

Losses at roll start - Culprits in this area include: indelible marking to identify rolls, not squaring
off the beginning of the roll, soil from being unwrapped and swatch cut outs. Something as
simple as cutting the shortest length of the swatch across the roll instead of the longest can make
a difference in utilization. 

End losses can be at the end of a roll, when the fabric is not long enough for another marker
repeat. Losses can be at the end of a marker section. Some cutting rooms allow additional space
between marker sections so they can be separated and cut by two knife operators working on the
same spread. The amount of fabric lost at the ends of a spread can vary with the lay up
method. Face to face losses are greater than one way up due to the fold instead of cutting straight
across, or extending beyond the marks on the table. The amount of end loss is also affected by
the end cutting method; scissors can cause a loss of 1” per ply over a cutter. 
Width loss is mainly due to variations in width between rolls of fabric issued. The marker is
based on the narrowest roll. For example, some the fabric may be 60” wide but the marker is
created for 58”. The question arises as to when was the measurement of that fabric known and
how did the information get to the cutting room?  In the past, when dozens of cut orders were
issued for the same style, additional markers in increments of ½” may have been created as time
permitted. If we paid for 58” and got 60” fabric, it is a loss of material but also a lost
opportunity.

Discrepancies or unaccounted for from invoice –Things that may be included in this category
are:  taking off more when sewing between rolls and setting aside leftover fabric that eventually
gets lost. An example of this issue: there were inaccurate formulas for determining bias cut rib
for cuffs which resulted in orders held for shortages of rib. Another example:  an operator uses
fabric to wipe up a coffee spill on the floor. The main causes are neglect, poor recording
techniques of damages, splices and remnants and the current incentive system.

Damages, re-cuts and remnants include things such as fabric overlaps and splice areas.
Depending on a company’s practices these losses may show up elsewhere. There are three
choices in flagging defects: 1) don’t worry at all – spread, cut and sell all; 2)  cut out defects; and
3) flag defects, then re-cut individual pieces. Options 1 or 2 are more typical when the fabric is
less than $5 a yard.

Marker fallout which was 15% on average in the African study is generally product specific but
can be affected by the size mix. Marker efficiencies are “value added” and most companies have
targeted percentages for their product.

How can a company realize savings? One strategy might be if the plant could improve on yields,
the company may feel they have “free” piece goods, and that this material could be used on new
orders.  If you get those new orders you win; if not, you lose. Fabric types can change and you
may end up paying for storing and insurance just to sell it later for pennies on the dollar. The
company could have used that money for a more profitable item without having it tied up. Also,
because of yardage estimates they could charge the first customer too much to be competitive
and lose the business.  Another strategy could be to lower the “buy” figure, only buying what
you need for the cuts you have. The result is less monies dedicated to material purchase up front,
if the estimates are accurate and losses don’t exceed expected.  If not, you may have to buy more
at a minimum order size when the extra is not needed.  A lower buy figure results in lower
inventories and inventory carrying costs are reduced. 

Assuming that we did a good job of estimating our fabric needs and markers, how can we save at
Purchasing? Bargaining for the best possible prices? Keep in mind that with a lower cost point
usually means lower quality piece goods, and more defects per yard. Do we have a ready market
for irregulars? Do we have a quality name we don’t want to injure? Partnerships with piece
goods vendors are important to improve the bottom line. Textile and apparel partnerships provide
an opportunity to control delivery and inventory, to have larger rolls with fewer seams, specific
widths and lengths of fabric, more consistent shades and better quality. All of these things will
have an impact on material utilization.
In addition to planning, procedures in place can help improve material utilization. At Fabric
inspection check the widths of rolls; if there is time, re-make the markers according to fabric
widths. Measure the length of rolls, verifying that you received what was ordered and paid for. 
Inspection processes and frequency depend on the cost of material. A fabric inspection program
gives a firm the ability to rate vendors for future partnerships.

Design is another area that can affect material utilization. For example, in a rugby shirt with
multi-color stripes, a designer may specify the green stripe has to be 1” down from the top of the
sleeve seam. This prevents laying the sleeve and body side by side and may increase yardage by
20-30%. The company needs to define who has control over the final product – the designer, the
merchandiser, or the engineer.  Manufacturing needs input into the design process. Pattern
engineering can evaluate: the width of seam allowances, the lengths of panels for hemming
purposes, and the mitering of pattern corners. Can two pattern pieces be created from one piece?
Generally smaller and more numerous pieces contribute to greater material utilization, but
increased sewing costs. The origin of the
“riser/ back yoke” on jeans led to better material utilization and better fit. Those savings will add
up with every ply that is cut with the marker. 

In this cost-conscious environment, companies have to look everywhere possible for savings.
Don’t forget to check out the rag bag.