The 4-point fabric inspection system

How the scoring works

A defect is scored by its length, up to a maximum of 4 points per defect. The inspector works along the fabric, records each defect, and totals the points for the roll.

Turning points into an acceptance rule

Points are normalised by area so that a long roll is not penalised for being long. The usual measure is points per 100 square yards. A common first-quality threshold is 20 points per 100 square yards, but the number is a commercial agreement, not a law — put it in the purchase order.

AQL 2.5 is a separate sampling rule. It tells you how many rolls or metres to inspect for a given lot size, and how many defectives are allowed before the lot fails. It does not define what a defect is; the 4-point system does that.

The defects that actually cost you money

• Holes and broken picks — usually a machine stop, often clustered.
• Shade bands and side-to-side shading — a dyeing problem, and uncuttable.
• Skew and bow — the pattern or stripe runs off grain; a garment-cutting problem.
• Contamination — foreign fibres that show after dyeing.
• Width variation — matters most for panel cutting and for tubular knits.

How to make it enforceable

• Write the standard, the sample size and the threshold into the PO.
• Require photos of each major defect with the roll number.
• Inspect before shipment, not after arrival.
• Agree the remedy in advance: replacement, credit note, or price adjustment.

FAQ