An Insight into Garment Testing

Garment testing is an integral part of the garment production process, ensuring that every piece of clothing not only meets quality standards but also feels good to wear. At Murray Uniforms, we carry out thorough garment checks to guarantee that our bespoke uniforms are of the highest quality and fit the desired brief – because when your employees look and feel smarter, they Work Smarter^®.

In this blog, we provide our first-hand insight into the garment testing process and how it works, from initial fabric selection to checking for defects.

What is garment testing and why is it important?

Garment testing involves assessing garments at every stage of the development and production process to ensure they meet the relevant quality, safety, and regulatory standards.

It’s important for a number of reasons:

• Meeting quality standards: Testing verifies that garments meet the expected standards for comfort, durability, and performance.
• Ensuring safety: Testing helps identify any potential hazards and ensures the garments will be safe to wear.
• Complying with regulations: Testing ensures manufacturers comply with any relevant regulations and standards in their target market.

All of this means that any potential issues with the garment are identified and rectified before the product is rolled out, reducing the risk of recalls, legal issues, and reputational damage for the manufacturer.

What are the different stages of garment testing?

At Murray Uniforms, we have first-hand experience of the garment testing process and how it works. Our colleagues regularly visit our garment factories overseas to build and maintain relationships, but also to ensure that quality checks are carried out to the highest standards and in line with our Science of Uniform^® approach.

Here’s what happens at each stage of the garment testing process:

Step 1: Initial fabric testing

The first stage of garment testing comes very early on in the production process, as every new fabric used must be tested to ensure it meets the necessary standards.

These tests are for fibre composition, stability, and performance depending on the intended use. For us at Murray, this will vary depending on the industry we’re designing for – retail uniforms may need to be more colourfast because of how often they need to be washed in order to maintain durability, for example.

At this stage, transfers and prints are also tested to ensure adhesion, colour fastness, and durability. These test reports are required to be submitted on the correct fabric base and a similar colour if possible.

Step 2: Appearance After Wash testing

Next, Appearance After Wash (AAW) testing is carried out to check how the finished garment looks after it’s been washed and dried. This allows various aspects to be evaluated, including:

• Wrinkling
• Puckering
• Shrinkage
• Colour change or fading

AAW testing is especially important for products like uniforms, where the wearer expects easy care and durability even after numerous washes. At Murray Uniforms, we put our garments through an intense washing process that equates to five domestic washes, allowing us to break test the garments and identify any potential issues.

Step 3: Quality checking

Quality checks are carried out to ensure every garment meets the necessary quality standards before being shipped to the client. As part of this process, the manufacturer will usually complete:

• Visual inspections: Checking for obvious faults like stains, holes, uneven stitching, loose threads, colour issues, or fabric defects.
• Measurement checks: Measuring the garments to ensure they match the size specifications (length, width, sleeve size, etc.).
• Seam and stitching inspections: Making sure seams are straight and secure, and that stitches are tight and the right number per inch.

Carrying out quality checks at this stage helps us identify possible issues and take corrective measures in good time, reducing defect rates at a later stage.

It is rare to inspect every single item unless there is a very low quantity, as this is an inefficient and time-consuming process. Instead, quality checks are performed in line with Acceptable Quality Limit (AQL) standards across a higher scale of products.

What happens when defects are found?

At every stage of the garment testing process, the goal is to identify any defects and rectify them before the garments are shipped to the client. Defects can come in lots of different forms, but are typically classified as either minor, major, or critical.

• Minor defect: Shows deviation from quality standard but is not likely to reduce the usability or saleability of the product.
• Major defect: Leads to product failure and reduction of the product’s usability or saleability to a large extent.
• Critical defect: Fails to meet mandatory regulations and/or affects the safety of consumers/end users.

Major defects usually need to be fixed right away. This can mean restitching seams, replacing broken zippers, or repairing fabric flaws. If the issue can’t be corrected without affecting the quality of the garment, the piece might be downgraded, sent to outlet stores, or scrapped altogether.

Critical defects are more serious. These include problems like sharp objects stuck in seams, harmful chemical residues, or anything else that may pose safety risks. Items with critical defects are typically rejected immediately and, in some cases, the entire production batch may be quarantined while a full investigation is carried out to find the root cause. Manufacturers then take corrective steps, which might involve retraining staff, adjusting equipment, or even recalling products if they’ve already been shipped out.

Throughout this process, detailed records are kept to monitor defect rates and the actions taken to address them. This information helps manufacturers improve their processes and avoid similar problems in future production runs.

Upgrade to high-quality bespoke uniforms with Murray

Here at Murray Uniforms, we design, manufacture, and supply bespoke uniforms for a wide range of industries, from hospitality to healthcare. What makes us different is our data-driven Science of Uniform^® process, which enables us to understand your brand, your customers, and your employees inside out to create a uniform that delivers a real return on investment.

Our uniforms are durable, comfortable, and tailored to the unique demands of your industry, with careful garment testing at every stage to ensure a high-quality product.

Ready to invest in new high-quality workwear for your business? Book your free consultation today.