The cost of finding problems late
A hole in a chiffon hijab is easy to fix at the workshop: pull the piece, replace it. The same hole found by a customer becomes a return, a review and a reason not to reorder. Shade differences, crooked hems and wrong labels follow the same pattern. Every defect is cheaper to handle the closer it is found to the sewing table.
Inspection is also how a reorder stays consistent. If the first order was checked against an approved sample and a written spec, the second can be checked the same way, and drift shows up early.
Where inspection happens
Checks run at several points, not only at the end.
- Incoming fabric. Shade against the approved lab dip, obvious flaws, hand feel against the sample.
- During production. Early pieces checked for size, edge finish and print alignment, so a setup problem is caught before the whole run.
- Before shipping. A sample of finished, packed goods inspected against the spec sheet and approved sample.
We describe how the desk schedules these on the quality control page.
Common hijab defects
| Defect | What it looks like | How it is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Holes and snags | Small holes, pulled threads, runs in knit | Against light, full surface |
| Shade variation | Piece differs from approved lab dip or from other pieces | Side by side under consistent light |
| Print faults | Misalignment, smudges, missing color, wrong placement | Against approved strike-off, folded as worn |
| Edge finish faults | Skipped stitches, wavy or puckered hem, loose threads | Along the full edge |
| Measurement out of tolerance | Length, width or circumference outside the spec | Tape measure, against spec tolerance |
| Construction faults | Weak seams, uneven elastic, loose ties on sewn styles | Stretch and pull tests by hand |
| Stains and soiling | Oil marks, chalk, dirt | Visual, full surface |
| Label and packing errors | Wrong text, missing label, wrong bag or carton mark | Against spec sheet text |
Classifying defects
Inspection usually sorts defects into classes. A critical defect makes a product unsafe or illegal to sell, such as a missing required label or a hazard on a children's item. A major defect makes a product unsellable or likely to be returned, such as a hole, a visible shade mismatch or a size out of tolerance. A minor defect is a flaw a customer may not notice or care about, such as a short loose thread. The definitions for your program are written on the spec sheet, with examples, because "visible" means different things to different people.
AQL basics, explained generally
Inspecting every piece in a large order is slow, so pre-shipment inspection usually checks a statistical sample. AQL, acceptance quality limit, is a widely used sampling approach from international sampling standards. In outline: the order size sets how many pieces are drawn at random, and the chosen AQL level sets how many defects of each class can be found in that sample before the lot is rejected.
There is no single AQL level that is right for every hijab program. Buyers and inspectors choose levels for critical, major and minor defects based on the product, the channel and the risk. A stricter level means fewer defects allowed and, in practice, more work to pass. We do not treat any level as a standard; the levels for your program are agreed and confirmed in writing before production starts.
A pre-shipment inspection, step by step
- Confirm readiness. Goods finished and mostly packed, so the inspection reflects what ships.
- Count and check cartons. Quantity per color, carton marks and packing method.
- Draw the sample. Random pieces across cartons, colors and sizes, in the agreed quantity.
- Visual check. Each piece against light and the approved sample: holes, shade, print, edge, stains.
- Measurements. A subset measured against the spec tolerance.
- Function checks. Stretch, elastic and seams on sewn styles.
- Labels and packing. Text, position, bag, tag and insert against the spec sheet.
- Report. Defects by class with photos, measurements, and a pass or fail against the agreed levels.
What happens if a lot fails
A failed inspection is a decision point, not an automatic disaster. Common routes are sorting and replacing defective pieces then re-inspecting, reworking a fixable fault such as a label, or, for a fault that cannot be fixed, remaking. Which route applies, who pays and how it affects the ship date should be written into the program terms before bulk. Agreeing it after a failure is much harder.
Reading an inspection report
A useful report does more than say pass or fail. It lists how many pieces were drawn and from which cartons, every defect found with its class and a photo, measurements against the spec tolerance, and notes on labels and packing. Read the photos, not only the summary. Two minor defects of the same kind can point to a setup problem that will grow on the next run, and a pass with a pattern of near misses is worth a conversation before the reorder. Keep reports with the spec sheet version they refer to, so a later dispute or a reorder can be measured against the same record.
Inspection by product type
Light woven hijabs such as chiffon, voile and satin show holes, snags, pulled threads and hem puckering most clearly, so inspectors spend more time on surface and edge. Jersey and other knits are checked for runs, uneven stretch and size after relaxing, because knit can measure differently straight off the press. Printed pieces need alignment and color checked against the strike-off. Sewn styles such as instant hijabs, caps, khimars and niqabs need seams and elastic stretched by hand. Kids' styles add trims and fastenings, which link to the compliance plan.
Tests are separate from inspection
Inspection is visual and dimensional. Lab tests, such as colorfastness, shrinkage, or flammability for light fabrics, are separate and planned at the spec stage. Kids' styles may need third-party testing under children's product rules. See the compliance overview and the shrinkage and colorfastness guide.
What to put in writing
- Defect definitions and classes, with examples.
- Inspection stages and who carries them out.
- Sampling approach and AQL levels for each defect class.
- Measurement tolerances, from the spec sheet.
- Routes and responsibilities if a lot fails.
- Report format and photo requirements.
Inspection points belong on the spec sheet from the start. When you are ready, the sample request form starts a program with the inspection plan included.