The inspection contents and selection methods for pillows

As an essential sleep accessory, the quality of pillows directly affects consumers' sleep health and usage experience. For purchasers, brand owners, and quality inspection professionals, establishing a comprehensive supply chain quality management system and conducting rigorous factory audits and pre-shipment inspections (PSI) are of utmost importance. This article will systematically elaborate on the inspection and testing standards for pillows, the quality control (QC) process, and the inspection methods. 
I. Source Control: Key Points for Factory Audit of Pillow Manufacturers
Before mass production, conducting a comprehensive supplier audit of the manufacturer is the foundation for ensuring product quality and safety. 
Quality Management System Certification: 
Has the factory established and implemented the ISO9001 quality management system? 
Do we have complete procedures and records for incoming material inspection (IQC), production line inspection (IPQC), and final product inspection (FQC)? 
Does it have a complete quality traceability system? 
Raw material supply chain management: 
Verify the qualifications and test reports of suppliers for memory foam, latex, down, and synthetic cotton fillings. 
Verify whether the fabric complies with ecological and environmental standards such as OEKO-TEX Standard 100. 
Check the quality compliance of the accessories (zippers, stitching, labels) 
Production environment and equipment: 
Evaluate the hygiene conditions and production techniques of processes such as cutting, sewing, filling, and packaging. 
Check whether there is a professional inspection area and detection equipment available. 
Verify whether the workshop environment complies with hygiene production standards 
Certification and Compliance: 
Verify whether the product has obtained the relevant safety certifications (such as CQC, CE, etc.) 
Confirm whether the filling material complies with international standards such as RDS (Responsible Down Standard) 
II. Finished Product Inspection: AQL Sampling Inspection Standard Process for Pillows
The inspection of pillows should follow the AQL sampling standard (usually LEVEL II) and conduct random sampling, covering multiple aspects such as appearance, size, material, and craftsmanship. 
1. Packaging and Labeling Inspection
Packaging materials: Check the materials and thickness of the outer box and plastic bags, and ensure that the marking information is correct and clear. 
Product identification: Verify that the labels such as the washing label, ingredient label, and care label are all accurate and error-free. 
Barcode scanning: By using the scanner, the barcode information can be checked and it should be readable and consistent with the order. 
2. Appearance Quality Inspection (Visual Inspection)
Dimension measurement: Use a tape measure to measure length, width, and height, which should fall within the allowable tolerance range specified by the process requirements. 
Symmetry check: Verify if the shape of the pillow is symmetrical and if the filling is evenly distributed. 
Sewing process: Check whether the needle spacing density, thread end handling, and seam strength meet the requirements. 
3. Material & Performance Testing - Core Inspection Items
Filler inspection: 
Memory pillow: Test density (weight/volume ratio) and rebound time (3-5 seconds is ideal) 
Down pillow: Check the down content, loftiness and cleanliness. 
Latex pillow: Verification of natural latex content and odor characteristics 
Cotton-polyester pillow: Check the quality of the fibers and the elasticity recovery rate 
Fabric testing: 
Color fastness test: The abrasion and washing color fastness are tested in accordance with the AATCC standards. 
Air permeability test: Evaluates the air circulation performance of the fabric 
pH value test: Ensure that the fabric's acidity and alkalinity fall within the safe range for human use. 
Security testing: 
Formaldehyde content: Tested in accordance with ISO 14184-1 standard 
Disable azo dyes: Tested in accordance with EN 14362-1 standard 
Heavy metal content: Ensure compliance with environmental protection requirements 
4. Functional Verification
Supporting Test: Evaluating the supporting effect of the pillow on the head and neck of the human body 
Durability test: Simulates the ability to maintain shape after long-term use 
Thermoregulation effect test (memory pillow): To verify the softness and hardness characteristics that change with temperature 
5. Special Project Inspection
Odor Check: No unpleasant odor or irritating smell 
Pollution check: No oil stains, dust or other signs of pollution were found. 
Defect inspection: No quality issues such as damage, cracking, or severe deformation. 
III. Common Defect Classification
Critical (Severe Defect): The filling material does not match the label significantly, the formaldehyde content exceeds the standard, it contains harmful substances, and the pollution is so severe that it cannot be removed. 
Major Defects: Dimensional deviation, uneven filling, sewing thread breakage, insufficient color fastness, severe odor. 
Minor (Minor Defects): Minor wire ends, non-critical size deviations, slight packaging damage, slight misalignment of labels. 
IV. Key Inspection Points for Different Types of Pillows
Memory pillows:

The key points to check are density and rebound time. 
Verify the characteristics of the thermal sensitivity effect 
Check for any unpleasant smell 
Down pillow: 
Test the amount of down and the loftiness 
Check for cleanliness and odors 
Verify the anti-pilling performance 
Latex pillow: 
Confirm the content of natural latex 
Check for any cracks or aging. 
Verify the elastic recovery performance 
Cotton-polyester pillow: 
Check the quality and elasticity of the fibers 
Verify the anti-caking performance 
Test the anti-mite and antibacterial effects 
V. Inspection Rules and Criteria
Sampling Plan: Based on the batch size, the sampling quantity is determined according to the AQL standard. 
Defect determination: 
If just one Critical defect is found, the entire batch can be judged as不合格 (unqualified). 
The number of major defects exceeded the AQL acceptance limit, so it was determined to be unqualified. 
The safety and hygiene projects adopt a "zero tolerance" policy. 
Report Output: The detailed inspection report should include the sample size, test data, defect description (with attached pictures), and quality grade assessment. 
Conclusion
The quality inspection of pillow products requires professional knowledge and meticulous operation. Through strict factory audits to ensure that manufacturers have stable production capabilities, and then through final random inspections before shipment to objectively evaluate the finished products, a complete quality assurance system is formed. Purchasers and brand owners should, based on the product type and the target user group, formulate corresponding acceptance standards to ensure that the product quality meets expectations and provides consumers with safe and comfortable sleep products.