APPAREL QUALITY STANDARDS AND IMPLEMENTATION

UNIT IQUALITY STANDARDS

Standards

• It is a document that has been prepared, approved, and published by a recognized standards organization, and contains rules, requirements, or procedures for an orderly approach to a specific activity.

• It may include product design requirements, test methods, classifications, recommended practices, and other considerations.

Precise Vs Accurate

Importance of Quality

• Tough competition• Educated customer• Right specifications, Right Time, Right Price• Every Time, First Time

Traditional Method• Manufacturing Cost + Profit = Selling Price • What customer expects is minimum Selling price Desired Method• Selling Price = Manufacturing cost + Profit Base for the system • Quality• Customer• Price

Inspection Vs Quality Control

Inspection Quality Control

Starts after production Starts before & along

with production

Segregates good and bad Ensures that bad things

will not happen

Responsibility of the

Inspection department

Every bodies

responsibility

Introduction to quality standards

• Quality standard is a documented process intended to control work resulting in a certain level of excellence (quality).

• The standard’s degree of control is a basis for its selection for achieving that level of quality.

Two basic types of standards:• voluntary consensus standards and • regulatory standards.

Types Quality standards

• Company Standard• Industry Standard• Government Standard• Full consensus Standard

Benefits of Quality standards• It defines safety requirements intended to reduce

the risk of accident.• It sets a level of performance for products. • They are a framework for quality processes. • It reduces cost and saves money.• Encapsulation of best practice - avoids repetition

of past mistakes.• It facilitates communication and prevents

misunderstanding.• They provide continuity.

Effective standardization

Standards allow a company to: • Attract and assure customers • Demonstrate market leadership • Create competitive advantage • Develop and maintain best practice.

Standards are a respected badge of quality

• Customers look for the independent verification that technical standards provide.

• Certification marks earned by businesses whose products and practices consistently stand up to rigorous examination are instantly recognizable and act as respected badges of quality, safety and performance.

Standards within business • In modern business, effective communication along

the supply chain and with legislative bodies, clients and customers is imperative.

• Standardization can deliver measurable benefits when applied within the infrastructure of a company itself.

• Business costs and risks can be minimised, internal processes streamlined and communication improved.

• Standardization promotes interoperability, providing a competitive edge necessary for the effective worldwide trading of products and services.

Levels of Quality Standards

• Fitness for standard -inspection oriented -no consciousness to customer/mkt

• Fitness for use -Must satisfy customer need for use -Hotel shampoo & body oil

• Fitness for market -Must achieve low cost as well as 1 & 2

• Fitness for latent requests -Listening to the voice of the customer

Sources of Quality Standards• AATCC• ASTM• ANSI• BSI• ISO• BIS• JIN• CSA• DIN• Others

American Association for textile Chemists and Colorists

• It began developing and establishing testing procedures in 1921.

• It represent a broad spectrum of expertise in textile research, manufacturing, design and marketing.

• The Association is internationally recognized for its standard methods of testing dyed and chemically treated fibers and fabrics. Each ASTM test methods has a numerical designations

AATCC

For e.g.• D5034-9 refers to standard test method for

Breaking strength and elongation of Textile fabrics (Grab test)

• These methods are contained in volumes of (ASTM book of Stds). Vol.7.01,7.02 Contains textile testing standards

American National Standard Institute

• It adopted its present name in 1969. • It steadily increasing its efforts to coordinate

and approve voluntary national standards• Domestic programs were expanding and being

modified to meet the changing needs of industry, government and other sectors.

British Standard Institute

• The world's first management systems quality standard, BS 5750, was published by BSI in 1979.

• It produces standards and information products that promote and share best practice.

• Over 30,000 BSI standards and publications are created.

Numbering British Standards

The British Standards are titled as,BS XYZ:Year TitleWhere,XYZ is the number of the standardFor Example:• BS EN ISO 9001:2000 Quality management

systems Requirements • BS EN ISO 9004:2000 Quality management

systems. Guidelines for performance improvements

International Organisation for Standardisation

• It is the world's largest developer of standards, their principal activity is to develop technical and economical standards.

• The work is normally carried out through IS0 technical committees.

