Raw Materials: Trims and Accessories Inspection and Testing in Apparel Industry

Apart from fabric, trims, and accessories are also used as raw materials in the apparel industry. Here the fabric is the main raw material. To check and verify the quantity received against the packing list and to ensure that the items received conform to the customer’s specifications, Trims and Accessories Inspection is very necessary. This content is about Raw Materials: Trims and Accessories Inspection and Testing in Apparel Industry.

Trims and Accessories defects list

• Incorrect/Missing Country of Origin
• Incorrect/Missing Fabric Composition
• Incorrect/Missing Care instruction / Symbol
• Language or bilingual regulation non-compliance on the labeling, making, printing of selling packaging and product
• Incorrect or incomplete label information:
• •           Law and mandatory regulations
• •           Not law and mandatory regulations
• Incorrect/Missing Vendor code
• Incorrect/Missing Brand Logo
• Incorrect/Missing Style number
• Incorrect/Missing Price information
• Bar Code number wrong
• Missing / Incorrect tracking label for children’s products
• The metallic component cannot pass through the metal detector for children’s products
• Shipping carton does not meet client requirements, such as corrugated plies, bursting seal or Shipping mark does not meet the requirement
• Rusted / Oxidized metal accessory
• Damaged marking or labeling
• Print spot/ dirty
• Damaged polybag or another packaging
• Package not as specified
• Accessories not as specified / Damaged accessory
• Illegible or incorrect printing on price tags, labels, and packing slips
• Printing blur / unclear/less distinct
• Broken/damaged button
• Button style mistake
• Zipper runner doesn’t work smoothly with
• Wrong text print.
• Material wrinkled.

Trims and Accessories Visual Inspection

Inspection must be complete within 72 hours after receiving trims & accessories. After receiving the trims & accessories, for visual inspection, the approved trims card & necessary documents must be collected from the merchandiser, through which the quality departments will ensure the quality of the trims and accessories as per customer demand. Invoice copies must be collected prior to inspection from the warehouse or merchandiser. For countable items inspection, sample quantity should select based on the AQL sampling plan, and accept/reject will follow accordingly (Level-I, A.Q.L. – Critical defect not allowed, all others defect 1.5). For uncountable item inspection, a 10% sample should be selected for the total lot quantity. Defect up to 1.5% will be accepted, if it exceeds the 1.5% defects, they should be considered rejected. If the buyer has a different demand, then the buyer’s requirements will be followed for trims and accessories Inspection, and testing. Check the trims & accessories under the lightbox with the approved trims card. The amount of light lux in the inspection area should be at least 1000 lux.

Different Trims and Accessories Inspection in Apparel Industry

Labeling / Printing / Marking

Compare the requirements with respect to approved layout and country-specific requirements. Labels/hangtags should cover the following: Care instructions, RN number/CA number, Country of Origin, Fiber Content, Size, Barcode, UPC Code, Retail Price, etc.

Country of origin

For the countries like USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, & Japan the country of origin must and should be attached to the product permanently Country of origin should be on the front side of the product, permanent, legible, and may be printed both on the product and packaging.

Fiber content

For most of the importing countries, like the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, the UK, Germany, and European countries fiber content is mandatory. Each fiber content should be declared with percentages, and the fiber content less than 5% can be stated as other fibers. If the product consists of two or more fibers and is more than 5% then each fiber’s content should be declared in % values.

Care Label inspection

Some important items are to be checked on the care label. The care label inspection ch like Language Fiber Content, Country of Origin, Care Manufacturer or Importers business name or RN Number or CA Number, and Size.

Label/tag check: Label/tag should be checked in the following steps.

• Check if it is correct according to the buyer and style.
• Check the color of the label and tag.
• Label & tag size.
• Check the wording layout of the label & tag.
• Need to check the reference number.
• Check the color bleeding of the label.
• Check whether any type of writing is missing or obscure in the label & tag.
• The label and tag should be checked for any damage or cracking.

Sewing thread check

• The sewing thread should be checked in the following steps.
• Thread count
• Thread elongation
• Thread balance
• Number of twists
• Color matching
• Shade number check
• Shade check
• Thread tenacity
• Thread ply

Elastic check

• Elastic should be checked in the following steps.
• 10% elastic should be checked or according to the buyer’s instruction.
• Check according to lot & save the report.
• Check the color, thickness, and width of the elastic.
• Must see the measurement.
• Color bleeding checked by wash.
• Measure along with the size of the elastic with the large size of the garments.
• Elastic rejection calculation method: Say that large size garments elastic 50 cm. Then check every 50 cm interval. For every defect within 50 cm, 50 cm defect must be calculated. The defect percentage must be determined by taking out the complete defect gauge/meter.

Tape check system

• 10% tape should be checked or checked according to buyer instructions.
• Check according to lot & save the report.
• Check tape color, thickness, and width.
• Check measurement.
• Shade check.
• Check color bleeding by wash.
• Check any kind of damage on the tape.
• Need to keep the report.

