Quality control and audit in sewing for trouser manufacturing

The readymade garment industry is the lifeline of Bangladesh’s economy and to upgrade the industry quality improvement of garments can play a vital role. As sewing is the key process of garments construction, so sewing quality control is also vital. If the apparel manufacturers of Bangladesh can achieve zero defects in sewing, the cost of production will reduce dramatically.

To achieve zero defects standard of garments (trouser manufacturing) from sewing lines to laundry or finishing department, the process flow are as follows:

1. All sub-assembly parts (front and back) will be inspected 100% at the end of the last operation of the sewing line. Any defects irrespective of however minor must be returned to appropriate operator/needle point to carry out the relevant repairs. The line manager, supervisor and QA must carry out an hourly check to ensure that repairs and defects are certainly returned to the operator for repairs/rectification.
2. At the assembly lines depending on the style and at the PP meeting stage, it will be decided what critical operations are required to implement inspection. Again, this is 100% and responsibilities are as in point 1 above. Example: waist band attach and close in active waistband garments.
3. At the end of the assembly line, 3 – 4 QCs will be fully trained and stationed for 100% inspect of the completed sewn garments focusing on all operations including those that were inspected in the sub-assembly. Any defects must be returned back to needle point for rectification or repairs. Again, training, education, and ownership must be passed down the line for ownership purposes. The number of QC’s above will be determined depending on the output of the line.
4. Frequent quality checking: A Roaming QC assigned per two-sewing line to audit garments based on 25% of each lot/bundle at a critical workstation which is Waist Band, Seat Seam (Yoke Seam), Back rise, In seam or any other critical points in a sewing line randomly.
5. An auditing process will take place based on 25% of each lot/bundle. If one defect is found in any bundle, then the respective bundle will be failed automatically and sent back for 100% re-screen. The defective garments must be returned back to needle points for rectification or repairs. If the bundle has “zero defects” then, and only then, the bundle will pass automatically and it is then transferred to washing or finishing.

Defects take back to at source: Tracking the defects back to the correct operator at needle points is very important to achieve ‘zero defect’ policy and improve the quality of the garments.

1. If any operation has more than one operator, then they will put chalk mark/magic pen identification in the garments or panel to identify the respective operator. This identification mark will be identical for each operator to find the correct person.
2. In-line, end line quality tables will have defective tags (tags quantity will be based on line output). A tag will be clipped to the defective panel or garment and sent back to the respective operator for repair. After rectification, the panel or garment will be sent to respective QC stations to recheck. If goods have zero defects then only it moves to the next operation. If again found any defects then it will go back to the respective operator.