• In addition may European and Domestic versions be publishes as:

• EN ISO xyz:year = European version of the International Standard

• BS EN ISO xyz:year = British version of the International Standard

Structure of ISO

ISO 9000:2000

Fundamentals and vocabulary

ISO 9004:2000

Guidelines for performanceimprovements

ISO 9001:2000

Requirements

Bureau of Indian Standards

• It is a statutory body set up, established in 1986.

• The Bureau is a body corporate and responsible for formulating National Standards.

• It interests the field of standardization, quality control, quality management system, environmental management system, laboratory management, etc

BIS

It has formulated a plan which emphasizes on :• Development of complementary level of

standardization, namely, company standardization and association level standardization - Effective implementation of standards through sectoral committees, such as, textiles, power, etc.

• State Level Committees on Standardization and Quality Systems to ensure better implementation of Indian Standards.

JIN (Japanese Industrial Standard )

• It specifies the standards used for industrial activities in Japan.

• The standardization process is coordinated by Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC)

• It mainly focuses on Textile Engineering.

JIN - Focus

It Focuses on,• General • Test and Inspection • Thread • Woven Fabric, Braided Goods Braided Goods • Textile Product • Yarn Reeling Machine • Textile Machine, Braiding Machine • Dyeing Finishing Machine

Canada Standard Association

These standards fall into the following classifications:

• Dimensional: to secure uniformity, interchangeability and simplification of the types and sizes of one product.

• Qualitative: to assess fitness for purpose. • Methods of test: to provide a uniform, efficient

and economic basis of comparison between products.

• Methods of use (Codes of Practice): to define the correct application of methods, materials and appliances.

DIN (German Standards Institute - Deutsches Institute fuer Normung )

• It has been based in Berlin since 1917.• Its primary task is to work closely with its

stakeholders to develop consensus-based standards that meet market requirements.

Some Other Standards

• EN ( European Standards )• AS ( Australian Standards )

Quality Control

• A set of activities or techniques whose purpose is to ensure that all quality requirements are being met by monitoring of processes and solving performance problems through Inspecting and Testing.

ISO 9000 - series of standards• International Organization for standardization• This std was first released in March, 1987• ISO 9000 gives guidelines for selection of

standardsContractual standards are :• ISO 9001-1994: This is applicable to the

organizations who design, develop, manufacture and supply and service product.

• ISO 9002-1994: This is applicable to the organizations who manufacture, supply and service product or services as per specifications given by the customer.

Features of ISO standards

• These are standards of system of production• These are generic standards• These are practical standards• These are not product standards• These ensure consistency of product quality• In this, mistakes are corrected in a systematic

way so chances of repetition reduced.

Losses due to bad qualityTangible• Increased rejection/rework• Less production/productivity• Higher customer complaints.Intangible• Loss of goodwill• Conflicts between different depts.• Loss of moraleQuality and Productivity• Go hand in hand• Quality is key to higher productivity

Types of Quality

• Quality of Design• Quality of Product• Quality of Process• Quality of Systems• Quality of Service

Effects of Bad QualityTangible• Higher Rejection• Higher Rework• Higher no. of customer complaints• Less production/productivityIntangible• Credit down in the market• Dept. to Dept. quarrels• Less interest in workQuality & Productivity• Supplementary to each other• Productivity increases with good Quality

Numerous benefits that will be derived from working to ISO 9001 2000 & TS

16949 • Improved communication at all levels• Decreasing trend in rejections, reworks, customer complaints• Decreasing trend in inventories

– Raw materials– W.I.P.– Finished Goods

• Lead time reduction• Customer relation improvement. • Trust/confidence enhancement.• Sub-contractor relation improvement.• Long term association.• Improved housekeeping• Improved contacts with overseas buyers.• People development• Improved health of people.

Some More Benefits of ISO

• It reduces rejection/rework• It improves housekeeping• It increases morale of the company• It ensures Quality and after sales service to

customers• It improves team work

ISO saves cost by :• avoiding repetition of work• avoiding unnecessary records• monitoring processes and many other ways

– Opportunities for export market– Due to increased confidence of customers in you,

you get more & more orders– It improves discipline in the organization– It increases credit in the market

Steps to be followed for ISO • Study the standard and select the right standard• Define Quality policy & Quality objectives. Display at various

locations, explain meaning/intent to all• Give training to each & every employee• Write Work Procedures giving details of all activities• Make changes in Work “practices”, wherever necessary• Conduct “Internal Audit” to find out whether work is carried

out as per written procedures• Implement suggestions/observations of Internal Audit• Conduct an Audit by External (Friends) Auditors• Implement suggestions received from them• For certification audit call world famous, well known auditors

for audit• Implement their suggestions• Achieve certification

What we can do for effective implementation of ISO

• We must know the complete details of the work we are doing

• We must know our Work Procedures in detail• Our work place must be neat and clean• Everything must be attached with a

label/tag/colour along with its status i.e. For Inspection/Accepted/ Rejected /For rework etc.

