What to Check While Inspecting Legging's Quality?

Question: When inspecting a women's legging, what quality defects are we looking for? ... asked by Dave Neimer

Answer

Like other apparel products, women's leggings are inspected at the manufacturing stage - after finishing the leggings and before sending leggings to the retailers (buyer). Prior to starting garment inspection, you should know what all points to be covered in the inspection. By doing so, you can perform an effective inspection in minimum time. You have performed both visual checkings as well as measurement checking.

While you start garment inspection, refer the spec sheet, approved sample and style file.

Following are the quality checkpoints for knits women's leggings to be inspected.

1. Material quality (fabric quality)

To ensure fabric quality look at the following points

No cut mark and hole in the fabric
No fabric shade variation between leg panels
No stain or oil mark on the fabric (leggings)

Leggings

2. Stitching quality

While inspecting garments, check a garment inside and outside and check all visible seams.

Check there is no broken stitches, skipped stitches, uneven stitch density, and wavy stitch lines
Check if enough seam allowance is there (in case there is low seam allowance, seam slippage may happen)
Check needle cut on stitch lines - Needle cut/holes in the stitch line should not be accepted
Check if waistband cover stitch is secure – Waistband is stitched using chain stitches. If the stitch is not secure, threads easily come out and seam gets open after few days of use.
No loose thread - Loose threads should be trimmed neatly.
Twisting of Legs and waistband - Check if legs and waistband of the leggings are getting twisted

3. Measurement checking

Under the measurement checking, cover these points

Check measurement for all measuring points (length, waist, bottom width etc) and variation of measurement must be under tolerance level
Measure waistband in stretched form and relaxed form
Also, check the measurement of a few leggings after washing. After washing shrinkage should not be more than tolerance level.

4. Trims quality

Elastic: Stretchability of waistband elastic
Label: If you have size label in the leggings check size is correct for that legging

5. Follow reference sample /Document

While checking finished garments, you must refer the approved samples and style file.

Check fabric shade is as per approved sample
Check all trims are there as per style requirement and quality of those trims matched with reference
If you have a testing report, check all fabric performance test are OK in the testing result (Like fibre content, dimensional stability, colourfastness etc.)

These points should be checked while you inspect women's leggings. Same points can be followed while inspecting other products. By checking above things you can ensure that women's leggings that you made are inspected correctly.

Also see: How to make leggings?