An inspection report full of codes ends buyer arguments only if the buyer can read it. AQL sampling reports, the ones third-party inspectors and factory QC teams issue for bag orders, carry a logic that is simple once shown: a sample size, an acceptance number, and a defect classification that decides whether the lot passes. This guide decodes the report line by line for bag orders, and the floor where these reports are earned is shown on our factory tour page, using the AQL 2.5 convention common in the trade, and pairs with the seam-level detail in our bag seam failure analysis.
The sampling framework behind AQL comes from the ISO 2859 family derived from military standard 105E, and ISO’s standards catalog on ASTM International publishes the attribute-sampling practice used alongside the 2859 lineage inspectors reference
The three lines that decide a lot
Every AQL report runs on three numbers. Lot size: the total units in the shipment, which selects the sample size from the table, 200 units in a 5,000-piece lot at general inspection level II, for example. Acceptance number: the maximum defects allowed in that sample at the chosen AQL, commonly 10 at AQL 2.5 for a 200-piece sample. And the defect split: critical defects, which fail instantly at any count, majors, which count against the acceptance number, and minors, which run to a looser limit. Buyers who read only the pass-fail footer miss the negotiation that happens in the defect classification, because the same physical flaw can be filed as major or minor depending on who writes the checklist.
| Report line | What it means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Lot / sample size | 5,000 lot draws 200-piece sample at GII | Sampling level stated, not hidden |
| AQL 2.5 / 4.0 | Major and minor acceptance numbers | Both numbers printed on the report |
| Defect classification | Critical / major / minor definitions | Your checklist, agreed in advance |
| Result | Accept at 10 majors or fewer | Defect photos match the classifications |
Major versus minor: the classification that moves money
The classification checklist is where buyers win or lose quietly. Print shift, for example, is major beyond a stated 2 mm tolerance at arm’s length, and minor inside it, which is why the tolerance is written, not remembered. A broken zipper pull on a bag is major; a loose thread is minor; a print registration shift falls between them depending on size and placement, which is why the checklist should define it: print shift beyond a stated millimeter tolerance at a stated distance is major. Facts on the factory floor follow the checklist, and factories respect buyers whose checklists are specific, because specific checklists make the inspector’s job a measurement rather than an argument. The classification definitions belong in the PO package, agreed before production, and the third-party selection guidance in our second factory qualification guide covers who is allowed to sign the report.
Running the report into a decision
A report converts to action through a simple ladder. Accept: lot ships, minor defects feed the next production’s checklist. Reject at the margin: a re-sort, where the factory re-inspects 100 percent and replaces fails, is usually cheaper than re-shipping and keeps the calendar. Hard fail: re-production of the failed quantity, with the failed lot’s disposition documented. The buyer’s position in all three branches is the same report, which is why the sampling level, the classification checklist and the acceptance numbers belong in the PO terms, as covered in our supplier agreement terms guide, rather than in the memory of whoever ordered the inspection.
Video: bag production from our line
The clip shows the sewing and finishing stages the inspection report describes.
Frequently asked questions
What does AQL 2.5 mean in a bag inspection?
It is the acceptance quality limit for major defects: at a 200-piece sample, 10 majors or fewer passes the lot, 11 fails it, and criticals fail at any count.
Who decides if a defect is major or minor?
The classification checklist agreed before production. Buyers should define tolerances by measurement, such as print shift limits, so classifications are not opinions.
Is AQL 2.5 always the right level?
It is the common default for bags; tighter programs run 1.0 for majors at higher inspection cost. The level should follow the product’s price point and failure consequences.
What happens when a lot fails?
Typically a 100 percent re-sort with replacements for confirmed fails, or re-production for hard fails; the report’s defect photos support whichever branch the PO terms specify.
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