Module 2

• Quality


  A degree of perfection. All production has quality; a garment may be of very high quality, very low quality or somewhere between the two.
• Quality in garment manufacture


  The lasting properties of a garment for the purpose for which it is intended and its appearance throughout its life.
• Standards


  Used to guide product development, selection of materials, production methods, and finishing techniques. Standards reflect the quality level and quality characteristics that are important to a firm's target customers and to meet the customer expectations.
• Specifications


  Brief written descriptions of materials, procedures, dimensions and performance for a particular style. Specifications are used to communicate standards and provide control of products during production.
• Inspection


  1. Process inspection

  2. Final inspection
• Process inspection


  Inspection carried out during manufacture to ensure all operatives carry out their work correctly.
• Final inspection


  Carried out after the garment has been finished and pressed ready for despatch.
• Quality control


  The responsibility of the quality of garments produced in the factory is that of top management, which delegate most of this responsibility to a specialist function: the quality manager.
• Quality department


  • The quality manager has an in-depth understanding of the company's products and requirements regarding garment quality. Inspectors employed by the department work in various sections of the factory, each being responsible for a specific pre-production or production activity.
• Tolerances


  Low variation from the specified value in the specifications. Rigid specs with no room for flexibility or variation.
• When a product does not meet specifications, it is considered a second or reject depending on the seriousness of the defect.</b>
• Determining colour fastness of fabrics

  1. Resistance to pilling

  2. Colour fastness

  3. Resistance to sunlight

  4. Resistance to heat
• Resistance to pilling


  Laboratory equipment is used to stretch a fabric sample over a frame and rub it with metal balls with burrs to cause friction and pilling.
• Colour fastness


  A test sample of fabric is stretched over an embroidery hoop and rubbed hard with a clean, dry white cotton swab to determine if the dye is colourfast.
• Resistance to sunlight


  Tested in a dark cupboard with a strong ultra violet light to simulate a certain amount of sunlight exposure.
• Resistance to heat


  Tested by the influence of damp heat with a steam iron or damp pressing cloth, comparing the test sample with a control sample for any colour changes.
• Dye lots


  The great bulk of fabric is dyed in the same dye bath with the same colour which ensures rolls and rolls of fabric that will have the same colour with no change in shade.
• On the roll


  A smaller amount of fabric is dyed in batches, so the next order that is dyed will not necessarily be the same colour shade as the first batch and rolls of fabric differ in colour shade.
• Flaws or Defects


  Appearance of the joining of thread during the weaving process, where a small mark appears on the fabric surface. Damages in the fabric layer occur over a large section and usually a hole or threads are broken or fabric joints are visible.
• Pilling


  The formation of tiny balls by the fibre caused by friction, appearing on surfaces where there is friction e.g. sleeves, tummy and bust.
• Pulling


  Occurs when the fibre catches and the yarn pulls easily.
• Trimmings


  • Lace, braid and elastic
  • Binding, tape and yarn
  • Fasteners (such as buttons, zips, buckles, and other fasteners)
• Zippers


  High level of colour matching required, weight must be compatible with garment fabric, no rusting if made from steel, detail must be colourfast.
• Buckles


  Metal buckles must not rust or tarnish, plastic and nylon buckles must not fade, melt or lose gloss in laundering.
• Press studs, poppers, hooks and eyes

  Can be made of plastic, steel or brass, use fasteners without defects, parts must fit into each other securely.
• Buttons and buttonholes


  Size must be appropriate to fabric thickness and weight, use buttons without defects, buttons must be durable and not crack, fade or rust, high level of colour matching required, detail must be colourfast.
• Stitch


  A unit of thread conformation resulting from passing threads or loops of threads into or through fabric. A formation of thread for the purpose of making a seam.
• Stitching


  A series of stitches form a stitching used to join layers or for decoration.
• Stitch class


  Type of thread information created by a sewing machine.
• Stitching class


  A type of stitch formation repeated.
• Classes of sewing stitches

  • Class 100 chain type stitches
  • Class 200 hand formed stitches
  • Class 300 lockstitches
  • Class 400 multi-thread chainstitches or lock-chainstitches
  • Class 500 overedge chainstitches
  • Class 600 flat seam or covering stitches
• Class 100 chain type stitches

  Formed from one or more needle threads and characterised by intralooping. Since each loop is dependent on the succeeding one, stitches in this class are insecure and unravel easily.
• Class 200 hand formed stitches


  Characterised by a single thread which passes through the material as a single line of thread.
• Class 300 lockstitches


  Formed with two or more groups of threads, have the interlacing of two or more threads. Loops of one group are passed through the material and secured by the thread of a second group. The interlacing makes them very secure and difficult to unravel.
• Class 301 straight lockstitch


  The most common stitch used in the clothing industry, with a single needle thread and a single bobbin thread.
• Class 304 zig zag lockstitch

  Used for attaching trimmings such as lace and elastic, with a single needle thread and a single bobbin thread.
• Different kinds of stitching and their application

  • Ornamental (decorative) stitching
  • Edge finish stitching
• Ornamental stitching


  • Can be in a straight line, curved or scalloped in a pattern
  • Applied on the surface of the fabric
• Edge finish stitching


  • Stitching appears on or over the edge of the fabric (folded or not folded) to neaten the edges
• Quality standards of stitching

  • Must be sturdy
  • Suited to the type of seam and the position in the construction process
  • Stitching type must be suitable for the fabric
  • Stitching must be straight and equidistant to the seam edge
  • Thread must be suitable to the colour, fabric weight and fibre content
  • Stitching must be secure at beginning and end
  • Tension must be correct