How woven shirts are made
A shirt has more small parts than almost any other garment: collar and collar band, cuffs, front placket, yoke, sleeve plackets and often a pocket. The collar, cuffs and placket are stiffened with a fusible interlining, pressed on with heat and pressure. Seams are usually single-needle lockstitch or double-needle felled, and buttons are sewn by machine. Striped and checked shirts must be cut one ply at a time or pinned to the stripe, which takes longer than cutting plain fabric.
Gurgaon and Noida are Towns of Export Excellence for apparel under DGFT's list, and Faridabad was added for apparel in the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. All three are in Delhi NCR, where Clear To Load has inspectors.
What we check on woven shirts
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Collar | Collar laid flat; both points measured; band checked for twist; collar stays counted if used | Uneven points, twisted band, roping along the edge, missing stays |
| Fusing | Collar, cuffs and placket viewed against light and flexed; wash test where the factory has a machine | Bubbles, glue spots on the face, interlining lifting after washing |
| Stripe and check matching | Matching points on your spec checked: placket, pocket to body, yoke to sleeve, collar halves, cuffs | Stripes stepping at a matching point beyond your tolerance |
| Buttons | Pull test with a gauge on sampled buttons; stitching checked on the reverse | Button lifts at a low force, loose shank, chainstitch that unravels when one thread is pulled |
| Buttonholes | Each hole opened with the button; stitch density checked | Uncut holes, frayed edges, holes too small or out of line with buttons |
| Seam pucker | Side seams, armholes and sleeve seams held up to light | Wavy, gathered seams from tension or feed problems |
| Measurements and grading | Neck, chest, length, sleeve and cuff measured across all sizes | Out of tolerance, or a neck size label that does not match the collar |
| Pressing and folding | Folded shirts opened and refolded; pins, clips and boards counted | Shine marks, scorch, creases at the collar, metal pins left in the shirt |
Common woven shirt defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Metal pin or needle left in a folded shirt | Pins not counted after folding | Critical |
| Collar fusing bubbles | Wrong temperature, pressure or time on the fusing press, or the wrong interlining for the fabric | Major |
| Stripes mismatched at the placket or pocket | Fabric cut in layers without matching | Major |
| Button missing or loose | Button machine thread not locked | Major |
| Uncut buttonhole | Buttonhole cutter skipped or blunt | Major |
| Collar points uneven | Inaccurate collar trimming or turning | Minor or major by size of difference |
| Slight pucker on an inside seam | Thread tension | Minor |
Your defect list decides the final class.
Market rules for woven shirts
- US flammability. Most shirting is plain-surface fabric of 2.6 oz/yd² (about 88 g/m²) or more and is exempt from testing under 16 CFR 1610. Voile, lawn and other light cotton or viscose shirts, and brushed flannel, need a lab test.
- US labels. Fibre content, country of origin at the inside centre of the neck, the importer's name or RN, and a permanent care label. The size label and the origin label are often combined at the collar band.
- Easy-care finishes. Non-iron and wrinkle-resistant finishes use resins that can release formaldehyde. In the EU, formaldehyde in clothing is restricted under REACH entry 72; a lab test on the finished shirt shows the level.
- EU labels. Fibre names and percentages under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011. Linen may be called flax or linen.
Fusing strength, seam slippage, shrinkage and colour fastness are lab tests, arranged through lab testing coordination.
Packing, transit and your purchase order
Folded shirts are packed with a collar insert, a back board and sometimes tissue, and the fold is held with clips or pins. Every pin is a risk to the buyer's customer, and some buyers ban metal pins. The inspector counts clips or pins on sampled shirts against your folding instruction. Cartons packed too tight crush collars; cartons packed too loose let shirts shift and unfold. Hanging shirts are checked for hanger type and that collars sit square.
- Fabric and colourway, and the interlining type for collar, cuff and placket.
- Matching points for stripes and checks, with a tolerance.
- Button type, size and attachment method, and a minimum pull strength.
- Stitches per inch and seam type for each seam.
- Finish: standard, easy-care or non-iron, with test requirements.
- Folding method, inserts, and whether metal pins are allowed.
For long-line and ethnic shirts, see kurtas and ethnic wear.
Sources
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence (Gurgaon, Noida, apparel)
- PIB: Foreign Trade Policy 2023 announced, four new Towns of Export Excellence incl. Faridabad (31 Mar 2023)
- DGFT: Foreign Trade Policy 2023 presentation (Faridabad, apparel)
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 1610, flammability of clothing textiles
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 303, Textile Fiber Products Identification Act rules
- REACH, Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006