Inspection finds what it is designed to find. A checklist copied from a template will confirm that the cartons were closed, which you already knew.
Three inspection points
| Stage | When | What it catches |
|---|---|---|
| During production | First 10 % complete | Setup errors, substitution, colour drift |
| Before packing | 100 % produced, unpacked | Dimensional checks, assembly, defect rate |
| Loading | At container loading | Quantity, carton condition, moisture protection, seal |
Checkpoints by family
| Family | First test | Acceptance | First defect to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D mesh | Compression recovery | >= 90 % | Compression set |
| Oxford | Hydrostatic head | 800 / 1500 / 3000 mm by end use | Coating peeling |
| knitted fabric | Dimensional change | <= 5 % after 3 washes | Skew / torque |
| basswood | Moisture content | 8-12 % | Warping and bowing |
| paulownia | Moisture content | 9-11 % | Denting |
Setting AQL honestly
AQL 2.5 on major defects is the default and it is too loose for anything a customer will see. For visible defects, 1.5 is closer; for functional defects that cause a return, 1.0. Critical defects are not sampled, they are screened.
The inspection brief
- The specification, line by line, with tolerances.
- The approved sample, sent to the inspector, not photographed.
- The three defects this family actually produces, named: yellowing and yellowing.
- The AQL by class, not a single number.
- Packing requirement, including moisture protection.
- Instruction to photograph defects with the carton number visible.
Evidence that survives a dispute
Photograph the defect against a scale, record the carton and lot number in every frame, keep the report with the retained samples, and video the loading including the seal. A claim with that file is a conversation; without it, it is a negotiation you usually lose.
Defect classes, before you argue about them
| Class | Definition | AQL | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Safety, prohibited substance, injury risk | Screened 100 %, not sampled | Reject the lot |
| Major | Stops the product working or selling | AQL 1.0-1.5 | Reject or negotiate |
| Minor | Cosmetic, does not affect function | AQL 2.5-4.0 | Accept with note |
| Packaging | Carton, label, quantity, moisture | AQL 2.5 | Re-work before loading |
This table is not a scoring system. It is a set of follow-up questions, because the first answer in each row is the one that sounds best and reveals least.
Related detail
Family specifications start from the fabric overview or the wooden blinds overview. Our documentation and testing regime is on the quality control page, and commercial terms are on the logistics page.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Can you quote against a specification I write myself?
Yes. Send it as written and we will respond line by line, including where we would deviate and why. That is more useful than a price against a document we have silently reinterpreted.
What do you need to start?
End use, quantity per colour, destination market and the date you need the goods. With those four we can quote; without them we are guessing.
Seven lines that turn a quotation into a specification
Most post-delivery arguments are not about quality. They are about a document that never said which figure would be measured, on which instrument, at whose cost.
- Shrinkage (<= 3 % pre-shrunk, <= 6 % raw): fix the value per shipment, and state who pays for the re-test if a lot lands outside it.
- Colour fastness to washing: >= grade 4 is not an answer on its own. Ask for the last three lots’ actual readings and the spread behind them.
- Finish: agree the test method with the number. Two labs, two methods, two answers, one argument.
- Composition (100 % cotton / 65-35 / 80-20 T/C): state where in the band this order sits. The middle of the band is not what a tolerance is for.
- Deviation rule: anything outside the agreed bands is reported before shipment, not after arrival.
- Packing and marking: shipping mark, roll or carton count and the tolerance on quantity, since a short shipment is a claim too.
- Who inspects: third-party, in-house or none, decided in advance, with the AQL level written down.
Three questions, and the answers that separate mills
If the order you are about to place is going to be decided on a call, take these three questions into it.
| Question | Answer that should worry you | Answer that holds up |
|---|---|---|
| Which test catches tear at seam? | “We have never had a complaint.” | Colour fastness to rubbing — on the production lot, with the acceptance figure written into the report and not into the email. |
| May I see a report for a lot you shipped last month? | “That is confidential customer information.” | A redacted report, which carries every number that matters and none of the customer’s identity. |
| Where in the >= grade 4 band will this order sit? | “In the middle, normally.” | A stated target and the readings behind it. Colour fastness to washing drifting inside the band is how a conforming lot still fails. |
The same question, asked of paulownia
The two lines fail differently, so the wording that protects you differs too. On paulownia the recurring modes are these, caught with a different test.
| Failure | What triggers it | Test to demand on the production lot |
|---|---|---|
| paulownia: Warping | High moisture variation and a porous structure that absorbs quickly. | Density — ISO 3131; acceptance 0.25-0.32 g/cm3 |
| paulownia: Patchy finish | Coarse pores without a sanding sealer. | Warp — 48 h at 23 C / 50 % RH; acceptance <= 2.0 mm per 1 m |
Send the five inputs and get a quotable answer.
Send the end use, the quantity and the destination market, and we will come back with a specification that meets it, a price at your volume and the test reports that back it up. Samples are free for qualified programmes; we charge the courier only.
Related reading
- How to Write an RFQ for Textile and Window Covering That Gets a Quotable Answer
- Shipping Textile and Window Covering from China
- How to Vet a Textile and Window Covering Supplier
Sample cut with your values on it · Neutral packing and private label · Consolidation, documents and lead times
