Fabrics

All materials and accessories must be compatible with each other, and the finished garment must

perform in accordance with the instructions on the care label.

The fabric must retain its typical characteristics. The finished product must not change in structure

and appearance. For washable garments other instructions may be possible.

All matching points of patterned materials must be agreed.

All pattern pieces of one garment must be cut and sewn from the same layer of fabric and must be

laid in one direction.

Colour deviation within a garment must be avoided.

For sets and suits made from the same fabric, the fabric must match in colour and direction of cut

and must be cut from the same layer of material.

 

Lining

 The lining must be compatible with the shell material.

 The shrinkage and extension of the lining must be compatible with the shell material.

 The lining must be firmly attached without twisting.

 In lined garments with unlined sleeves, the lining must be attached securely at the armholes.

 The lining must be attached to the under armpit and in the shoulder end at the armhole.

 The lining must have a sun-pleat in the centre back.

 For all lined garments all hems must be secured at the seams.

 

Interlining

 The shrinkage and extension of the interlining must be compatible with the shell material.

 The colour of the interlining must be compatible with the shell material.

 The size of the interlining must be adjusted to the article and must be carefully attached.

 The attachment of the interlining must not damage the material.

 The adhesive of the interlining must not be visible on the surface of the material.

 Interlining must be permanently fused with the correct setting conditions (pressure, time and

temperature).

 

Sewing Thread

 Thread must be colour fast and compatible with the shell material and lining regarding:

breaking strength

elasticity

heat resistance

shrinkage resistance

 Monofilament thread is not allowed.

 Cotton thread is only allowed when agreed.

 

Seam Construction

 Minimum seam allowance for pressed open seams: 1.0 cm.

 Minimum seam allowance for closed seams: 0.7 cm.

 Minimum seam allowance for closed lining seams: 0.7 cm, for pressed open seams: 1.0 cm

 The minimum number of stitches per cm for closing seams must be compatible with the specific

materials and the expected stress to the seams. (Recommended 4 stitches per cm for woven materials, 4

- 5 stitches per cm for knitted materials).

 Needles, machine settings and sewing thread must not cause damage to the material and seams.

 The elasticity of the seams must be compatible with the material.

 Fullness must be correctly distributed.

 All seams must be correct in shape and properly secured at the start and end.

 Thread ends, fly or other substances must not remain between the layers of the material.

 Marking points must not be visible.

 Seam allowance must be even all along the seam.

 Seam allowance of closed seams must be positioned symmetrically e.g. towards the centre, to the

side, up or down. 

 The attachment of hooks, eyes and buttons must be without any strain on the placket.

 Attachment points of facings must not be visible.

 

Fastenings

 Buttonholes and all functional buttons must be attached through at least two layers of material, and

where possible with an additional third layer of interlining.

 All fasteners and accessories must be compatible with the material, colour fast, rust proof and

without sharp edges. They must be durably attached and must not damage the fabric. All fasteners must

not be fixed to variable thickness of materials or over seams.

 The strength of the fastening of all fasteners must be compatible with the garment and the material.

 Fastening buttons, except shank buttons, must be shanked and whipped

 Buttons must be securely attached and the thread ends must be secured.

 Buttons must be sewn on with compatible yarn thickness.

 The attachment of the jigger button must not be visible on the surface of the fabric.

 Buttons, buttonholes and button loops must be compatible with each other in size.

 Buttonholes must be made on at least a 2-thread buttonhole machine, must be cleanly cut and must

keep their shape.

 The stitch density for buttonholes must be sufficient to ensure full edge cover, without fraying and

loose thread ends.

 Bar tacks on buttonholes must match the width and be square to the line of the buttonhole.

 Buttonhole stitching or cutting must not result in snagging or twisting of yarns around the

buttonhole.

 Where piped buttonholes are used, the piping inlay must be inserted at approx. 0.5 cm into the shell

material.

 The piping of piped buttonholes must be even in width and length, match in grain and must be

centered.

 Piped buttonholes must have perfect square corners. The facing must be attached to the pipes by a

countersunk stitching.

 Buttonholes must be sewn with buttonhole thread.

 Velcro tape must not damage the garment.

 Velcro tape must, on both sides, have rounded corners.

 All fastenings must be positioned correctly in order to avoid waviness or gaping.

 A quantity of more than one button per size requires one spare button per size.

