Garment AQL Chart: The Short Answer
Whether you are a founder placing a first order or a buyer with a purchase order in hand, a garment AQL chart answers one practical question: out of a given lot, how many pieces should be inspected, and how many defective pieces can be found before the lot is rejected? You find your lot size in the table, read across to the sample size, then pick the accept and reject numbers for the AQL value in your agreement. For a lot of 1,000 pieces at general inspection level II, the sample is 80 pieces. At AQL 2.5 the accept number is 5 and the reject number is 6, and at AQL 4.0 the accept number is 7 and the reject number is 8.
The figures here are taken from published AQL tables for normal inspection, single sampling. Standards are revised and your contract may define its own plan, so confirm everything against the current standard and your agreement with the buyer or inspector before you rely on it.
What AQL Means in Garment Inspection
AQL stands for acceptable quality limit. It is a sampling approach that lets you judge a large lot by inspecting a small, randomly drawn part of it. Instead of opening every carton, the inspector pulls a sample using a published table, counts the defective pieces and compares the count with the accept and reject numbers. If the count is at or below the accept number, the lot passes on that defect class; if it reaches the reject number, it fails.
Three inputs set the result. The first is the lot size, the number of pieces in the order or shipment being inspected. The second is the inspection level, which controls how big the sample is relative to the lot; most garment inspections use general inspection level II. The third is the AQL value, which sets how strict the accept and reject numbers are. A lower AQL value is stricter. The buyer chooses the AQL values and writes them into the purchase order or quality agreement, which is why two buyers can inspect the same lot in different ways.
How Lot Size, Code Letter and AQL Combine
The standard turns the lot size into a sample size code letter, and the code letter into a sample size. Only then do you read the accept and reject numbers for your AQL value. That is why a garment AQL chart has several columns, and why a small step in lot size can change the sample size. The published standard is ISO 2859-1, known in the US as ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, and the ISO catalogue lists the current edition.
From lot size to a decision
- 1Find the lot sizeCount the pieces in the lot you are inspecting, per style where possible.
- 2Read the code letterMatch the lot to its range for general level II to get the letter.
- 3Take the sample sizeThe code letter gives the number of pieces to pull at random.
- 4Pick the AQL valueUse the values in your agreement, usually one for major and one for minor.
- 5Compare the countsDefects at or below accept pass; at reject, the lot fails that class.
Ac means accept number, the most defective pieces you can find and still pass. Re means reject number, the count at which the lot fails.
The Garment AQL Chart for General Inspection Level II
The table below shows the sample sizes and accept and reject numbers for normal inspection, single sampling, general inspection level II, at the two AQL values most often agreed for garments. Each row is a lot-size range. The chart does not give figures for lots below 91 pieces or above 35,000, because the standard handles those with arrows that point to another row; for those lots, read the standard itself or agree a plan with your inspector.
AQL sample sizes and accept/reject numbers, general level II
| Lot size | Code letter | Sample size | AQL 2.5 Ac/Re | AQL 4.0 Ac/Re |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91–150 | F | 20 | 1/2 | 2/3 |
| 151–280 | G | 32 | 2/3 | 3/4 |
| 281–500 | H | 50 | 3/4 | 5/6 |
| 501–1,200 | J | 80 | 5/6 | 7/8 |
| 1,201–3,200 | K | 125 | 7/8 | 10/11 |
| 3,201–10,000 | L | 200 | 10/11 | 14/15 |
| 10,001–35,000 | M | 315 | 14/15 | 21/22 |
Normal inspection, single sampling, general inspection level II, from published ISO 2859-1 and ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 tables. Ac is the accept number and Re is the reject number. Confirm against the current standard and your own agreement.
Reading across a row gives you everything an inspector needs. A lot of 3,000 pieces falls in the 1,201 to 3,200 range, which gives code letter K and a sample of 125 pieces. At AQL 2.5 you accept up to 7 defective pieces and reject at 8.
How Sample Size Grows With Order Quantity
A larger order needs a larger sample, but not in proportion. The chart below plots the sample size from the table against each lot-size range, using only the figures above. It shows why inspecting a big lot is far cheaper per piece than inspecting a small one, and why splitting one order into many tiny lots raises the inspection effort.
Sample size by lot-size range, general level II
Pieces in the sample
Sample sizes taken from the published general level II table for normal inspection, single sampling. Pieces to be inspected, not pieces allowed to be defective.
For a new brand running small styles, this matters in practice. Our guide to size ratios for a first production order shows how to plan quantities so each style and colour forms a sensible lot, and the comparison of bulk production and samples explains what the approved sample should look like before inspection starts.
AQL 2.5 Garments: A Worked Example
Suppose you have a 1,000-piece order of one style. The lot falls in the 501–1,200 range, so the code letter is J and the sample is 80 pieces. You and the factory have agreed AQL 2.5 for major defects and AQL 4.0 for minor defects. The inspector draws 80 pieces at random across sizes, colours and cartons and records every defect found.