• All the inspection, measuring & test equipment must be calibrated

• We must maintain records, wherever written in the work procedures

• We must be ready for change

Importance of ISO 9000

• Many companies offer products and services, but it is those companies who put out the best products and services efficiently that succeed.

• With ISO 9000, an organization can identify the root of the problem, and therefore find a solution.

• By improving efficiency, profit can be maximized.

• As a broad range of companies implement the ISO 9000 standards, a supply chain with integrity is created.

• Each company that participates in the process of developing, manufacturing, and marketing a product knows that it is part of internationally known, reliable system.

• Not only do businesses recognize the importance of the ISO 9000, but also the customer realizes the importance of quality.

• And because the consumer is most important to a company, ISO 9000 makes the customer its focus.

ISO 9000 Principles1. A Customer Focus• As stated before, the customer is the primary focus

of a business. • By understanding and responding to the needs of

customers, an organization can correctly targeting key demographics and therefore increase revenue by delivering the products and services that the customer is looking for.

• With knowledge of customer needs, resources can be allocated appropriately and efficiently.

• Most importantly, a business’s dedication will be recognized by the customer, creating customer loyalty. And customer loyalty is return business.

2. Good Leadership

• A team of good leaders will establish unity and direction quickly in a business environment.

• Their goal is to motivate everyone working on the project, and successful leaders will minimize miscommunication within and between departments.

• Their role is intimately intertwined with the next ISO 9000 principle.

3. Involvement of people

• The inclusion of everyone on a business team is critical to its success.

• Involvement of substance will lead to a personal investment in a project and in turn create motivated, committed workers.

• These people will tend towards innovation and creativity, and utilize their full abilities to complete a project.

• If people have a vested interest in performance, they will be eager to participate in the continual improvement that ISO 900 facilitates.

4. Process approach to quality management

• The best results are achieved when activities and resources are managed together.

• This process approach to quality management can lower costs through the effective use of resources, personnel, and time.

• If a process is controlled as a whole, management can focus on goals that are important to the big picture, and prioritize objectives to maximize effectiveness.

5. Management system approach• Combining management groups may seem like a

dangerous clash of titans, but if done correctly can result in an efficient and effective management system.

• If leaders are dedicated to the goals of an organization, they will aid each other to achieve improved productivity.

• Some results include integration and alignment of key processes.

• Additionally, interested parties will recognize the consistency, effectiveness, and efficiency that come with a management system.

• Both suppliers and customers will gain confidence in a business’s abilities.

6. Continual Improvement• The importance of this principle is paramount, and

should a permanent objective of every organization.

• Through increased performance, a company can increase profits and gain an advantage over competitors.

• If a whole business is dedicated to continual improvement, improvement activities will be aligned, leading to faster and more efficient development.

• Ready for improvement and change, businesses will have the flexibility to react quickly to new opportunities.

7. Factual approach to decision making

• Effective decisions are based on the analysis and interpretation of information and data.

• By making informed decisions, an organization will be more likely to make the right decision.

• As companies make this a habit, they will be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of past decisions.

• This will put confidence in current and future decisions.

8. Supplier relationships

• It is important to establish a mutually beneficial supplier relationship; such a relationship creates value for both parties.

• A supplier that recognizes a mutually beneficial relationship will be quick to react when a business needs to respond to customer needs or market changes.

• Through close contact and interaction with a supplier, both organizations will be able to optimize resources and costs.

ISO 14000 - Environmental management

• ISO 14000 is a series of international standards on environmental management.

• It provides a framework for the development of an environmental management system and the supporting audit programme.

• The ISO 14000 family addresses various aspects of environmental management.

• It provides practical tools for companies and organizations looking to identify and control their environmental impact and constantly improve their environmental performance.

• ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 focus on environmental management systems.

