What AQL means in a quality inspection
Short answer: AQL is the share of faults a batch may contain and still be approved. The figure is agreed in advance and decides how many faults may be found in the sample.
A figure, not an opinion
Instead of arguing about whether quality is good enough, a figure is agreed. Then the same rule applies to both sides, and nobody can move the goalposts once the goods are made. The figure turns a dispute over judgement into a simple reading that buyer and factory can agree on long before the first seam is sewn.
What the abbreviation stands for
AQL stands for acceptable quality limit, the quality limit you are willing to accept. It is not a target of zero faults, but an agreed upper limit on how many faults are allowed. The word accept matters, because it says openly that a small share of faults is part of clothing production.
Faults are split into groups
A distinction is made between serious, major and minor faults, and each group has its own limit. Serious faults make the product unsafe or unusable and have the strictest limit. Minor faults, such as a loose thread, have a higher limit. See also Boody.
How the figure is used in the sample
The figure sets how many faults may be found in the sample before the batch is not approved. If fewer than the limit turn up, the batch is approved. If more, it is rejected. The rule only becomes useful once the sample size is agreed too, because the two belong together.
Approved does not mean flawless
An approved batch can contain faults. It only means the share lies below the agreed limit. So it is wise to see AQL as a quality frame and not as a promise that no garment has a fault. See also Lindbergh and Moodies.
Why stricter limits cost more
The lower the figure, the more garments must be checked and the more the factory must fix. That takes time and money, and the money ends up in the price. So you choose a limit that suits the product instead of always choosing the strictest one.
The buyer sets the frame
The buyer normally proposes the figure, based on what the product costs and what the customer expects. A basic everyday item can have a different limit from a garment meant to take a lot of wear. In the end the agreed limit is written into the contract so nobody is in doubt.
What happens with too many faults
If the inspector finds more faults than the limit allows, the batch is rejected. The factory must then sort, fix the faults and send the batch for a new check. That costs the factory time, so it has an interest in getting things right the first time.
How to read the term as a customer
As a customer you do not need to know the figures. What matters is knowing that an agreed limit exists and that a batch leaves the factory only once it is met. Should a garment still have a fault, you can make a complaint, and it is handled as a single case under the usual rules.
Frequently asked questions
Which figure is used for clothing
It varies, but often a low figure for serious faults and a higher one for small ones. The figure is agreed for each order so it fits the product and what the customer expects.
Who proposes the figure
The buyer, based on what the product costs and what the customer expects. The factory can object, but in the end the agreed limit is written into the agreement between the parties.
What happens with too many faults
The batch is rejected, and the factory must sort or fix it and send it for a new check. Only when the limit is met can the batch be approved and shipped on.
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