Defect category

Washing and Finishing Defects

Defects generated during garment wet processing, drying and finishing.

By Sanjeewa Dehiwalage · Reviewed

Defects in this category

  • W-01

    Uneven shade after wash

    Classification guidance
    buyer defined
    Detection stage
    Post-wash shade assessment under controlled lighting

    Immediate containment

    • Segregate affected wash loads
    • Stop mixing loads in packing

    Disposition

    Hold for shade-band review; reprocess only with an approved recipe and risk assessment.

    Evidence to retain

    • Wash load and recipe ID
    • Approved shade standard reference
    • Lighting condition

    Common causes

    • Load imbalance
    • Chemical dosing error

    Prevention

    • Load recipe control
    • Automated dosing
  • W-02

    Excess back-staining

    Classification guidance
    buyer defined
    Detection stage
    Post-wash appearance and crocking review

    Immediate containment

    • Quarantine the affected load
    • Stop packing until colour-transfer risk is assessed

    Disposition

    Rewash, hold or reject only under an approved recipe and buyer performance criteria.

    Evidence to retain

    • Wash recipe and dosing log
    • Appearance reference
    • Applicable test result reference

    Common causes

    • Enzyme overuse
    • Insufficient rinsing

    Prevention

    • Process recipe control
    • Anti-staining agents
  • W-03

    Localised abrasion damage

    Classification guidance
    buyer defined
    Detection stage
    Post-process visual and structural inspection

    Immediate containment

    • Stop the abrasion or laser process
    • Segregate the affected production window

    Disposition

    Assess fabric integrity and intended appearance; escalate any hole, weakness or wearer-safety concern.

    Evidence to retain

    • Process recipe and operator ID
    • Unit and location reference
    • Approved appearance standard

    Common causes

    • Aggressive manual scraping
    • Overexposed laser pattern

    Prevention

    • Trained operators
    • Laser recipe approval

Decision guidance

Prioritise defects by frequency and downstream cost, not by severity alone. Use the causes listed above to drive root-cause analysis and the prevention actions to build standing containment in your process. Verify each corrective action with a post-CAPA audit before closing.

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