Garment Defect Identification and Classification Activity

Name Utkarsh Singh

Now that you have learned about the types of defects that can be found in apparel items, select
one garment from your closet and inspect it for any of the fabric and garment defects outlined
in Chapter 29 of ​Apparel Production Terms and Processes​, 2​nd​ Edition. Inspect the selected item,
record each of the defects found in the garment, and designate each in the appropriate areas
on the worksheet:
● Type of defect
● Defect rating
● Position/location by zone

In the industry, garments are divided into zones for inspection. These zones are determined by
companies and are included as part of their quality assurance and inspection procedure
specifications because zone designations are not standardized within the industry. One
company may divide a garment into two zones, where as another firm may divide the same
style garment into three zones. For this activity, the garment will be divided into two zones.

Defect Zones:
● Zone 1—areas of the garment that are highly visible (i.e. front, back, neckline, placket,
top portion of sleeve, shoulder seam)
● Zone 2—areas of the garment that are less visible or hidden during everyday use (i.e.
side seams, under arm seams, bottom hem)

Defect Ratings:
● Critical​—defects that can harm or pose safety risk to the customer
● Major​—defects that adversely affect the appearance, performance, or fit of the
garment and may deter a customer from purchasing the item or cause them to return it
● Minor​—defects that may not be easily detected by the customer at the time of
purchase and will not prompt a customer to return the garment. These are visible—not
structural—and do not impact fit of the garment.
Name Utkarsh Singh

Garment Description Brand

lee, urban ranger, spykar, indie picks ajio
jeans, shirts, short kurtas, t-shirts.

Material Defects
Type of Defects in Defect Rating Position/Location by Zone
Fabric
major right front panel of jeans
(a hole in the front zone 1
part of the jeans)
fabric inspection
should be done
carefully.

Fabric hole

Garment Defects
Type of Construction Defect Rating Position/Location by Zone
and Sewing Defects
 minor bottom hem of shirt
Usually caused by zone 2
poor operator
handling.
Instruct the sewing
operator to make sure
they get the hem
started correctly in
the folder before they
start sewing. Also,
make sure they don't
hold back excessively
as the seam is being
sewn. Use minimum
roller or presser foot
pressure.

Ropy hem

minor collar band attachment of shirt

again caused by poor zone 2
operator handling.
use of correct presser
foot and aligning the
attachments
correctly.
Thread must feed
smoothly. Thread
correctly threaded
between tension
uneven stitch discs. Use minimum
pressure. No burns or
rough spots along the
path of thread.
Operator surely feed
fabric properly.
 minor left back panel of kurta
trimming the threads zone 2
after stitching.
Thread end should be
too short. Take up
lever in its highest
position. Thread ends
must be held at the
beginning of stitch.

untrimmed threads
minor side seam of kurta
Instruct the sewing zone 2
operator to match the
stripes properly.

seam defect (no

matching of stripes)
 minor collar attachment of t-shirt
Use a higher zone 2
performance Perma
Core or D-Core
thread. Use a larger
diameter thread on
operations where
excessive abrasion is
occurring. Make sure
stitches are balanced
properly. Use a Magic
broken stitch air entangled thread
in the Looper due to
its lower seam profile
making it less
susceptible to
abrasion. Monitor the
Finishing Cycle for
compliance to specs.

minor left and right front of collar doesn't match

Folding might be done zone 1
in a proper way to
prevent shape. Use
minimum pressure in
the feed dog.
Operator should not
pull fabric during
sewing. Monitor
sewing operators for
correct material
Assembly defect handling technique.
uneven shape
(imperfect matching
of left and right panel)
 major top of sleeve attachment in shirt
Seam on straight zone 1
grain. Fabric must be
held properly. Use
minimum thread
tension. Needle
needs replacing. Use
the correct thread for
the needle. Correct
thread for bobbin &
needle. Ensure
minimum pressure on
foot. Use right stitch
length. Accurate
seam class choice for
material. Differential
feed needs to be
puckering reduced.

minor waistband of jeans

Use a high zone 2
performance Perma
Core or D-Core thread
that will minimize
broken stitches and
skipped stitches.
Ensure proper
machine maintenance
and sewing machine
adjustments.
Observe sewing
operators for correct
material handling
techniques.

unraveled stitch
 minor bottom hem of jeans
Same thread on zone 2
needle & bobbin.
Thread placement of
tension disc cant
slipped out. Thread
feeding should be
proper.

low tension

How do you feel about the defects found in your garment?

I feel how we usually ignore all these defects around us as a buyer and pay whatever the
amount the brand asks us to without even looking and questioning the brands.
someday i will be a part of this industry and would try my best to give the quality the customer
is paying for, because now i know the mindset of a buyer as well.

Were you aware of the defects in your garment prior to the exercise? Do this affect your
perception of the brand’s quality?

No, i wasn’t aware of these defects as i never gave it much attention. Yes, it absolutely affect
the perception of these big brands, even if they have a valuable market still they have so many
minor defects which are not checked properly after their production.

Could any of the defects been prevented? If so which ones and explain how.
Every defect would have been prevented if given enough attention. There are mostly seam and
stitch defects which are caused in the construction of the garment, correct spi and balance of
bobbin and needle thread tension and by aligning the garment in the right direction and by
using the right needle for the respective stitches. trimming the threads after stitching. And I
have also mentioned how each defect can be solved in the table itself.

SL. Name of operations for a T-shirt

No.

1 Care Label Attach With Back Part

2 Front & Back Part Match

3 Shoulder Joining

4 Neck Rib Measure & Cut

5 Neck Rib Tack With Body

6 Neck Rib Joining

7 Neck Top Stitch

8 Main Label Attach

9 Sleeve Hem

10 Sleeve & Body Match

11 Sleeve Joining

12 Arm Hole Top Stitch

13 Side Seam

14 Sleeve Close & Open Tack

 15 Body Hem

16 Final Thread Cut

First I will inspect the fabric very thoroughly to see if there’s any defect in the fabric and only
then recommend it for further construction. i will also inspect the machines of the workplace to
see if the needles, presser foot, threads used etc.
Then I will inspect before the neck top stitch to see if the parts are attached in the right
manner.
then after the complete production of the garment.
And I have already mentioned the solution for the defects earlier and those will be the sections
I would be looking at in my inspection.
I couldn't add more inspections because it would increase the time required to stitch a piece,
which would reduce the quantity of the garment produced, which would result in the loss of my
company.