Worked example: a 1,000-piece lot at general level II
| Defect class | AQL value | Sample | Accept at or below | Reject at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Zero tolerance (commonly agreed) | 80 | None | Any critical defect |
| Major | 2.5 | 80 | 5 | 6 |
| Minor | 4.0 | 80 | 7 | 8 |
Illustrative. Accept and reject numbers for major and minor defects come from the published table; zero tolerance for critical defects is a commonly agreed term, not a rule.
If the inspector finds five or fewer major defects in the 80 pieces, the lot passes on major defects; at six or more, it fails. For minor defects the same logic applies with seven and eight. Each defect class is judged separately, so a lot can pass on minor defects and still fail on major ones. What happens after a fail, such as sorting, rework and re-inspection, should be written in your terms, which is covered in our guide to a clothing manufacturing agreement.
Critical, Major and Minor: Defect Classes
AQL only works if everyone agrees what a defect is and which class it belongs to. Most garment inspections use three classes, and the buyer should list examples for their own product before production, so the inspector is not deciding on the day.
Defect class definitions
| Class | Meaning | Typical examples |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Likely to make the garment unsafe or to breach a legal requirement | Broken needle fragment inside a garment, sharp or loose hardware on a child item, missing required safety labelling |
| Major | Likely to cause failure in use or to be clearly unacceptable to a customer | Open or broken seam, wrong size label, wrong colour, hole, serious stain, badly misplaced print |
| Minor | A small departure that does not affect use and is unlikely to lead to a return | Loose thread, slight uneven stitch spacing, small mark that washes out |
General definitions for orientation. Your own agreement and defect list take priority.
Our guide to common garment defects has a fuller catalogue, with notes on how defects are usually classified. A common arrangement is zero tolerance for critical defects, AQL 2.5 for major and 4.0 for minor, but the AQL values are set by the buyer and should be agreed rather than assumed.
How to Apply AQL in a Pre-Shipment Inspection
A pre-shipment inspection is usually carried out when production is complete and most of the goods are packed. AQL controls the sampling for visual and workmanship checks, but a full inspection covers more than counting defects. The chart below shows an illustrative split of what a pre-shipment inspection typically covers, so you can plan inspector time and write a useful brief.
Illustrative split of a pre-shipment inspection
- Visual and workmanship30%
- Measurements20%
- Labelling and packing20%
- Function and fit checks20%
- Documentation10%
Illustrative only. Real inspections vary by product and brief; this is a planning aid, not data from any inspection body.
Our overview of pre-shipment inspection for clothing describes what to book and when. A good brief names the style, the approved sample, the measurement chart, the AQL values, the defect list and the reporting format, and asks the inspector to send photographs of every recorded defect. Plan the timing early so inspection falls in a sensible place in your time and action calendar.
Running an AQL Inspection Step by Step
A repeatable routine keeps results comparable from order to order. Follow the same order of work each time, and keep the paperwork so you can compare suppliers and styles over time.
An AQL inspection from brief to report
- BeforeAgree AQL values, defect list, approved sample and measurement chart in writing.
- ArrivalThe inspector confirms the lot size and that the goods are at least mostly packed.
- SamplingCartons are chosen at random and pieces are drawn across sizes and colours.
- CheckingEach piece is checked for visual defects, measurements, labelling and function.
- CountingDefects are classed as critical, major or minor and totalled against accept and reject numbers.
- ReportA signed report with photographs and a clear pass, fail or hold result is issued.
A typical sequence. Adjust to your product and agreement.
The result is only as reliable as the sampling. Cartons should be picked by the inspector, not handed over by the factory, and the sample should cover the size and colour spread of the lot.
What AQL Does Not Guarantee
AQL is a sampling plan, not a guarantee that no defective piece exists. A lot that passes can still contain defective garments that were not in the sample, and a lot that fails may contain only a few. The plan controls risk; it does not remove it. Treat a pass as evidence that the lot is likely to be within your agreed limits, not as a promise about every piece.
What an AQL result can and cannot tell you
What it gives you
- It gives a consistent, agreed way to judge a large lot
- It sets clear accept and reject numbers before argument starts
- It makes results comparable across factories and orders
What it does not
- It does not show that every piece is free of defects
- It does not test fabric performance such as shrinkage or colour fastness
- It depends on random sampling and a clear defect list
AQL is one control among several: sampling, testing, in-line checks and clear specifications all matter.
Fabric performance is checked in a laboratory, using test methods published by bodies such as AATCC, not through AQL counting. Our guide to garment quality control and AQL inspection places inspection alongside in-line checks and testing.
How Ruhrose Approaches Inspection and AQL
Ruhrose develops hoodies, jersey, denim and woven casualwear for UK buyers, with production in Bangladesh. We sample before bulk, and we are happy to work to the AQL values and defect list in your agreement or your inspector brief. Tell us early which values you will use, so quality checks are planned into production rather than argued about at the end. Details of what we make are on Ruhrose's clothing manufacturing pages.
Before your next order, ask yourself one question: if the inspector found a defect right at the accept limit, would your agreement already tell everyone what happens next?