AQL inspection for apparel: how a final inspection works

01What AQL means

AQL stands for acceptance quality limit. It is the worst defect rate, expressed as a percentage, that a buyer is prepared to accept as a process average. AQL 2.5 does not mean 2.5% of your order may be defective; it sets how strict the sampling plan is. A lower AQL number means a stricter plan with fewer defects allowed in the sample.

The method comes from standard sampling tables, published as ISO 2859-1 and its US equivalent, ANSI/ASQ Z1.4. Most apparel inspections use single sampling at general inspection level II, the normal default. The tables tell the inspector how many pieces to pull from a lot of a given size and how many defects are allowed before the lot fails.

02Major and minor defects in garments

Every defect found in the sample is classed before it is counted. The class decides which AQL applies. Agree the defect list with your factory before production, because a defect one buyer treats as minor another may treat as major.

Critical defects

A defect that makes the garment unsafe or illegal to sell: a broken needle or metal fragment in the garment, a sharp edge, a drawcord in a children's hood where rules ban it, or a missing mandatory label. Most buyers allow zero critical defects, whatever the AQL for other classes.

Major defects (AQL 2.5)

A defect that a customer would notice and that would likely lead to a return or complaint. In teamwear, typical examples are:

• Measurements outside the agreed tolerance on a key point such as chest or body length.
• Wrong player name or number, or a misspelled name, against the roster.
• Print, transfer or embroidery in the wrong position, crooked or incomplete.
• Visible color shading between panels of the same garment.
• Open seams, skipped stitches or broken stitching in a stress area.
• Holes, stains or fabric faults in a visible area.
• Wrong size label, care label or main label.

Minor defects (AQL 4.0)

A defect that does not affect use or sale but falls short of the standard. Examples include loose untrimmed threads, a small mark in a hidden area, slightly uneven topstitching away from the front, or a small cosmetic flaw on the inside of the garment. Minor defects are counted against the looser 4.0 plan.

03How the AQL sampling plan works

The inspector starts with the lot size, the number of finished pieces in the order or shipment being inspected. The sampling table converts the lot size into a code letter, and the code letter into a sample size. The AQL for each defect class then sets the accept number (the most defects allowed) and the reject number (the count at which the lot fails).

Two examples at general inspection level II with single normal sampling show how it works in practice.

• Lot of 281 to 500 pieces: sample of 50 pieces. Majors at AQL 2.5: accept 3, reject 4. Minors at AQL 4.0: accept 5, reject 6.
• Lot of 501 to 1,200 pieces: sample of 80 pieces. Majors at AQL 2.5: accept 5, reject 6. Minors at AQL 4.0: accept 7, reject 8.

Drawing the sample

The sample has to be random and spread across the lot: different cartons, sizes and colorways, not the top layer of the first carton. The inspector usually opens a set number of cartons chosen from the packing list, pulls pieces from each and checks them against the approved sample and spec. Measurements are typically taken on a smaller subset per size.

Small orders

For small lots the tables call for small samples, sometimes only a handful of pieces, and the accept number at AQL 2.5 can be zero. On a 12 to 50 piece team order, many buyers simply ask for a full check of names, numbers and sizes against the roster, because a single wrong name is a failure for that customer whatever the statistics say.

04What a final inspection checks

A final random inspection takes place when production is finished and most of the order is packed. Beyond counting defects in the sample, the inspector checks the order as a whole.

• Quantity: pieces per style, colorway and size against the order.
• Packing: carton count, carton marks, polybags, size stickers and assortment.
• Workmanship: every sampled piece checked against the approved sample.
• Measurements: key points of measure against the size spec and tolerances.
• Decoration: placement, color and adhesion of prints, transfers and embroidery.
• Labels and tags: content, care, size and origin text against the approved proof.
• Simple tests on site, such as a tape test on prints or a stretch test on seams.

05How we run AQL 2.5 final inspection

Once production is finished, our QC team pulls a random sample from the lot and inspects it to AQL 2.5 for major defects and AQL 4.0 for minor defects, against the sample, colors and size spec you approved. Sample sizes and accept and reject numbers come from the standard sampling tables. Our garment inspection and quality control page sets out the checks from fabric arrival to sealed cartons.

One honest note on the method: AQL is a sampling plan, not a 100% check. A lot that passes at AQL 2.5 can still contain a small number of defective pieces that were not in the sample. If your program needs every piece checked, for example a roster with names and numbers, say so at the order stage and we plan it in.

06How buyers can inspect an order

You are welcome to inspect our work yourself. Buyers can send their own QA staff, an agent, or the third-party inspection company they already use. We hold the goods until your inspector releases them.

• Agree the inspection stage, AQL levels and defect list when you approve the sample.
• Share the approved sample, size spec, roster and label proofs with your inspector.
• Book the visit for when production is finished and most of the order is packed.
• Ask for the full report with photos of every defect found, not only the pass or fail result.
• If the lot fails, agree the fix, such as sorting and repairing, and a re-inspection.

Inspecting from a distance

If an on-site visit is not practical for a small order, agree a remote check: photos and video of sampled pieces laid next to a tape measure, close-ups of decoration and labels, and a video of the packed cartons. It is less rigorous than a physical inspection, but it catches the errors that matter most on a team order, such as wrong names, numbers and sizes.

07Setting the right AQL for your order

AQL 2.5 for majors and 4.0 for minors is the most common setting for general apparel, and it is a sensible default for teamwear. Some buyers ask for 1.5 on majors for premium retail programs; a stricter level means a larger risk of rejection, more sorting and sometimes a higher price. Whatever you choose, write it into the order with the defect classification, so the factory and the inspector work to the same standard.

Inspection only works against a clear reference. An approved sample, a size spec with tolerances and an agreed defect list matter more than the AQL number itself. If you are still choosing a supplier, our guide on how to find a clothing manufacturer covers what to agree before you pay a deposit, and you can check a garment first on one of our clothing samples.

Q&AQuestions buyers ask