Quality Control in Garment Manufacturing

Introduction to Quality Control

There are two main aspects to quality of the garment.

• Design Quality: It is concerned with materials, fit and construction methods.
• Manufacturing Quality: Manufacturing quality is concerned with the degree to which the garment produced agrees with the sample or specifications.

Who decides the quality level – The consumer of the number of the public who buys a garment from a retail shop also influences the quality requirements. In many cases, this can be negative.i.e he does not buy, all though in the bigger organization where marketing programs are carried out the consumer can affect the design quality.

In the majority of cases, the customer decides the acceptable levels of quality both from design and manufacturing aspects. The customer may be a professional buyer for a large wholesale or retail organization.

The main objective of quality control is to ensure that goods are produced to the first customer (Direct Order) and hopefully to the second customers(Re-order/Alter Order/New Order) as well.If both customers can be satisfied then the manufacturer’s products are more likely to be continued in demand. Satisfactory quality can only be ensured through( from the manufacturer’s point of view):

• Knowing the customer’s needs
• Designing to meet them
• Faultless construction
• Certified performance and safety
• Clear instruction manuals
• Suitable packing
• Prompt delivery
• Feedback on field experience

Satisfied quality can be ensured from the customer’s point of view by providing:

• Right Product
• Right Quality
• Right Time
• Undamaged Condition

How can quality be achieved?

• Goods must be designed to meet customers needs and make manufacturing process and maintenance easy.
• They must be made exactly and consistently to the specified design.
• Marketing must ensure accurate advertising, trade description with constant feedback for improved design.
• Total commitment to organized design.

Principles of Quality Management – The objectives to prevent errors by early detection and action are:

• The need to make the requirement complete and clear at all levels, from this specification of a large system to the individuals work construction and terms of reference.
• The detection error by monitoring both product and the method by which it is produced
• The prevention of errors at the earliest(right at first time)
• The total involvement of all concerning the contribution to the final products quality.
• Establish a total forward or backward control system, allowing flexibility for change.

Purpose of Quality control – It is a long-standing tradition of any organization to offer the customers first quality merchandise. The purpose of this control program is to assist manufacturers in meeting our high standards.

In, addition company’s quality control program can also help the suppliers with their operation. Quality control program not only helps spot and reject defective items, but more importantly, they pinpoint production operations that need special attention, thereby reducing the number of defects in future production. This type quality control provides a basis for management decisions in the manufacturer’s plant. The defect refers to the condition that renders merchandise of second quality or unacceptable because the defect is one or more of the following:

• It is conspicuous
• It will affect the saleability of the product
• It will affect the serviceability of the product
• It is significantly different from the specification

It is understood that all performance and legal requirements should be following the letter( L/C or any other contract between the buyer and seller) with no deviation allowed, including (but not limited to ) requirement for the following:

• Flammability
• Refurbishing(cleaning)
• Labeling

A manufacturer realizes the following benefits from the Quality control programme:

• Getting most of the quality control dollar.
• Using the entire quality control staff most effectively

Ensuring that even with a turnover of personnel quality is maintained.