Greige fabric is inspected before it goes into dyeing and finishing, because needle lines, holes, oil stains or GSM deviations in greige fabric straight off the machine cost many times more to put right after dyeing. A sound acceptance flow rests on three pillars: 4-point inspection, which puts a number on surface defects; measurement of GSM and width tolerance; and colour verification. Together, these three determine whether a lot is accepted or rejected.
Why is quality control critical for greige fabric?
The stage at which you catch a defect determines what that defect costs. A knitting or weaving fault spotted in greige fabric as it comes off the machine only means that one roll is set aside as a reject. When the same fault surfaces after dyeing, printing and finishing, the cost of the yarn, the knitting work and every finishing step is already built into the fabric — and the delivery schedule is disrupted as well.
That is why greige fabric quality control works as a filter that screens the lot before it enters the finishing line. The aim is not flawless fabric but an objective record of which defects stay within acceptable limits. In the KARCEM model, having a single point of contact from yarn to finished fabric means this greige acceptance decision is made consistently before the fabric is handed over to the vetted dyeing, printing and finishing network. This early check at the greige fabric stage is the foundation on which every later step is built.
The four-point inspection system
The four-point system is an established industry inspection method that converts surface defects into penalty points according to the size of each defect. As the fabric is wound across an inspection table under controlled lighting and at a controlled speed, the operator marks every defect and scores it by length:
| Defect length | Penalty points |
|---|---|
| Up to 7.5 cm (3 in) | 1 point |
| 7.5–15 cm | 2 points |
| 15–23 cm | 3 points |
| Over 23 cm | 4 points |
The maximum score for a single defect is 4; any hole in the fabric is assessed in the most severe class regardless of its size. The points are added up and related to the inspected area to give a density figure expressed as points per 100 m². This way, a 500-metre roll and a 2,000-metre lot can be compared fairly on the same scale. For how the thresholds are calculated, how the acceptance limit is set and a worked example, see the 4-point inspection and tolerances page.
Weight (GSM) tolerance
Weight is the mass of the fabric per unit area, expressed in g/m² (GSM). In greige fabric, GSM directly determines both cost and the final hand feel, so the deviation between the order specification and the lot produced has to be held within a narrow band. It is measured by cutting a specimen from the fabric with a standard circular cutter (e.g. 100 cm²), weighing it on a precision balance and scaling the result up to one square metre; several specimens are taken from different points across the roll, such as the centre and the edges, so that the result is representative.
The tolerance is given as ± because, in knitted fabric, GSM changes together with yarn count, stitch density, width and finishing shrinkage. Greige GSM and finished GSM are not the same: finishing, compacting and width-setting change the weight per square metre, so the greige target GSM is set with an allowance relative to the required finished GSM. KARCEM’s published weight range is 90–700 GSM; by structure, single jersey typically runs at 120–200+, interlock at 160–260 and rib at 180–320. For the measurement method, the greige/finished distinction and the logic of setting a target, the fabric weight (GSM) guide is the detailed resource.
Width tolerance and tubular vs open width
The width of knitted fabric is reported in two ways: tubular width (the flat measurement of the fabric in the seamless cylinder form in which it leaves the circular knitting machine) and open width (the edge-to-edge measurement of fabric that has been slit and opened out flat). The tolerance should be assessed in the same format in which the order is placed; converting tubular width to open width gives a figure of roughly double, and this conversion is a common source of measurement inconsistencies.
Width tolerance is defined in ± cm and is closely tied to GSM: narrowing the width increases the number of loops per unit area and raises the GSM, while widening it lowers the GSM. For this reason width and GSM are accepted together, not in isolation. Measurements are taken at several points along the roll while the fabric is relaxed and free of tension; because edge curling is inherent to knitted structures, the measurement is taken a set distance in from the end of the roll. In elastane qualities, width is sensitive to the fabric’s tension history, so conditioning the specimen is particularly important.
ΔE<1 colour verification
Although greige fabric usually arrives undyed, the colour link in the quality control chain ties in the dyeing step that follows immediately after greige approval, so colour tolerance is an integral part of the acceptance criteria. Colour is measured not by eye but with a spectrophotometer, and the deviation from the target colour is expressed as a single number, ΔE (delta E): the smaller the value, the closer the produced colour is to the target.
