Detailed Analysis of Fabric Inspection and Quality Assurance Standards: Four-point/ten-point Scoring Method and Defect Control Guidelines

April 8, 2026

1. AATCC Inspection and Sampling Standards
Sampling quantity: Square root of the total quantity of codes multiplied by 8.
Number of boxes drawn: The square root of the total number of boxes.
This sampling method ensures that the inspection samples are statistically representative, and it serves as the basis for evaluating the quality control capabilities of suppliers during the factory inspection process.
II. Four-point Inspection (Mainly applied to knitted and woven fabrics)
The four-point system is similar to the ten-point system in terms of basic concepts, but the penalty scores are different. The inspector checks each piece of fabric according to the defect scoring criteria, records the penalty scores, and determines the fabric grade.
1. Score based on the length of the defect
Defect length Points deduction
1" - 3" 1 point
3" - 6" 2 points
6" - 9" 3 points
9" or above 4 points
2. Defect scoring principle
The total points deduction for all longitudinal and transverse defects in the same size category shall not exceed 4 points.
Any hole, regardless of its size, will result in a deduction of 4 points.
No penalty will be given within 1 inch of the border.
Continuous defects must be cut off or classified as inferior products.
Any hole larger than a pinhole will result in a deduction of 4 points.
Regardless of whether it is a longitudinal or transverse defect, based on the principle of being visible, points will be deducted according to the standards.
Except for special cases (such as adhesive tape on the coating), usually only the front side of the fabric is inspected.
3. Ranking Calculation Method
Method A (based on length):