Button, Snap/Popper, and metal item check

• Check button thickness
• Check buttonhole quantity
• Check color
• Check measurement
• Must be done pull test
• Metal items are checked by a metal detector machine.
• Should be done nickel test for metal items.
• Check if there is any damage or the broken present.
• Need to keep the report.

Heat seals (HTS) Inspection

• Collect technical data sheets according to style.
• Machine temperature, time & pressure are set according to the datasheet.
• Heat seal color, measurement, and wording should be checked for accuracy.
• Check if the heat seal is obscure or if there is any damage or cracking.
• See if there is any missing letter or if it is floating.
• It remains to be seen whether the heat seal will rise after attachment.
• The wash test should be done to make sure that there is no change after heat seal wash.
• Need to keep the report.

Zipper Inspection

• Check zipper color & shade are correct.
• Check every element of the zipper is correct.
• Measurement should be checked for accuracy.
• Metal detectors pass & a nickel test should be done for the metal zipper.
• Check if there is any damage or broken present.
• Need to keep a record.

Other Material: Other materials like poly, carton, hanger, Interlining, fusing, anti-mold agent, etc. should be checked against the approved layout. Ensure the printing layout, size, quality, or if is there any damage present.

In-house Testing of Trims and Accessories in the Apparel Industry

• Testing should be completed within 72 hours after receiving trims & accessories.
• For in-house testing collect approved trims cards & relevant documents from the merchandiser, through which the quality department will meet the customer demand.
• Collect supplier inspection report at the time of trims & accessories receive.
• Trims and Accessories Inspection and testing should be done according to lot/batch.
• Every test failure will be considered a critical defect and in that case, the acceptance is zero.
• In case of testing failure, informed the concerned merchandising department & supplier, then should take the necessary steps.

The following tests are included in the in-house testing.

1. Moisture check
2. Trims & accessories DTM wash test
3. Metal item nickel test
4. Button/snap/popper pull test
5. Metal detection
6. Elastic recovery & pre-shank test
7. Zipper lateral resistance & test
8. Barcode scanning

Moisture Check

The moisture of trims & accessories should be measured, if moisture content exceeds the allowable limit, then those trims and accessories should be returned to the supplier for reprocessing. Lot wise 03 pieces trims & accessories moisture should be checked.

Trims & Accessories DTM wash test

Attach all materials of that style to a piece of white fabric of any style and wash it according to the prescribed wash standard of that style. The DTM test makes sure that there is no change of shade or color after washing or if there is any discoloration. DTM test should be maintained per style & color 01 set.

Metal items nickel test

Nickel test should be maintained lot-wise, minimum of 03 sets should be tested per lot. Moisten a cotton swab with two drops of each solution (ammonia & dimethylglyoxime). It is important that it is exactly two drops of each solution and not more or less. It does not matter which chemical is added first, but the two chemicals shall be mixed on the cotton swab. Rub quite hard on the area to be tested for 30 seconds, not shorter and not longer. Use a clock that shows seconds. The appearance of pink color, from light pink to strong cerise indicates nickel release. Other colors, green, grey, brown, or blue indicates other metals or dirt: in these cases, the sample is OK.

Button/Popper/Snap Pull Test

Pull tests should be done by making mock-ups according to the approved sample. Pull tests are usually performed at 90 newtons and are followed if the customer has different demand. Should be maintained lot-wise test, minimum 03 sets should be tested per lot.

Metal detection

A metal detector passes to ensure if there is any contaminated metallic substance inside the trims & accessories. 100% metal accessories (snap, button, zipper, etc.) should pass through the metal detector machine.

Elastic recovery & pre-shank test

Recovery test: The recovery test checks whether the elastic returns to its previous position after expansion. In this test usually 60 cm elastic cuts and marked 50 cm. Hold on to both ends of elastic & extend double of its measurement for 01 minutes, then release it to return to its previous condition. Then measure & calculate the recovery percentage.

Elastic recovery % = (Before test measurement – After test measurement)/before measurement x100.

Pre-shank Test: This test tested elastic shrinkage. This test usually cut 60 cm elastic & marked 50 cm.  Then the elastic is washed and ironed. Then the amount of shrinkage is determined.

Elastic pre-shank%= (Before wash measurement – After wash measurement)/before wash x 100

Elastic recovery & pre-shank should be checked lot-wise one piece.

Zipper lateral resistance test

This test tested the strength of zipper tape. Zipper tape should be pulled side by side with equal pressure. Hold the zipper tape at a 90-degree angle and apply pressure evenly on both sides. This test tested the zipper strength. Zipper lateral resistance should be tested per lot 03 pieces.

Barcode scanning

Barcode scanning should be performed to ensure that all the information on the UPC code is correct. Per size/type 05 pieces barcode should be scanned from each lot/batch.

Trims and Accessories Inspection and testing are the primary part of quality control that ensures the raw materials used in garments product meets buyer specification.