 All functional buttonholes and the lapel buttonhole must be keyhole type.

 Double-breasted garments must have an inside fastening.

 The facing in double breasted garments must have sufficient width in order to attach the inside

button on it.

 Backing buttons should be used for open weave or unstable fabrics.

 

Zippers

 Zippers must meet the zipper standards.

 Unbranded zippers are not allowed.

 The colour of the zipper tape must be compatible with the shell material.

 Zippers must not have sharp edges.

 The attachment of the zipper must ensure, that the slider does not damage the fabric or lining.

 Zippers must be opened and closed evenly without a break.

 The attaching seam of the zipper must have reinforcing stitching at the top and bottom of the zipper

tape, (not bar tacked).

 Zipper concealed from both sides must be completely and evenly covered. The top stitching must be

even.

 On invisible zippers the tape must extend at least 2 cm and at most 3 cm below the opening and be

tacked to the seam allowance at the bottom.

 On zippers with a single covering placket the bottom of the opening must be reinforced with a tack.

 Zippers must have an auto locking mechanism. Pin lock is not allowed.

 

Pockets

 Symmetrical pockets must match in shape, position, dimension and stitching.

 All pocket openings must be secured at the corners and, if necessary, be reinforced.

 The facings of pockets must be wide and deep enough to ensure that the pocket lining is not visible.

 The facings must be out of shell material.

 Pocket bags must be sewn with a safety stitch. Minimum stitch density is 4 stitches per cm.

 The piping of piped or welt pockets must be even in width and length, match in grain and must be

centered.

 Welt pockets must be completely covered without overlapping. 

 Piped or welt pockets (without fastening) with a width more than 10 cm must be invisibly tacked 4

cm in the middle. The stitches have to be easily removable. Back tacking or bar tacking are not allowed.

 Pocket flaps must cover the pocket opening.

 All internal pockets must be bar tacked on the face.

 

Hems

 Hems in stretch materials must have sufficient and permanent stretch and recovery.

 Hems must lie flat without twisting and must be even in depth.

 The blind stitch must not show impressions or stitching on the surface of the fabric and the thread

ends must be secured.

 Glued hems are not allowed.

 Minimum hem depth must be 3 cm, except for flared coats.

 Hem depth in linings must be 1.5 cm deep, folded inside 1 cm.

 

Sleeves

 Sleeves must be correctly attached, must be paired in length, hem width and shape, fullness must be

evenly distributed.

 Sleeve openings must have sufficient width for an easy passing through of the hand.

 

Cuffs

 Cuffs and turn ups must match left to right in size, shape and appearance.

 In unlined garments the raw edge of the inside cuff must be finished.

 

Shoulder Pads

 Shoulder pads must be securely attached.

 Visible shoulder pads must be compatible with the shell material and must match to the colour.

 Shoulder pads in unlined, partly lined, loose hanging lining or removable lining must be covered with

shell material or lining.

 Shoulder pads must not cause impressions on the shell material.

 Shoulder pads in unlined garments must be attached in that way that they can be removed without

damaging the garment. They must not be attached into functional seams.

 In raglan sleeves suitable raglan pads must be used.

 

Hanger Loops

 The strength of the hanger loop must be compatible with the weight of the garment.

 Hanger loops must be securely attached.

 For collars with a stand the hanger loop must be sewn on the stand.

 For collars without stand the hanger loop must be sewn into the neckline seam.

 

Embroidery, Appliqué, Inserts, Prints

 Embroidery, appliqué, inserts and prints must be compatible with the care instructions.

 Embroidery, appliqué, inserts and prints must be carefully and securely attached.

 The back side of the embroidery must be compatible with the quality of the material, must be cleanly

trimmed and must not have adhesive marks.

 Thread ends must be pulled to the inside and must be secured.

 Attachments via ironing and pressing must be fixed according to the manufacturers specification

(time, pressure, temperature) on special machinery. Such pieces must be durably secured without glue,

without adhesive marks on the surface of the fabric and must not crack.

 Appliqué and inserts must lie flat and must not cause impressions or distortions on the material.

 Prints and inserts must not be sticky.

 Prints on stretchable garments must not crack when stretched.

 

Final Pressing

 The garment must retain its shape without impressions, unwanted pleating or glazing.

 


Quality Legal Standard publish from:2014-03-02