Fabric Inspection
Fabric inspection is the process of spreading out fabric on a roll, checking it, recording conditions such as stains, weaving defects, dye unevenness, width, and length, and determining whether there are any issues that would affect cutting or sewing.
Contents6 sections
Definition and Overview
Fabric inspection is the process of inspecting fabric in roll form. While unrolling the fabric, the front and back are checked, and abnormalities caused by weaving, knitting, dyeing, or finishing, as well as dirt, holes, and damage, are found and recorded.
It is performed when roll stock is received and before cutting to clarify which parts can be used and which should be avoided. The inspection results are the basis not only for confirming fabric quality, but also for evaluating yield, required yardage, and production planning.
Main Items to Check
The items checked vary depending on the type of fabric and product standards, but the appearance, dimensions, pattern and color condition, and abnormalities related to physical properties are all checked. It is important to record the location of defects for each roll so they can be avoided during cutting.
- Weaving or knitting defects, thread breakage, holes, dirt, and oil stains
- Uneven dyeing, color difference, print misalignment, and fading
- Fabric width, length, selvedge condition, and grainline distortion
- Skew, wrinkles, twisting, and irregular pile or nap
- Pattern direction, pattern repeat, and misalignment affecting pattern matching
Relationship to Hand, Function, and Appearance
Fabric inspection is not a finishing process that gives the fabric itself hand or function. However, it plays a role in identifying in advance problems that affect the product's appearance and feel, such as color unevenness, gloss, irregular nap, and uneven coating.
Functions such as water repellency and stretch may not be fully judged by visual inspection alone. If necessary, specifications, test results, and samples should be checked against one another, and this should be managed separately from the visual checks performed during fabric inspection.
Points to Note During Cutting and Sewing
Defects found during fabric inspection are shared with the cutting team through markings or records. If yardage is set without allowing enough margin to avoid defects, it can lead to cutting shortages or poorer marker efficiency, so the usable length of each roll is checked.
Shrinkage, skew, and grainline distortion affect the shape after cutting or after washing. In particular, for products that will be washed, patterned fabrics, pile or brushed materials, and stretch materials, the fabric is stabilized before cutting, and if necessary, relaxation or scouring is considered.
Even after fabric inspection, the color difference of cut pieces, left-right nap direction, and pattern direction are rechecked before sewing. When the lot or roll changes, it is important to manage the usage range to avoid color differences within the same product.
Differences from Similar Terms
Fabric inspection is the process of checking the quality and condition of fabric, and it is different from needle detection. Needle detection is an inspection process for detecting broken needles and other metal fragments mixed into products or processes. Because the purpose and target are different, they should not be confused.
Fabric defects refer to the actual flawed areas on the fabric, such as damage or dirt. Fabric inspection, on the other hand, is the work of finding, recording, and judging whether such defects and conditions are acceptable for use or need to be avoided in cutting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is fabric inspection done before cutting?
Because if damage, dirt, or uneven color is found after cutting, parts may need to be remade and material shortages can occur. By understanding the location of defects and the usable length of the fabric before cutting, you can mark around defects and adjust the required yardage.
Is it necessary to check shrinkage even for fabric that has already been inspected?
Yes. Fabric inspection mainly checks appearance, dimensions, and defects, and does not guarantee dimensional changes after washing. Check the shrinkage rate according to the product use and washing method, and if necessary, relax or scour the fabric before cutting.
What is the difference between fabric inspection and needle detection?
Fabric inspection is an inspection of roll stock fabric to check for damage, dirt, uneven color, width, and length. Needle detection refers to the inspection for detecting needles and metal fragments mixed into products. The target, timing, and risks managed are different.
