Agree the inspection before the goods are ready
Before shipping custom bags, agree which goods form the inspection lot, what counts as a failure, how samples will be selected and who can authorise release. Give the inspector the approved specification, sample references and a written decision rule. A report headed “AQL passed” is difficult to act on if those details are missing.
This guide focuses on inspecting a finished batch of bags. Use the sample-approval guide to establish the product reference, and the knit quality guide for relevant performance tests. Keep those records alongside the shipment inspection brief: they answer different questions about the same order.
What AQL can and cannot tell you
AQL means acceptance quality limit. ISO 2859-1:2026 provides sampling schemes indexed by AQL for lot-by-lot inspection. The AQL value is an input to a sampling scheme, not the measured defect rate of a shipment. For example, writing “AQL 2.5” does not certify that this batch contains no more than 2.5% nonconforming bags.
NIST's acceptance-sampling introduction explains that the purpose is to decide whether to accept a lot, rather than estimate its exact quality. Its sampling-plan guidance also describes the risks of rejecting acceptable lots and accepting poor ones. A passed sample therefore does not establish that every bag is free of defects. Product safety, required testing and documentation still need their own checks.
Choose a complete plan for the actual lot
Specify the standard and edition, not just “international AQL.” ISO 2859-1:2026 includes rules for changing inspection severity over a series of lots. For a one-off order or a short series where those rules cannot be applied, ask the inspection provider to assess the appropriate approach. ISO 2859-2:2020 covers isolated-lot plans indexed by limiting quality (LQ). It is a different basis; do not transfer an AQL number or inspection-level setting between the two systems without review.
Complete the fields below with the buyer, supplier and inspection provider before booking. Ask the provider to derive the sample size and decision limits from the agreed standard and plan. This worksheet does not supply standard tables or default acceptance limits.
| Field | Record before inspection |
|---|---|
| Lot identity | Order, style and specification revision; presented quantity; colour/size breakdown; carton identifiers; rules for separating variants. |
| Sampling basis | Standard and edition; plan type; applicable inspection level and severity; agreed AQL or other quality index. |
| Decision values | Sample size and applicable acceptance/rejection numbers for each class; counting basis and any staged decision rules. |
| Product checks | Approved references, measurement points, tolerances, defect definitions and test methods; separate sample counts where needed. |
| Readiness and access | Production/packing status, available cartons, sample-selection method, access to the presented lot and treatment of unavailable goods. |
| Disposition | Reporting contact, hold/rework procedure, reinspection conditions and named release authority. |
Define failures before counting them
Prepare a defect list for the order with photographs or limit samples. If the brief uses critical, major and minor categories, define each category and its action rule. Assign examples according to intended use and the agreed specification; a loose thread, misplaced logo or damaged join does not have one universal severity for every bag. Flag potential safety concerns for assessment and hold under the agreed procedure, instead of deciding that a low cosmetic count cancels them out.
Also distinguish a nonconforming bag from an individual nonconformity. ASQ's description of ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 distinguishes inspection based on percent nonconforming from inspection based on nonconformities per 100 units. Those are different counting bases. Write down how multiple findings on one bag, including findings in different severity classes, enter the chosen plan.
Consider a hypothetical set of 20 inspected bags: bag A has three distinct findings, bag B has one, and the other 18 have none. There are two affected bags and four findings. This example only illustrates counting; it is not a recommended sample size, an AQL result or an estimate of the entire shipment's defect rate. Preserve both the bag identifiers and the findings so the agreed counting rule can be checked.
Inspect against the bag's approved details
The checklist below is a suggested bag-specific inspection brief. Add the actual limits and reference versions before use. A visual check of a seam cannot establish an untested carrying capacity, and a fabric test report does not confirm that every finished handle was attached correctly.
| Area | Check and record |
|---|---|
| Body and dimensions | Material and construction reference, width/height/base measurements, measuring condition and tolerance. |
| Handles and joins | Required handle count, attachment positions, stitching and agreed functional checks. For a dual-handle knit tote, inspect both long and short pairs. |
| Surface and artwork | Stains, holes, pulled loops, print or jacquard placement and colour against the specified physical reference. |
| Interior and closures | Lining, pocket layout, required components and the defined opening/closing operation. |
| Labels and packing | Approved label version, quantity and assortment per carton, carton identification and agreed packing arrangement. |
Use the colour-approval record and packing specification as references. For tests that damage the bag or need laboratory equipment, define the specimens, method, acceptance rule and timing separately. Ask the report to distinguish tests performed, documents reviewed and checks not completed.
Make sample selection and the result traceable
NIST's sampling introduction starts with random selection from the lot. Give the inspector access to the agreed lot and record the carton and unit selection. Supplier-selected display samples are not the same evidence as a sample drawn from that lot. If some goods are unfinished or inaccessible, record what was actually available and resolve the scope before treating the report as covering the whole order.
For a single-sampling plan, the acceptance number is the maximum count permitted for acceptance under that plan; the rejection number is the count that triggers non-acceptance. NIST explains the single-sample decision in its plan overview. Check the report's actual counts against the correct class and counting basis, not against an allowed-defect count calculated by multiplying the AQL percentage by the order quantity.
| Report item | Buyer check |
|---|---|
| Scope and sampling | Does the lot, available quantity, sample size and selected-carton record match the agreed plan? |
| Observations | Can each finding be traced to a bag, photo, measurement and defect definition? |
| Decision | Are counts and acceptance/rejection limits shown by class, with the correct counting basis? |
| Unfinished work | Are unperformed tests, inaccessible goods and missing documents clearly identified? |
| Release | Has the named approver resolved open items and issued the documented shipment decision? |
Handle a failed lot without erasing the first result
If a lot does not meet the agreed plan, hold it under the agreed procedure and ask for a documented response. Identify the affected scope, proposed sorting or rework, responsible person and completion evidence. Reinspection should follow the agreed standard and resubmission rules. Drawing fresh samples repeatedly until one passes is not a substitute for that process.
Keep the original report, corrective-action record, any subsequent report and final release decision in the same order file. If the buyer reviews a proposed deviation, record the exact requirement, affected quantity, reason and decision authority separately from the sampling result. Keep unresolved safety checks and required tests visible in the release record. Agree who may make each decision before goods reach the dispatch stage.
What to include in the inspection RFQ
- Order and lot details, style/colour/size quantities, destination and intended use.
- Approved specification, sample IDs, artwork, measurements, tolerances and defect-reference photographs.
- Proposed sampling standard and edition, quality indices and counting basis for the provider to confirm.
- Required visual, dimensional, functional and laboratory checks, with their separate sample and reporting requirements.
- Expected readiness, packing status, inspection access and the time needed to review the report before dispatch.
- Inspection fees, any reinspection fees, hold/rework responsibilities and the release approver, to be agreed for the project.
Review the quality workflow and send your product and inspection brief through the RFQ form. Ask the supplier and inspection provider to confirm feasibility, scope and responsibilities. The result should be an inspection plan and report that support a clear decision about the actual batch being shipped.