Quality Standards and Quality Grade

Apparel Standards Specifications and Quality control

Quality Standards & Quality Grade

Outline
Definition of a Standard & Grade Difference between Grade and Standard Importance of Standards Standards for Different Levels Quality Standard & Price relationship

Quality Standards & Quality Grade

Standards & Specifications

Many companies have established sets of expectations for the products they produce or sell. These expectations describe various factors, including the sizes or size range, features or style components, appearance aspects, materials, and performance.

Quality Standards & Quality Grade

Expectations
Expectations may exist in a written and organized form, in a series of memos from various individuals within the company or in an unwritten form. These expectations may be stated in general terms, or they may incorporate very specific numerical descriptions. Companies that are committed to quality are far more likely to have complied their expectations in an organized, detailed written quality assurance manuals.
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What is STANDARD ? We have all come across the term standard or standards in reference to quality control, but what exactly is a standard and who makes the standards ?
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Standards - Introduction
A standard may be defined as
a) Something that is established by the authority, custom or general consent as a model or example to be followed; b) Something established for use as a rule or basis of comparison in measuring or judging capacity, quantity, content, extent, value, quality, etc. c) The type, the model or example commonly or generally accepted or adhered to; criterion set for usage or practice; d) A level of excellence, attainment, etc. regarded as a measure of adequacy.
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Standards
Standards are commonly agreed upon aids for communication and trade. Standards are set of characteristics or procedures that provide a basis for resource and production decisions. Standards are used to define the quality level, characteristics and performance for a firms products.
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Standards Definition by ISO

According to ISO, standards are documented agreements containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics, to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.

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Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and applying rules for a consistent and uniform approach to a specific activity for the benefit and with the cooperation of all concerned. Standardization involves a series of actions by a group of individuals who work toward a specific goal.
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Developing Standards
Standards are developed with the cooperation of producers, suppliers, manufacturers, government agencies and consumers, because a need is perceived within an industry, a company, or another area of interest. Often a standard reflects one companys interest that has been broadened to reflect a wider range of applications. Standards are evaluated and revised many times before they are acceptable to all groups
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Benefits of Standards
Standards facilitate communication and prevent misunderstanding. Standards make parts interchangeability possible and as a result mass production is possible Standards can be used in marketing strategy to promote purchase of products that meet nationally recognized requirements, especially, when conformance is backed by a certification program Standards reduce cost and save money.
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Types of Standards
ASTM develops six types of full-consensus standards
Test methods Specifications Practices Terminology Guides Classifications
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Test methods
A definite procedure for identification, measurement, and evaluation of one or more qualities, characteristics, or properties of a material, product, system or service that produces a test result

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Specification
A precise statement of set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, system, or service that indicates the procedures for determining whether each of the requirements is satisfied. They often are given as numerical requirements with appropriate units and within reasonable limits.

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Practice
A definite procedure for performing one or more specific operations or functions that does not produce a test result. These are not down-graded tests. They include statistical procedures, writing statements on precision, and selecting, installing and operating equipment.

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Terminology
A document comprising definitions of terms, descriptions of terms, and explanations of symbols, abbreviations.

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Guide
A series of options or instructions that do not recommend a specific course of action. Guides suggest approaches, offer guidance for a procedure, increase awareness of available techniques and provide information regarding evaluation and standardization

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Classification
A systematic arrangement of materials, products, systems or services into groups based on the similar characteristics such as origin, composition, properties, or use.

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Other types of Standards in the Industry

A Company Standard Industry Standards Voluntary Standards Mandatory Standards

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Company Standards
A company standard reflects a consensus among employees for products or services provided. Company standards are used throughout the company in product development, production, purchasing and quality assurance. Company standards describe general characteristics or features of a product or service or they describe a required level of performance.

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DISCUSS A Company Standard for a KNIT SHIRT DISCUSS A Company Standard for a SERVICE INDUSTRY

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Industry Standards
Industry standards reflects consensus among many companies in an industry or among individual members of a profession. Industry standards are not common in the textile industry in terms of product performance.

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Industry Standards Contd..

Very few industry wide standards exist for performance of materials, in spite of what vendors may indicate. Standards are much more common in terms of materials. There are several standard types on the market, so that companies can buy the type and quality needed for their products
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Voluntary Standards
Voluntary Standards allow individuals or companies to determine on their own whether to adopt standard. ASTM standards are examples of voluntary standards. No organization or group forces adoption of these standards. However voluntary standards may become incorporated into laws, regulations or contracts.

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Mandatory Standards
With mandatory standards, adoption is required, generally by a law or regulation. Most mandatory standards relate to safety or health issues. For example, with textile products, childrens sleepwear has to meet mandatory standards in terms of its minimal burning behaviour.

