SEWING DEFECTS IN APPAREL

INDUSTRY
The fast changing economic conditions such as global competition, declining profit margin,
customer demand for high quality product, product variety and reduced lead-time etc. have a
major impact on manufacturing industries. The demand for higher value at lower price is
increasing and to survive, apparel manufacturers need to improve their operations through
producing right first time quality and waste reduction. It is important to identify, quantify and
eliminate sources of variation in an operational process, to optimize the operation variables,
improve and sustain process performance with well-executed control plans. The industry can
gain higher productivity and profitability with improved quality product by minimizing the need
for reworks. It also minimizes cost and improves internal throughout time.
In garment business, it is quite usual that few rejected garments are left after shipment due to the
unacceptable, and sometimes unrepeatable, defects that occur during the manufacturing process.
This may happen due to low quality raw materials or faulty process or employee's casual
behavior (machine and/or human error). It is important, therefore, that the factory has evolved
well defined check points to control the quality and reduce the rejection percentage. Reworks in
the garments industry are quite common but they hamper the smooth normal production.
In the apparel manufacturing industry, main raw material is fabric; others are different types of
trimmings and accessories. Operational wastages in the apparel manufacturing process are- top
surface rework, printed label rework, sewing fault rework, pinhole rework, fabric rework,
improper fly shape, and other reworks. The defects can be categorized as follows.
Sewing Defects: These defects are usually caused by errors arising from wrong functioning of
sewing machines.
Seaming defects: These defects are usually caused by errors arising from the interaction of the
operator and machine in the handling of garment.
Placement Defects: These defects are usually caused by errors arising in marking and cutting as
well as sewing operations in the sewing room or a combination of all these.
Fabric defects: These defects are usually caused by errors arising from the fabric processing like
weaving, knitting and dyeing.
Embroidery defects: These defects are usually caused by errors arising from the embroidery
processing of the garments.
Major Garment Defects: Types, Causes & Solution

Measurement out of tolerance

Suggested Solutions:
Cause

Notches improper at pleats

Improper sweep shape after panel

attachment

Puckering at waistband
Causes
Improper pre-setting of waistband
after thumb pressing

Solution
Cutting Department was informed
about the cause and the reason
identified was misalignment of piles
during cutting. This being a major
defect causing activity was asked to
be checked 100% in the audit before
sending the bundles to sewing. A
template was provided against which
the pieces were checked and in case of
any devotion, white pencil was used to
mark pleat positions.
Bottom trimming was done to make
the sweep uniform.

Solution
Pressing was done by stem iron with a
spray of starch over it. This made the
handling of the waistband easier while
stitching and thus reduced puckering at
the waistband

The suggested solution to overcome roping and puckering is to cut the armhole binding in bias
instead of in straight grain direction. This procedure completely avoids roping and puckering at
armhole thus achieving the desired aesthetic look of the garment. The Quality Analysis and
Control systems and its monitoring should be in place so that this defect can be detected at the
initial stage of the production, avoiding reworks or rejections at later stages.
Waistband extension uneven
Causes
Improper folder setting on machine
Margin not followed while attracting
waistband and waistband edge not
finished properly

Solution
The folder guide should be
appropriately adjusted and improper
materials handling avoided
The operator must be instructed to be
careful while feeding and following the
margins strictly.

Improper fly shape

Causes

Solution

Top stitch is being inhibited by Provide a template to the operator and shift the
zipper
stitch a
little below, altering the fly shape within tolerance
lock underneath
level.
Fusing shining marks
Causes

Solution

Poor quality fusing used

Fusing should be changes and skilled operator

should be given the job

Suggestions to Reduce Defects in Finishing Section

Oil spots:
1.

Application of a scrap paper under the presser feet of sewing machines after the day's
work so that the machines which are leaking oil can be tracked.
2.
Proper oiling level to be maintained in order to prevent leakage of extra oil.
3.
Operator to take responsibility of cleaning the machine after lubrication.
4.
Immediate reporting of oil leakage.
Ink/chalk marks:
1.
2.
3.

Usage of good quality markers, the marks of which are easily washable.
Avoid using pencils for marking.
Usage of chalks on white and light colored fabrics.
Soil and dust:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Usage of plastic bags for storing and transportation of pieces.

Cleaning of checking tables and machines before the start of day's work.
Avoid keeping garments on the floor, using trolleys for storage.
Creating a polyethylene sheet partition between sewing and finishing departments so that
fabric dust doesn't come over to the finishing unit and settle down on the washed fabric.
Suggestions for reducing no. of uncut & loose threads:

1.

Thread cutting operation to be carried out after washing in order to counteract unraveling
of threads after washing.
2.
Use of thread sucking machine to prevent any loose threads to reach the checkpoint.