What are AQL 1.5 and AQL 2.5 in sportswear quality control?
What AQL Really Means: It Is Not a Simple Percentage
AQL stands for Acceptance Quality Limit. It is a statistical sampling system used to determine whether a production lot should be accepted or rejected. Under ISO 2859-1:2026, the sample size and acceptance or rejection numbers depend on the lot size, inspection level, selected AQL, sampling plan, and inspection severity. AQL 1.5 is stricter than AQL 2.5 under the same inspection conditions, but neither means that exactly 1.5% or 2.5% of the order may be defective. The AQL value is a limit on the expected defect rate in an ongoing production system—not a guarantee that every lot will have fewer than that percentage of defective items.
Defect Classification: Not All Defects Are Equal
For custom sportswear, brands should specify different AQL levels per defect category rather than applying one number to everything:
The correct standard depends on the product, brand requirements, order risk, and intended market.
Beyond AQL: The Call The STYLE Combined Approach
Quality control is not limited to one fixed AQL level. Depending on the agreed specification, an order may be inspected using AQL 1.5 or AQL 2.5, combined with a 100% visual and workmanship inspection of finished garments. This full inspection covers stitching, measurements at key control points, fabric defects, logo placement, labels, stains, accessories, folding, and packaging. Laboratory and destructive tests—including washing, colorfastness, pilling, and seam-strength testing—are normally conducted on selected samples.
Why Combined Inspection Reduces Brand Risk
By identifying and correcting nonconforming garments before shipment, this combined system can reduce the brand’s risk of destination sorting, reinspection, rework, returns, customer complaints, and delivery delays. However, no inspection method should be described as an absolute guarantee of zero defects—every QC system operates within statistical and practical limits.
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