AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) is how most apparel buyers decide whether a shipment passes final inspection. Instead of checking every piece, an inspector checks a random sample and counts defects. If the count is at or below an agreed number, the lot passes.
The three numbers that matter
- Lot size: the number of pieces in the order or shipment being inspected.
- Inspection level: how many pieces are checked for a given lot size. General Level II is the usual default.
- AQL value: how strict the limit is. Lower is stricter. Apparel buyers commonly use 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor defects, with zero tolerance for critical defects.
Quick-reference table
Single sampling, normal inspection, General Level II, from ISO 2859-1. “Accept” is the highest number of defects for the lot to pass; one more and it fails.
| Lot size (pcs) | Pieces checked | Major defects accepted (AQL 2.5) | Minor defects accepted (AQL 4.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 281 – 500 | 50 | 3 | 5 |
| 501 – 1,200 | 80 | 5 | 7 |
| 1,201 – 3,200 | 125 | 7 | 10 |
| 3,201 – 10,000 | 200 | 10 | 14 |
| 10,001 – 35,000 | 315 | 14 | 21 |
Check your buyer’s manual. These are the common defaults. Many brands set their own AQL values, inspection levels and defect definitions, and those always take priority.
Critical, major and minor defects
- Critical: unsafe or illegal, such as a broken needle in the garment or a missing mandatory label. Usually zero accepted.
- Major: likely to cause a return, such as an open seam, wrong measurement beyond tolerance or a visible stain.
- Minor: unlikely to cause a return, such as an untrimmed thread or slight unevenness.
Making inspections go smoothly
- Agree defect definitions and AQL values in the purchase order.
- Run an inline inspection at 20 to 30 percent of stitching, so problems are fixed before final inspection.
- Book the final inspection early, and only when at least 80 percent of the order is packed, which most inspection bodies require.
- Keep inspection reports and photos against each PO, so repeat problems are easy to spot.
ATI Sutra
Keep QC results on every PO
Our production trackers record inline and final inspection results, with photos, against each order.