What does AQL 2.5 mean, and how does the inspection run?

What happens

Garments are usually checked at two stages. Inline inspection on the sewing lines catches faults during production. Final inspection takes a random sample from each finished lot, sized by statistical tables (ISO 2859-1), and checks sewing and fabric faults, colour shade, labels and measurements against the buyer's specification. If faults exceed the agreed limit, the lot is rejected and usually sorted, reworked and re-inspected. Many buyers require a needle detector for childrenswear; separate social audits check working conditions. Garments are then folded, bagged, packed into marked cartons and shipped with a packing list, invoice and origin documents.

Why it matters

1. Between 1985 and 2019, US regulators recorded 26 deaths involving hood and neck drawstrings on children's outerwear. US rules and EU standard EN 14682 restrict such cords.
2. In 2015 Bonds recalled three baby clothing styles in Australia because they might contain a broken needle from manufacturing, a cut or puncture hazard.
3. From 14 December 2027, Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 bans placing forced-labour products on the EU market or exporting them. Buyers can expect requests for evidence about production sites.
4. Cotton garments readily absorb moisture and odours. German marine insurers warn that high humidity or condensation in transit can cause mustiness, mildew stains and mould.

Best practice

• Use ISO 2859-1 sampling tables. At the usual inspection level (II), a lot of 3 200 pieces is judged on 125; at a buyer-agreed AQL of 2.5, 8 defective pieces reject it.itl.nist.gov↗ (opens in a new tab)
• Control every needle. Primark's 2011 supplier policy: one needle out, one in; broken pieces taped to a record sheet; all childrenswear through a metal detector calibrated at least four times daily.primark.a.bigcontent.io↗ (opens in a new tab)
• Make every product traceable. Since 13 December 2024, EU Regulation 2023/988 requires an identifier such as a batch number, plus the manufacturer's name, postal and electronic address, on the product or packaging.gov.uk↗ (opens in a new tab)
• Use a shareable social audit such as Sedex SMETA, done by Sedex-approved auditors against ILO conventions and local law. It is not a certificate; its value lies in fixing recorded issues.sedex.com↗ (opens in a new tab)
• Pack and ship dry. Marine insurers advise 45–70% relative humidity and 10–30 °C for garments, moisture absorbers in airtight packs, clean leak-proof containers, and no stowage with food or odorous cargo.tis-gdv.de↗ (opens in a new tab)

The terms

AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit)

The worst average defect rate a sampling plan still accepts most of the time.

Critical defect

A fault that could make the garment unsafe, such as a broken needle.

Needle detector

Conveyor that stops and sounds an alarm on sensing iron-based metal in garments.

SMETA

Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit: an independent check of working conditions.

Sources

1. US CPSC – Drawstrings in children's upper outerwear: FAQs (opens in a new tab)cpsc.gov
2. Product Safety Australia – Bonds baby clothing recall (2015) (opens in a new tab)productsafety.gov.au
3. EUR-Lex – Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 on products made with forced labour (opens in a new tab)eur-lex.europa.eu
4. TIS-GDV – Ready-made garments: cargo transport guidance (opens in a new tab)tis-gdv.de
5. NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook – Acceptance sampling and MIL-STD-105 history (opens in a new tab)itl.nist.gov
6. Primark Metal Control Policy (April 2011) (opens in a new tab)primark.a.bigcontent.io
7. GOV.UK – EU Regulation 2023/988 on general product safety: detailed guidance (opens in a new tab)gov.uk
8. Sedex – SMETA audit (opens in a new tab)sedex.com