When the deduction score per 100 meters is ≤ 50 points → Grade A (Acceptable)
If the deduction per 100 meters is greater than 50 points → Grade B (Not Acceptable)
Method B (based on area):
Per hundred square yards, the deduction score is ≤ 40 points → Acceptable
Calculation formula: Total defect score × 3600 / (Actual length of the inspected fabric × Actual width of the fabric (inches))
4. Rejection Criteria
A piece of fabric will be rejected if its defect score exceeds 40 points.
The standard defect rate for the entire batch of goods exceeds 20 points.
Defects occur continuously for a distance of 3 meters or more, regardless of the score.
III. Ten-point Inspection (Applicable to Woven Blankets and Finished Fabrics)
The ten-point system assesses the quality based on the size of defects. It is suitable for any fabric composition, weave density, and weave structure. The inspector should rate according to the following criteria.
1. Meridional defect deduction
Defect length Points deduction
Less than 1" 1 point
1" - 5" 3 points
5" - 10" 5 points
Between 10" and 36" 10 points
2. Vertical defect deduction
Defect length Points deduction
Less than 1" 1 point
1" - 5" 3 points
5" - half width range 5 points
Above half width 10 points
3. Defect scoring principle
The total points deduction for all meridional and vertical defects in the same size should not exceed 10 points.
Any hole, regardless of its size, will result in a deduction of 10 points.
No penalty will be given within half an inch of the border.
Continuous defects must be cut off or treated as inferior products.
Any hole larger than a pinhole will result in a deduction of 10 points.
Points are deducted based on what can be seen. Usually, only the positive aspects are examined.
4. Rating Calculation Method
Acceptable range: The total score is less than the total number of points.
The total penalty points cannot exceed 100.
IV. Common Fabric Defects (Essential Knowledge for Inspectors)
The following lists over 50 typical defects. During inspection, each item should be compared and accurately recorded:
Wear point: The fabric surface is damaged due to friction or abnormal force.
Back printing marks: The marks left on the back by the backing cloth during the printing process.
Crosswise defect: A horizontal quality issue caused by weaving.
Wavy pattern: The pattern is not straight or not at a right angle.
Yun Sha: Bow warp or bow weft (uneven tension).
Coarse yarn: Coarse weft/yarn caused by light or other factors.
Stains/particles: The tail ends of the warp yarns that enter the fabric and leave gaps after being hooked.
Feiche: Color spots caused by impurities or dust during spinning or weaving.
Coloring: The colored yarn leaves a color mark on the loom, resulting in incomplete patterns.
Minor color issue: The printing was uneven, resulting in incomplete color transfer.
Color stains: The printing is smeared or the pattern is damaged.
Crease: Occurs during folding and runs through the fabric surface.
Cause: The dyeing and pressing process of the plain fabric resulted in this issue.
Tension problem: Excessive tension on the loom usually leads to breakage.
Cause of fault: Poor quality of needles or combs result in holes or insufficient stitch patterns.
Weft shrinkage: Insufficient weft tension on the loom causes the fabric to be uneven.
Stain marks from printing: Long marks left due to the uncleaned scraper.
Shao Sha: The weaving or knitting machine continues to operate even when there is a broken thread.
Fei Hua: Impurities that fly in during the spinning process.
Full width section: Visible defects along the edges. More than 3 defects per 100 yards result in a grade downgrade. Defects within 6 yards should be deducted.
Overall analysis: The breakage of the suspension belt caused the pattern to be damaged.
Kong: Damage or hole.
Shaojing: The malfunction of the cessation device causes the menstrual cycle to continue.
Furrows: Unformed wrinkles, mostly at the ends.
Mixing errors: Inconsistent fibers or yarn counts result in variations in thickness or color.
Pattern: Vertical needle marks caused by bent needles.
Pinhole: Used for post-processing shaping.
Print misalignment: The rollers are not synchronized, resulting in misalignment of the color positions.
Stain build-up: The printing machine stopped operation, resulting in excessive dye accumulation at this position.
Fold edges: Creases occur due to shrinkage.
Cause: Inconsistent or incorrect筘 size leads to incorrect pattern筘 routing.
Poor yarn path: The knitted fabric has a vertical yarn path due to poor yarn alignment.
Knitting (knitted): A broken stitch results in a missing stitch.
Crease (print): The folded part of the fabric does not have any print.
Back printing: The pressure of the printing causes the fabric beneath to be printed onto the top layer.
Edge/Long Edge: The hem is longer than the body of the fabric, causing wrinkles and waves.
Intruding and protruding edges: The fabric edges are not straight.
Edge trimming: The edge of the fabric is shorter than the body of the fabric, creating a wavy effect.
Edge breakage: Repetitive damage occurs due to the widening during the cutting process.
Edge folding: When rolling the fabric, the edges of the fabric turn upwards or downwards.
Horizontal color stripes: Horizontal obvious color marks, caused by machine stoppage.
Color Shift Mode: Sudden or gradual color variation, not a fixed color setting.
Color defect: The colors on both sides or in the middle are not consistent.
Diagonal weave: Disordered warp and weft directions result in diagonal pattern.
Coarse yarn: Thick yarn or cotton fibers.
Braiding the knots: The two pieces are joined together.
Defect: Color loss or stains.
Blemish (category): Excessive color paste adheres.
Warp pattern (knitted): Irregularity occurs due to broken or loose ends of the weft yarn.
Color streaks: Discoloration streaks caused by squeezing or folding.
Warp mark: Poor quality of the weft yarn damages the reed, resulting in mild/severe blockage, which affects the uniformity of dyeing.
Shiwei: Less weft or the weft is too light.
Water stains: The wet cloth was left for too long, resulting in color shift spots.
V. Link between Factory Audit and Certification
1. Supplier Capability Assessment (Key Point of Factory Audit)
During the factory audit, the fabric supplier is required to conduct a key assessment of:
Should we establish an internal inspection process using a four-point or ten-point scale, and keep the original records?
Consistency in training and implementation of defect determination standards.
Analysis of defect statistics and the continuous improvement mechanism.
Calibration and maintenance of testing equipment (such as fabric inspection machines, light boxes).
2. Product Certification Requirements
For fabrics destined for the European and American markets, buyers often request to provide inspection reports based on a four-point scale or a ten-point scale as the certification basis.
Some brands or retailers (such as Walmart and Target) require suppliers to meet specific factory inspection standards (such as WRAP and BSCI), and the fabric inspection capability is an important assessment criterion.
3. Continuous Improvement
Any batch defects identified during the inspection process should be promptly reported to the supplier and corrective actions requested.
Repetitive quality issues need to be addressed by conducting factory inspections to review the process or management improvements.
Establish a defect database to support quality traceability and certification audits.