• The other standards in the family focus on specific environmental aspects such as life cycle analysis, communication and auditing.

• The main thrust for its development came as a result of the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992.

History of ISO 14000

• As a number of national standards emerged (BS 7750 being the first), the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) created a group to investigate how such standards might benefit business and industry.

• As a result this group recommended that an ISO committee be created to create an international standard.

ISO 14001

• ISO 14001 is the corner stone standard of the ISO 14000 series.

• It specifies a framework of control for an Environmental Management System against which an organization can be certified by a third party.

Other ISO14000 Series Standards

Other standards in the series are actually guidelines, many to help to achieve registration to ISO 14001.

These include the following: • ISO 14004 provides guidance on the development and

implementation of environmental management systems • ISO 14010 provides general principles of environmental

auditing (now superseded by ISO 19011) • ISO 14011 provides specific guidance on audit an

environmental management system (now superseded by ISO 19011)

• ISO 14012 provides guidance on qualification criteria for environmental auditors and lead auditors (now superseded by ISO 19011)

• ISO 14013/5 provides audit program review and assessment material.

• ISO 14020+ labeling issues • ISO 14030+ provides guidance on performance

targets and monitoring within an Environmental Management System

• ISO 14040+ covers life cycle issues, of all these, ISO14001 is not only the most well known, but is the only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified by an external certification authority.

ISO and the environment (ISO 14001:2004)

• ISO 14001:2004 sets out the criteria for an environmental management system and can be certified to.

• It does not state requirements for environmental performance, but maps out a framework that a company or organization can follow to set up an effective environmental management system.

• It can be used by any organization regardless of its activity or sector.

• Using ISO 14001:2004 can provide assurance to company management and employees as well as external stakeholders that environmental impact is being measured and improved.

Benefits of using ISO 14001:2004

• Reduced cost of waste management• Savings in consumption of energy and

materials• Lower distribution costs • Improved corporate image among customer

and the public

BS EN ISO 14001 • ISO 14001 was first published in 1996 and specifies the

actual requirements for an environmental management system.

• It applies to those environmental aspects which the organization has control and over which it can be expected to have an influence.

• ISO 14001 is often seen as the corner stone standard of the ISO 14000 series. However, it is not only the most well known, but is the only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified by an external certification authority.

• Having stated this, it does not itself state specific environmental performance criteria.

This BS EN ISO 14001 standard is applicable to any organization that wishes to:

• implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system

• assure itself of its conformance with its own stated environmental policy (those policy commitments of course must be made)

• demonstrate conformance• ensure compliance with environmental laws and

regulations• seek certification of its environmental

management system by an external third party organization

• make a self-determination of conformance

Total Quality Management systems

• Total quality management is a management system for a customer focused organization that involves all employee in continual improvement of all aspects of the organization.

• TQM uses strategy, data, and effective communication to integrate the quality principles into the culture and activities of the organization.

Evolution of Quality Management • Inspection: Selvage, sorting, grading, blending,

corrective actions, identify sources of non-conformance • Quality Control: Develop quality manual, process

performance data, self-inspection, product testing, basic quality planning, use of basic statistics, paperwork control.

• Quality Assurance: Quality systems development, advanced quality planning, comprehensive quality manuals, use of quality costs, involvement of non-production operations, failure mode and effects analysis, SPC.

• TQM: Policy deployment, involve supplier & customers, involve all operations, process management, performance measurement, teamwork, employee involvement.

Deming’s view of a production as a system

Principles of TQM• Is Customer focused: Whatever you do for quality

improvement, remember that ONLY customers determine the level of quality. Whatever you do to foster quality improvement, training employees, integrating quality into processes management, ONLY customers determine whether your efforts were worthwhile.

• Insure Total Employee Involvement: You must remove fear from work place, then empower employee. you provide the proper environment.

• Process Centered: Fundamental part of TQM is to focus on process thinking.

• Integrated system: All employee must know the business mission and vision.

• Strategic and systematic approach: Strategic plan must integrate quality as core component.

• Continual Improvement: Using analytical, quality tools, and creative thinking to become more efficient and effective.

• Fact Based Decision Making: Decision making must is ONLY on data, not personal or situational thinking.

• Communication: Communication strategy, method and timeliness must be well defined.

Strategies to develop TQM• TQM elements approach: Take key business process

and use TQM Tools to foster improvement. Use quality circles, statistical process control, Taguchi method, and quality function deployment.

