The current state of the global sphere, the pandemic, financial crises, and constant vacillations in growth and development, the textile and fabric industry are also turning into a battleground for wealth. The upscale on the pressure placed on the economy over the past few years has not been favorable for this sector. Nonetheless, the industry is still standing. Famous apparel lines with strong brands and a decent customer image are some of the pillars keeping it afloat. The nature of clothing as a commodity directly associated with the consumer should be taken seriously. Clothing firms need to enhance product quality because this can also boost market competitiveness. It is no news that consumers are faced with regular clothing issues, like durability, wear and tear, etc. Some of these worries arise from the quality of the fabrics.

Guide on how fabric and tensile tester manufacturers can regulate and keep the quality of their products in check. Before we begin to look into quality control, it is essential to understand the fabric production process. 

1.Definition of Quality

The definition of quality differs by perspective. A producer’s definition of quality differs from that of the user. Some ascribe value to their definition, and some don’t. The following are different definitions of what quality means:

A product-based definition of quality views quality as a precise and measurable variable. This view on quality relies largely on the difference in the quantity of ingredients used or the physical features or properties of these products. Finer rugs with a higher number of knots per square inch are seen as products with high quality, while the ones with fewer knots are said to be lower.

A user-based definition of quality is simply what satisfies the desires, needs, and wants of the customer. For them, products must meet their requirements and their specifications to be of good quality.

A manufacturer-based definition of quality means keeping to specifications. The conformance to requirements is the sole meaning and significance of quality to a manufacturer, and failure to meet this means poor quality.

A value-based definition of quality relies more on cost – the cost of production or of the service to be rendered. The quality of any product placed on this scale must answer the question, “How valuable is this product?”

Scope of Quality

The scope of quality can be divided into eight parts, and they are:

Performance:This is based on the primary operating properties of a product.

Features:The features of a product are those secondary properties that support a product’s basic functions.

Reliability: This applies to the possibility, within a given time, of a product to malfunction or fail.

Conformance:This applies to the degree to which the architectural and functional properties of a product conform with previously defined requirements.

Durability:This indicates the lifetime of a process or the period of a commodity.

Serviceability: The ability of a commodity to ease into repairs alludesto this property.

Aesthetics: This means the look, feel, taste or smell of a commodity. The visual aspects of a commodity are all constituent of this property.

Perceived quality: This relates to what consumers consider to be the visibility and market reputation content of the product.

1.1 FABRIC QUALITY CONTROL

The pre-production stage of fabric making is as essential as any other part of the production process. A lot of energy goes into picking materials, testing them, and making sure the materials are of standards and will produce a good product. Quality control starts from the pre-production stage. This stage includes fabric selection, samples, etc. Manufacturers make color matching, choose styles, make samples, and the commodity department in charge of price does the value costing. The coming together of the essential personnel in production is also necessary for this phase. Material inspection, sample storage, and pre-production meetings are essential. If the production will involve raw materials (e.g., fabrics and accessories), then the first step to checking the quality of the product is to make sure the raw materials are up to standards. If one wants to check the quality of fabrics and accessories, the fabric shrinkage tester is most advised. The washing test can also be applied to check the wash and color fitness of the material.

1.2 PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL TESTING

Physical and chemical testing is required for project markers that are invisible to the eyes. Since the human eye cannot detect failure or tell the strength of these markers, testing must be done.

New products carry tags to identify their correspondence to standards. These products must pass the national, industry, and market standards set for that category of product. The country of the manufacturer and the market intended for the products have corresponding standards. These are always seen on the tags of known manufacturers.

One might ask if these items are sent out for testing. The answer to this is yes. The testing of these materials, however insignificant it might seem, is essential. It is sometimes done internally or by auxiliary professionals due to a lack of adequate machineries. Read more on why companies need to establish their own quality control labs, via the link below.

1.3 CUTTING STAGE’S GARMENT QUALITY CONTROL

Just after the tests have been carried out, one can proceed into the cutting stage. The cutting stage is as delicate as every other stage. One should never use side knives in cutting fabric, as this is bad for the material. There are machines and tools specifically created for this purpose. The value of the fabric must be maintained.

To decide the front and back of the cloth, one can check through the width of the cloth. This can also be done based on the sample of the fabric found on the cardboard. The size of wide fabrics cut, particularly the embroidered and printed types, would be directly affected by an inconsistency in the width of the marker. There have been times when suppliers did not specifically inspect the width of the fabric and ended up cutting carelessly, increasing losses.

1.4 PROTOTYPE PRODUCTION OF GARMENT QUALITY CONTROL

The course of joining the cut material to forming a prototype can be delicate. This process requires continuous proofing. Proofing is an important part of prototype making, and in cases where patterns are to be made, workers must be careful in this regard.

1.5 PRE-PRODUCTION TRAINING, BULK PRODUCTION PROCESS SHEET, PRODUCTION PLAN

The aim of a production plan is to control the production schedule and ensure products are delivered on time. Formulated by the production planning department, the plan needs to coordinate the fabric accessories, sample clothing, cutting, and other departments, which is also a reasonably significant relation to the production.

The craft sheet somewhat similar in purpose to the purchase contract (PO). The difference between these two is that the sheet comes with images demonstrating the sample of cloth accessories while the PO doesn’t. It is also a document that allows the producer to note and know which requirements and precautions have been followed.  There should be a craft order for general purchases. The design information and process requirements of the manufacturing or retailing of merchandise and the handover of the products should all be in the production plan.