Quality control is vital for enhancing your startup or small-scale clothing business into a respected and successful brand. It's important to understand that quality control involves several crucial steps to ensure your products are unique, durable, and appealing.Stay tuned as we explore how to conduct successful quality control inspections in your clothing manufacturing venture, whether you're based in London, elsewhere in the UK, or beyond.

Your guide to conducting a quality control inspection in your clothing business

Below are some key points to consider when evaluating whether your clothing manufacturer is delivering the necessary level of efficiency and quality:

Measure the garment dimensions

Customers choose clothing for comfort and style, making size a critical factor in the clothing business. Whether based in London or elsewhere in the UK, ensuring proper sizing is essential, as no one wants ill-fitting garments. With different sizing standards like the British and American scales, it's crucial to communicate your size requirements clearly to your clothing manufacturer.

Once you've specified sizes ranging from small to extra-large, it's important to verify that the manufacturer has followed your instructions.To ensure accuracy, you can use industry-standard patterns available in the market to measure each garment piece. While this may seem time-consuming, it helps prevent potential issues such as having to recall batches from the market due to sizing discrepancies.

a diagram showing body dimensions for clothing manufactures and small fashion brands

Test the buttons, zippers, and other accessories

Customers seek clothing with smooth functionality, where buttons and zippers glide effortlessly. Any resistance indicates the use of inferior accessories by the manufacturer. To ensure quality production, conduct three tests:

  • Pull Test: Apply force to accessories like buttons or zippers for 8 to 10 seconds. If they remain securely attached to the garment, it indicates good quality. Utilize random sampling for this test.
  • Fatigue Test: Select 2 to 4 garment pieces randomly from the batch. Repeatedly button and unbutton them around 55 times to assess the durability of the fixtures. Any damage indicates potential issues with quality.
  • Stretch Test: Evaluate the fabric's thickness through a stretch test. Thin fabric is prone to tearing, while excessively thick fabric can compromise comfort. Stretch the garment and calculate the number of stitches per square inch (SPI). A higher SPI suggests superior quality material that will withstand wear and tear over time.

Verifying the material quality

Ensuring material quality not only helps meet legal standards but also safeguards against the use of subpar materials by the clothing manufacturer, whether they are based in London, elsewhere in the UK, or beyond. Substandard practices, such as incorporating cheaper alternatives into requested materials like wool or leather, can compromise product integrity.
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Discovering such discrepancies, where the manufacturer utilizes only a fraction of the required material, necessitates legal recourse. For instance, if you've specified 100 percent wool or leather and find only 60 or 70 percent utilized, legal action may be warranted.

However, reputable clothing manufacturers like Moseley Road, known for their quality products and ethical practices, consistently adhere to using 100 percent of the specified material. With experienced QC inspectors adept at discerning material quality through touch alone, you can trust in the integrity of their products, whether you're a startup, SME, or established business in the fashion industry.

Label Test

Proper labeling of clothing items is just as crucial as ensuring their production quality. Accurate labeling not only aligns your brand with legal requirements but also ensures compliance with destination market regulations. Major markets like Europe and America enforce these regulations rigorously, imposing hefty fines on importers and sellers for incorrect labeling.

Under the US Textile Fiber Product Identification Act, garment labels must include details such as fiber content, country of origin, manufacturer or importer identity, and care instructions for washing and ironing. Therefore, before dispatching batches, it's essential to verify that labeling is done accurately to avoid any legal complications or penalties.

Whether you're a clothing manufacturer based in London, elsewhere in the UK, or operating globally, adhering to labeling regulations is vital for maintaining brand integrity and avoiding potential legal issues.

Packaging Test

Packaging plays a crucial role in the delivery process of clothing items, encompassing the assembly of boxes, shoppers, and other elements used to send products to customers. When packed correctly and with care, goods can avoid damage en route to their final destination, making packaging the last yet most critical phase of on-site inspection.Inaccurate storage packaging can lead to various damages, such as fabric tearing due to moisture or soiling.

One effective way to mitigate this risk is by using desiccant sachets, which are moisture-absorbing materials that help maintain fabric quality until delivery. However, it's essential to use desiccants under expert guidance, as there are strict regulations governing the use of such chemicals.Another option is DMF, a chemical test conducted in the lab to ensure the quality of desiccant sachets.

Additionally, packaging must comply with regulations specific to the destination market and include proper labeling on the final box containing the product. Whether you're a clothing manufacturer in London, elsewhere in the UK, or operating globally, adhering to packaging standards is essential for ensuring product integrity and customer satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

In summary, conducting thorough quality checks is essential for establishing a successful clothing business. That's why we've outlined the top 5 ways to conduct a successful quality control session before dispatching your garments. By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your products meet high standards of quality, customer satisfaction, and compliance with regulations, whether you're a clothing manufacturer in London, elsewhere in the UK, or operating globally.