• The guru approach: Use the guides of one of the leading quality thinker.

• Organization model approach: The organization use benchmarking or as model for excellence.

• Japanese total quality approach: Companies pursue the Deming prize use Deming Principles

• In other words, TQM requires the involvement of management, workforce, suppliers, and customers, in order to meet or exceed customer expectations.

TQM practices• Considering the practices of TQM as discussed in six

empirical studies; Cua, McKone, and Schroeder (2001) identified,

the nine common TQM practices as: • cross-functional product design• process management• supplier quality management• customer involvement• information and feedback• committed leadership• strategic planning• cross-functional training• employee involvement

Eco-labeling

• Ecolabels and Green Stickers are labelling systems for food and consumer products.

• Ecolabels are often voluntary, but green stickers are mandated by law in North America for major appliances and automobiles.

• They are a form of sustainability measurement directed at consumers, intended to make it easy to take environmental concerns into account when shopping.

• Some labels quantify pollution or energy consumption by way of index scores or units of measurement;

• others simply assert compliance with a set of practices or minimum requirements for sustainability or reduction of harm to the environment.

• Ecolabelling systems exist for both food and consumer products.

• Both systems were started by NGOs but nowadays the European Union have legislation for the rules of ecolabelling and also have their own ecolabels, one for food and one for consumer products.

• At least for food, the ecolabel is nearly identical with the common NGO definition of the rules for ecolabelling.

• Trust in the label is an issue for consumers, as manufacturers or manufacturing associations could set up "rubber stamp" labels to greenwash their products.

Information at green label

Green Labelling might include information on,• Embodied carbon• Sustainability of raw materials• Embodied (virtual) water• Ethical farming methods• Ethical labour schemes• Use of natural ingredients

Oeko-Tex Standard 100

• Responsibility for the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is shared between the 17 test institutes which make up the International Oeko-Tex Association, which has branch offices in more than 40 countries worldwide.

• The criteria catalogue which forms the basis for the tests for harmful substances is based on the latest scientific findings and is continually updated; the human ecological safety of the textiles tested are more far-reaching every year.

• The test criteria and the related test methods are standardized on an international level and are widely included as guidance in terms and conditions of purchase and delivery right through to the retail sector.

• With a total of over 51,000 certificates issued for millions of different individual products, and over 6,500 companies involved worldwide, the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 has become the best known and most successful label for textiles tested for harmful substances.

• The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is an independent testing and certification system for textile raw materials, intermediate and end products at all stages of production.

Examples for items eligible for certification: • Raw and dyed/finished yarns, • raw and dyed/finished fabrics and knits,• ready-made articles (all types of clothing, domestic and

household textiles, bed linen, terry cloth items, textile toys and more).

• OEKO-TEX® testing for harmful substances always focus on the actual use of the textile.

• The more intensive the skin contact of a product, the stricter the human ecological requirements to be met.

Testing for harmful substances includes: • illegal substances• legally regulated substances• known harmful (but not legally regulated)

chemicals• as well as parameters for health care

International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile

Ecology• The following institutes currently belong to the International

Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile Ecology (Oeko-Tex®):

• AITEX, ASQUAL, • CENTEXBEL • CENTROCOT,• CITEVE• CLOTEFI S.A / ETAKEI• CSIR • INNOVATEXT• NISSENKEN, • Oko-Tex® Association, • Oeko-tex®

Product classes

The test costs depend on which of the four Oeko-Tex product classes the product falls under

• I = baby products (up to age three - 36 months)• II = products having skin contact (blouses, shirts,

underwear)• III = products having no skin contact (coats, lined

cloths)• IV = furnishings (table wear, funiture coverings,

curtains, textile flooring, mattresses) The greater the contact with the skin, the more

stringent the requirements.

Certification• If all components of a textile comply with the

requirements of the Oeko-Tex criteria catalogue without exception, the textile manufacturer receives certification and is entitled to use the Oeko-Tex label to mark the products in the shops.

• The Oeko-Tex certificate is issued for a period of one year and can be extended subject to further successful testing.

• In order to ensure ongoing compliance with the test criteria, the authorised Oeko-Tex Institutes carry out control tests every year on a minimum of 15% of all certificates issued on Oeko-Tex products available in the shops.

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