KARCEM targets a tolerance of ΔE<1 between the standard and the lot — a level of closeness that a trained eye would struggle to tell apart under most conditions. An archive of 20,000+ colours makes it possible to hit the same shade from lot to lot on repeat orders and speeds up lab-dip approval. For how the measurement is made, what ΔE means and light-source-dependent metamerism, see the colour and delta E page; alongside colour, washing, rubbing and light fastness are also verified by separate tests.
Lot acceptance criteria
A greige lot is accepted not on a single criterion but only when it meets all of the following thresholds at the same time:
- 4-point density: The total penalty points per 100 m² must be below the acceptance limit set in the contract.
- Weight (GSM): The measured GSM must lie within the ± tolerance band in the specification and be consistent along the roll.
- Width: Tubular or open width must stay within the ± cm tolerance for the order format.
- Surface and structure: There must be no unacceptable holes, dropped stitches, needle-line bands or continuous streaks.
- Cleanliness: Contamination such as oil, rust or fly (lint) stains must not go beyond the limits.
- Colour (if dyed): ΔE against the standard must be within the target tolerance and fastness results must be at a pass level.
If any of these thresholds is exceeded, the lot is either rejected or, with the customer’s approval, conditionally accepted with a limited deviation allowance. To keep the decision traceable, the defect map, the GSM/width measurement points and the colour report are recorded.
Related: shrinkage testing and dimensional stability · fastness tests (ISO/AATCC) · lab-dip approval process
Frequently asked questions
What is 4-point inspection?
It is an established visual inspection system that scores defects on the fabric surface from 1 to 4 according to their length. Defects up to 7.5 cm score 1 point, 7.5–15 cm 2 points, 15–23 cm 3 points and over 23 cm 4 points; no single defect can score more than 4 points. The total points are converted into a density per 100 m², so that lots of different sizes can be compared fairly.
How many points are acceptable in greige fabric?
The acceptance limit is not a fixed number; it is a threshold per 100 m² set according to the fabric type, quality grade and customer contract. If the measured density is below this threshold the lot is accepted; if it is above, the lot falls under rejection or conditional acceptance. For how the threshold is set, see the 4-point inspection and tolerances page.
What is the GSM tolerance?
GSM tolerance is defined as ± GSM in the order specification and varies with the knit structure and the yarn fineness. Because GSM in knitted fabric changes together with width, stitch density and finishing, the tolerance is given as a narrow but flexible band. Since greige and finished GSM differ, the target is set with an allowance relative to the required finished GSM.
How is the width tolerance set?
Width tolerance is defined in ± cm, depending on whether the order is placed in tubular or open width. Measurements are taken at several points along the roll while the fabric is relaxed and free of tension. Because width and GSM are linked, the two are assessed together; in elastane qualities, specimen conditioning is particularly important.
What does ΔE<1 mean?
ΔE is the value that measures, as a single number, how far a produced colour deviates from the target colour; the smaller it is, the closer the colour is to the target. ΔE<1 is a level of closeness that a trained eye struggles to tell apart under most conditions. It is measured with a spectrophotometer rather than by eye, and on repeat orders the 20,000+ colour archive makes it easier to hold the shade from lot to lot.
How is greige fabric accepted?
A greige lot is accepted when it meets all of the thresholds for 4-point density, GSM, width, surface/structural integrity and cleanliness at the same time. For a dyed quality, colour and fastness criteria are added. To keep the decision traceable, the defect map and the measurement reports are recorded.
When is a lot rejected?
A lot is rejected when any of the agreed thresholds is exceeded — for example, when the 4-point density goes over the limit, GSM or width falls outside tolerance, or unacceptable holes or stains are found. In some cases, rather than being rejected outright, the lot can be conditionally accepted with a limited deviation allowance with the customer’s approval. This decision is recorded as well.
Is quality control carried out on samples?
Yes. Pre-production sampling and lab-dip approval form the stage at which GSM, width, hand feel and colour targets are verified before moving to bulk. The specification approved on the sample becomes the reference for the acceptance criteria of the bulk lot, which keeps unexpected deviations in bulk production to a minimum.
With KARCEM
KARCEM brings its own circular knitting machines and a vetted dyeing, printing and finishing network together under a single point of contact, managing the greige acceptance decision consistently from yarn to finished fabric. With a 90–700 GSM range, 12+ knit types, a ΔE<1 colour target, replies to requests within 24 hours and a 98% on-time delivery target, quality control rules out from the start the surprises that would disrupt your delivery schedule. For the scope of certified production, see the certificates page.