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International Standards
Since standards have become so important to many industries worldwide, standards are used internationally to facilitate trade and technology transfer among nations. international standards describe a situation in which majority of the products or services conform to the same standard regardless of where a product was produced or service was performed.
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International Standards
International standards exist for many industries including
Information Processing Banking Energy production Communication & Textiles

Often standards that are widely used by one country involved in international trade become part of the international standards simply because they are widely used in many parts of the world.

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International Standards
More than 150 countries are involved in developing international standards. Some of the national standards organization that work with ISO are
Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC) The Standards Council of Canada (SCC), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Standards New Zealand (SNZ) British Standards Institute (BSI)

Many standards relate to the textile industry.

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APPLICATION OF STANDARDS TO TEXTILE INDUSTRY

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Introduction of Standards in business

Standards reflect business objectives that deal with meeting target market needs and expectations. Standards must exist when communicating among producers, suppliers, vendors, retailers and consumers. Standards guide product development, materials selection, prototype analysis and refinement, production and finishing, labeling, packaging, shipping, and other activities within a company.
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Uses of NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL standards for business

National standards address labeling and supplying information for consumers at point of purchase. International standards relate to information necessary to do business. International standards relate to information necessary to do business in a global market. ISO 9000 standards are one example.

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Purpose of standards & specification

The purpose of standards and specifications is to incorporate the desired quality into the products based on the those documents and requirements. One does not write or develop quality standards, but appropriate aspects of quality are incorporated into standards and specifications as they are developed. Quality cannot be added to the products after production, so quality standards enforced at that stage merely separate first quality merchandise from second quality merchandise
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Focus of Company towards Quality Standard

Company should focus on identifying the factors that contribute to a quality product and on incorporating standards that address those concerns. A company needs to examine each element of its product and relate those elements to consumer expectations and satisfaction. Many divisions of the company will be involved in the process of developing and continuously examining and refining company standards.
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Marketing

Provides feedback from the customers and may seek out information from consumers. Analyses the requirements and capabilities related to equipment, skills and training costs, and quantity Examines product requirements in terms of materials, products and customer expectations

Production

Merchandising

These information is integrated to form the standards related to the product line

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 A company is likely to develop standards for

Size based on its basic blocks for patterns, Grading rules used in developing the size range for each style Expectations for fit Performance of materials used in the product line Basic elements regarding product construction Special needs of the user Appearance of the finished products Packaging

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Product Size
Product size is based on basic pattern blocks. The basic block is the starting point for developing the pattern for specific style. It is the block and the grading rules used to change the size of that determine the dimension of the finished product. A consumer may discover that one company basic block fits her/his figure better than another companys basic block. Many companies have developed dimensions that are acceptable for each size. The dimensions incorporate a plus / minus tolerance or range overlaps into adjacent sizes
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Product Fit
In terms of product fit, companies may develop standards that describe a loose or tight fit. Fit standards must be consistent so that the products fits in a constant and consistent manner. Some companies may combine some aspects of fit with those of appearance. (Ex. A company may have a standard that all the side seams are perpendicular to the floor) Thus requirements for pattern, fit, and construction should address meeting this standard.

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Performance of Materials and Products

Performance of materials and products may be addressed by standards. In some companies only materials performance is addressed. This practice assumes that if materials meet the standard, then the products will also meet the standard. Materials performance may focus on requirements for care Ability to be spread Cut Sewn & Finished in the production facility Durability Comfort Appearance retention
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Some common terms included in Standards

Terms which are commonly used by the consumers may be included in the standards.
Care may be described as easy care, machine washable and dryable, or dry cleanable. Durability requirements may use terms such as strong, abrasion resistance, pill resistant, and long wearing.

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Construction Standards
Construction standards may address how components are assembled. Standards might be listed as
Shirts always have a separate collar stand, Hems are circular (Side seams are produced first, then garment is hemmed) Elastic are stitch in place All shirts have seven button fronts

Construction standards do not describe the specific steps in production, but they address expectations for product characteristics and performance for consumers

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Special Consumer needs

Special consumer needs may be addressed in company standards. Companies that produce buttons for mens shirt may focus on producing buttons that do not crack when subjected to pressure, heat, and seam in commercial laundry presses. Companies that produce childrens wear may focus on incorporating features that enable children to dress themselves.
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Appearance of the finished product

Company standards may also appearance of the finished product. Standards may be as simple as address the

Stating that fabric and thread colors match Hems do not roll

Product appearance is one of the very first characteristics that attracts the attention of the consumer, appearance should address those characteristics that consumer may consider in assessing products.
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Packaging
Packaging is the another area that standards may address. Many companies have packaging standards that minimize environmental impact. In addition, bar code labeling is commonplace. Standards of location of bar codes information incorporated in the bar codes is important.
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