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The Most Widely Used Fabric Inspection Standard
| Defect Demerit Point | |
| Length of defect | Demerit Points |
| 3 inches or less | 1 |
| Over 3 inches but not over 6 inches | 2 |
| Over 6 inches but not over 9 inches | 3 |
| Over 9 inches | 4 |
The 4-Point System, a standard under ASTM D5430 – 07(2011) that specifies a method for establishing a numerical classification for grading fabrics from a visual inspection, is the most commonly used fabric inspection system in the garment industry. It may be used for the supply and adoption of fabrics with criteria and tolerance agreed previously between buyers and sellers.
This scheme does not assign a quality level to a product; instead, it assigns demerit point scores to defects to define them according to their seriousness levels. This method can rate any form of fabrics, whether it’s grey or finished.
Owing to the scale, consistency, and importance of the defect, the 4-Point System assigns penalty points from 1 to 4. A single flaw may be granted no more than 4 penalty points. Since the system is the same for all directions, a defect may be assessed in either the length or width direction. Only major defects are taken into consideration while minor defects are not penalized.
| Inches(“) | (MM) | Points |
| From 0″ > 3″ length/width | Up to 75mm | 1 point |
| From 3.1″ > 6″ length/width | 75mm > 150mm | 2 point |
| From 6.1 > 9″ length/width | 150mm > 230mm | 3 point |
| More than 9″ length/width | More than 230mm | 4 point |
The total defect points are calculated for 100 square yards of fabric, and then based on the company’s predefined acceptance criteria, the fabric roll is graded.
For example, assuming that after inspection of fabric roll of size 120 yards and width 45 inches, the following defects were found:
| No.of Defects | Defects Sizes | Points |
| 5 | < 3 inches | 5 defects * 1 point=5points |
| 3 | 3.1 – 6 inches | 3 defects * 2 points=6points |
| 1 | 6.1 – 9 inches | 1 defects * 3 points=3points |
| 2 | > 9 | 2 defects * 4 points=8points |
| Total Defect Points: | 22points | |
Total defect points per 100 square yard of fabric = (Total defect points in the roll x 36 inches per yard x 100 yards) / (Fabric width in inch x fabric length in yards)
= (22 x 36 x 100) / (45 x 120) = 14.66 defect points per 100 square yards.
In the apparel and textile industry, factories may allow up to 40 points per 100 square yards as acceptable, though many brands set stricter standards. QC China performs comprehensive inspections on textiles, garments, and footwear across countries like China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, with full-time inspectors providing professional evaluations and on-site tests to ensure lasting product quality and uphold your brand’s reputation. For a sample fabric inspection report, contact us at cs@qcchina.com.
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