Categorization of fabric defects as major, minor and critical defects

Critical Defects

A critical defect results in hazardous or unsafe conditions for individuals using , maintaining, or depending on the product or prevents performance of a tactical function of a major end use item. These defects are not common with textile products but they may occur with some occupational apparel

Major defect

Major defects are those that adversely affect either the appearance of the product or its function and performance. Major Defect - A defect that, if conspicuous on the finished product, would cause the item to be a second. (A "second" is a garment with a conspicuous defect that affects the saleability or serviceability of the item.

Minor Defects
A defect that would not cause the product to be termed a second either because of severity or location. When inspecting piece goods prior to cutting, it is necessary to rate questionable defects as major, since the inspector will not know where the defect may occur on the item.

Woven Fabric Defects

Fabric Type

Defect Name

Categorization

Woven Fabric Woven Fabric

Broken filaments

Major or Minor Minor

Colored Flecks Minor Slub Minor Slubby weft Minor

Woven Fabric Woven Fabric

Woven Fabric Woven Fabric

Double end Missing ends

Major

Fabric Type

Defect Name

Categorization

Woven Fabric

Reed marks

Minor

Lashing-in
Woven Fabric Broken pattern Woven Fabric Woven Fabric Woven Fabric Woven Fabric Weft bar Major Gout Major Minor

Minor
Broken ends woven in a bunch Minor

Fabric Type

Defect Name

Categorization

Woven Fabric

Oily Weft Major or Minor Snarls

Woven Fabric
Hole, Cut or Tear Woven Fabric

Minor

Major
Stains Major or Minor

Woven Fabric

Woven Fabric

Oily Warp

Major or Minor

Knitted Fabric Defects Categorization

Fabric Type

Defect Name

Categorization

Knitted Fabric

Barriness

Major
Knitted Fabric Variation in Yarn Count

Major
Knitted Fabric Cotton Contamination

Minor

Knitted Fabric

Vertical stripes

Major
Major

Knitted Fabric

Horizontal stripes

Fabric Type

Defect Name

Categorization

Knitted Fabric

Holes Major

Knitted Fabric

Dropped stitches Major

Knitted Fabric

Fabric Spirality Major or Minor

Knitted Fabric

Stretch marks on fabric surface Curling at Edges on Cutting

Major

Knitted Fabric

Major

Processing Defect Categorization

Defect Name

Categorization

Bleaching Spot Uneven dyeing/Patchy dyeing Dye bar Misprint/Stencil mark /Overlapping

Minor Major Major Minor or Major

Uneven printing or tinting

Major
Minor

Water mark Dye stuff stain

Major

Defect Name

Categorization

Oil Stains

Major or Minor

White spot

Minor
Shading or listing Major

Bowing

Major

Pilling Major or Minor

Defect Name

Categorization

Stain near Metallic zipper/ button Major

Poor Dimensional Stability

Major

Poor Colorfastness to Washing Major Poor Colorfastness to Rubbing Major Major

Poor Colorfastness to Light

Lycra Yarn Breakage Major

This was a healthy discussion towards categorization of fabric defects

Although it also depend on buyer to decide as customer is the KING

Defects Due to Yarn

Broken filaments - It occurs when the individual filaments constituting the main yarn are broken. This defect can not be mended.

Defects Due to Yarn

Coloured Flecks : Presence of coloured foreign matter in the yarn. It can be mended.

Defects Due to Yarn

Knots : It occurs when broken threads are pieced together by improper knotting. This can be mended by cutting.
Minor

Defects Due to Yarn

Slub : A slub is a bunch of fibres having less twist or no twist and has a wider diameter compared to normal spun yarn. It can be mended.

Defects Due to Yarn

Slubby weft - A slubby weft is the occurrence of slubs at frequent intervals in the weft yarn.

Due to Weaving:

Double end : When two or more ends

unintentionally get woven as one. This defect is characterized by a thick bar running parallel to the warp. It can be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Missing ends : This fabric is characterized by

a gap parallel to the warp. The number of ends missing may be one or more. It can not be mended.

Defects Due to Weaving:

Broken ends woven in a bunch : This defect is caused by a bunch of broken ends woven in the fabric. It can be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Reed marks : A pronounced warp way crack caused by a damaged or defective reed. It can be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Lashing-in : An extra piece of yarn woven into

the fabric near the selvedge. It can be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Broken pattern : A broken pattern is the non-continuity of a weave/design/pattern. It can not be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Weft bar - An unwanted bar, running

across the full width of a piece which differs in appearance from the adjacent normal fabric. This defect can not be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Weft crack or Missing Pick- A narrow streak running parallel with weft threads caused due to absence of weft. It can be mended.

