Fabric Defects

Fabric defects are flaws in woven or knitted fabric that affect appearance or performance, arising from yarn, weaving or knitting, and dyeing or finishing, such as broken ends, missing picks, holes, stains and shade variation.

Defects are commonly grouped by origin. Yarn-related defects include slubs, thick and thin places and contamination with foreign fibres. Weaving defects include broken ends, missing or double picks, floats, reed marks and starting marks. Knitting defects include holes, drop stitches, needle lines and barre. Dyeing and finishing defects include shade variation, uneven dyeing, stains, crease marks and bow or skew of the weft relative to the warp.

Defects reduce fabric grade and value and lower garment cutting yield, because cutters must avoid or remove them. Recording defect type and location also helps mills trace root causes, for example a recurring line pointing to a particular loom, needle or yarn lot, and correct them before more fabric is affected.

Defects are classified by type, size and severity, and buyers specify acceptance criteria, often using a points-based inspection system. Some defects are easy to see, while others, such as subtle shade differences or fine streaks, depend on lighting, viewing conditions and inspector experience. Automated vision inspection systems detect and classify defects on inspection machines or on the loom or knitting machine.

Key points

Arise from yarn, weaving or knitting, and dyeing or finishing
Examples include broken ends, missing picks, holes and stains
Defect records help trace root causes to machines or yarn lots
Detected by manual inspection or automated vision systems

Where AiVibe comes in

AiAmbA use cases include visual inspection on textile lines, with existing lines retrofitted with edge devices.

Explore AiVibe’s work in Textile & Automotive Manufacturing →

Fabric Defects

Key points

Where AiVibe comes in

Related terms

Terms that refer to Fabric Defects