Quality control (QC) is the difference between a supplier you trust and one that costs you money. In apparel manufacturing, QC is not a single step at the end of production — it is a continuous process that begins with fabric inspection and ends only when approved goods are shipped. Here is what a robust QC process looks like, and what to ask your supplier.
Stage 1: Fabric Inspection
Quality starts with the raw material. Before cutting begins, fabrics should be inspected for defects such as weaving errors, colour inconsistencies, and incorrect weight or width. Industry standard is the 4-Point System, which assigns penalty points to defects based on their size and severity.
Ask your supplier: Do you inspect incoming fabrics before production? What is your acceptable defect rate? Can you provide fabric inspection reports?
Stage 2: In-Process Inspection
During production, quality checks should happen at key stages — after cutting, during sewing, and after finishing. This catches problems early, before they affect the entire production run. A supplier who only checks goods at the end is taking a significant risk with your order.
Key checkpoints include: seam strength and consistency, label placement, button and zipper function, colour matching across pieces, and measurement accuracy against your approved specifications.
Stage 3: Final Inspection
Before goods are packed and shipped, a final inspection should check a statistically significant sample of the production run. The AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) standard is widely used — it defines the maximum number of defects acceptable in a sample. AQL 2.5 is common for garments, meaning no more than 2.5% of units can have major defects.
Stage 4: Pre-Shipment Inspection
For larger orders, consider a third-party pre-shipment inspection. An independent inspector visits the factory before goods are shipped and provides a detailed report. This gives you an objective assessment of quality before you commit to payment.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Supplier refuses factory visits or third-party inspections
- No documented QC process or inspection reports
- Unwillingness to provide references from existing clients
- Vague answers about defect rates and handling procedures
- Pressure to skip the sample stage and go straight to production
Prince International applies a 6-stage quality control process: fabric inspection, senior tailor measurement verification, precision cutting and stitching checks, basted fitting review, final garment inspection, and pre-shipment packaging check. Only approved goods are shipped.