Due to Weaving:

Gout : Gout is a foreign matter usually lint or waste accidentally woven into the fabric. It can be mended easily.

Due to Weaving:

Stains: These are defects of oil, rust, grease or other stains found in the fabric. Stains can be removed with stain remover.

Due to Weaving:
Oily Warp: These are oily or soiled warp Oily Weft : Streaks of dirty and oily weft appearing across the width of the cloth, can be full or partial.

Due to Weaving:

Snarls : A short length of yarn, mainly the

weft, which has spontaneously doubled back on itself results in snarls. If low in number it can be mended.

Due to Weaving:
Hole, Cut or Tear

Knitted fabric defects

Barriness:

An unintentional, repetitive visual pattern of continuous bars and strips usually parallel to the course-wise direction of circular knit fabric.
Minor

Knitted fabric defects

Variation in Yarn Count : Use of yarn with

significantly different yarn count or having higher imperfections leading to variation in dye uptake

Knitted fabric defects

Cotton Contamination: Dark Stains

undetectable on grey cotton fabric and appearing after dyeing

Knitted fabric defects

Vertical stripes: A defect that occurs due to defective needles or sinkers

Knitted fabric defects

Horizontal stripes: Happens when the yarn consumption is not uniform at all the feeders.

Knitted fabric defects

Holes: Happens due to breakage of yarn

during loop formation.

Knitted fabric defects

Dropped stitches: this defect is caused

when the yarn in occasionally unhooked by the needle.

Knitted fabric defects

Fabric Spirality: Distortion of knitted

fabric. Wales are not perpendicular to the courses; instead follow a spiral path round the axis of knitted fabric tube

Knitted fabric defects

Stretch marks on fabric surface: Due to Lycra Damage

Knitted fabric defects

Curling at Edges on Cutting: Turning of

knitted fabric on cutting. Happens due to low tightness factor of the fabric or high yarn twist.

Bleaching Spot
The fabric is characterized by a yellow tint in the bleached cloth. In bleached goods such a difference will not be acceptable.

Uneven dyeing/Patchy dyeing

The fabric is characterized by an area of light or heavy dyeing along and across the width of the fabric. It also includes shade variation and heavy or light dyeing on selvedges. Happens mainly due to water hardness, presence of calcium, magnesium, chlorine or heavy metals in the dye bath; defective padding

Dye bar
A bar in the weft direction due to a difference in the yarn count or fibre content or defective padding roller

Misprint/Stencil mark /Overlapping

Blockage in screen Fold in the fabric Improper handling of screen/stencil

Uneven printing or tinting

In a printed fabric the design at one place is bold as required, while at other place the same is hazy, light and unclear.

Water Mark

An unwanted ripple effect/light mark produced on the fabric is known as a water mark.
Due to falling drops of condensate during stentering or dyeing in jigger

Dye stuff stain

An unwanted coloured mark on a fabric qualifies as a dye stuff stain. Mainly happens due to poor pre-treatment, insufficient MLR, residual contaminants in the substrate & water, poor material handling ,dye paste is not filtered, improper rinsing/washing off Major after dyeing

Oil Stains
Improper oiling of machine Poor material handling

White spot
The fabric is characterized by a white spot on an otherwise well dyed fabric. Happens due to incompatibility of mixture of dyes, or colours are not properly dissolved

Shading or listing

A gradual change of shade from selvedge to the body of the fabric (called centre to selvedge) or a gradual change of shade from one selvedge to another selvedge (called selvedge to selvedge).

Bowing

Bowing is a condition of a fabric wherein the warp and the weft yarns do not keep at right angles to each other.

Pilling
The entangling of fibres during washing, drycleaning or while being worn which form balls or pills and stand on the surface of the fabric.

Stain near Metallic zipper/ button

Insufficient washing or neutralization of garment during wet processing resulting in higher acidity or alkalinity of the fabric

Poor Dimensional Stability

Improper heat setting in polyester fabric Sanforising/zero-zero process is not used Excessive stretching during stentering & other processing

Poor Colorfastness to Washing

Inadequate rinsing of the fabric before oxidation (Vat & Sulphur dyeing) Premature or over-oxidation of the dye Poor washing-off after treatment

Poor Colorfastness to Rubbing

Dyes used of poor rubbing fastness Improper use of finishing agents Incomplete washing-off Un-mercerized cotton

Poor Colourfastness to Light

Using

dye of poor colour fastness to light

Lycra Yarn Breakage

Due

to improper wet processing i.e excessive treatment during wet processing