AQL Calculator
Enter your order size and get the exact number of garments to inspect — and how many defects mean pass or fail — straight from the ANSI Z1.4 / ISO 2859-1 standard.
Pull 80 pieces at random and check them. Accept the whole order if you find 5 or fewer defects; reject it (rework or re-inspect) at 6 or more.
Based on ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 · ISO 2859-1, single sampling, normal inspection.
What this tells you
You almost never inspect a whole clothing order — you inspect a random sample and decide from that. The AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit)is the agreed line between pass and fail: check the sample, count the defects, and accept or reject the batch against the numbers above. It’s the same method professional inspection firms use, drawn from the international standard ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 (identical to ISO 2859-1).
The apparel standard: 2.5 and 4.0
For clothing, inspections almost always run at General Inspection Level II with two limits on the same sample:
- AQL 2.5 for major defects — faults a customer would notice and return: broken seams, wrong measurements, holes, bad stitching, visible stains.
- AQL 4.0 for minor defects— small imperfections that don’t affect wear or sale, like a stray thread. More of these are tolerated.
- Critical defects — anything unsafe (a broken needle left in a garment) is usually set to zero: none allowed, ever.
Switch the AQL in the calculator to compare majors (2.5) and minors (4.0) for your own order.
Sample size at a glance (Level II)
- 51 – 90 pieces
- inspect 13
- 91 – 150 pieces
- inspect 20
- 151 – 280 pieces
- inspect 32
- 281 – 500 pieces
- inspect 50
- 501 – 1,200 pieces
- inspect 80
- 1,201 – 3,200 pieces
- inspect 125
- 3,201 – 10,000 pieces
- inspect 200
- 10,001 – 35,000 pieces
- inspect 315
Want the reasoning behind these numbers and how a real inspection runs? Read our guide to quality control & AQL for bulk apparel. Planning a production run and want it inspected properly? Start a project with us — every order ships with photos at each stage and inspection built in.
Frequently asked questions
What is AQL in clothing manufacturing?
AQL stands for Acceptance Quality Limit — the maximum number of defects allowed in a random sample before a whole batch is rejected. Instead of checking every garment, an inspector checks a set sample size and accepts or rejects the order based on how many defects they find.
What AQL should I use for clothing?
The apparel standard is AQL 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor defects, at General Inspection Level II. Stricter brands use 1.5 for majors. Critical defects (anything unsafe) are usually set to 0 — none allowed.
How many garments should be inspected?
It depends on your order size, not a fixed percentage. For example, an order of 1,000 pieces at Level II needs a random sample of 80 pieces; 5,000 pieces needs 200. Enter your quantity in the calculator above to get the exact number.
What is the difference between major and minor defects?
A major defect is one a customer would notice and likely return or complain about — a broken seam, a wrong measurement, a visible stain. A minor defect is a small imperfection that doesn't affect use or sale, like a tiny loose thread. Apparel inspections allow more minors (AQL 4.0) than majors (AQL 2.5).
Which inspection level should I choose?
General Inspection Level II is the standard default and the right choice for almost all clothing orders. Level I inspects fewer pieces (use only when you trust the factory and want lower cost); Level III inspects more (use for high-risk or first orders).