Woven Fabric Defects

1. Bad Selvage

Bad selvage appears as:

• Frayed edges
• Loose or tight edge yarns
• Wavy, curled or torn edges

Causes

• Incorrect selvage motion
• Improper weft tension
• Faulty tuck‑in device
• Broken or weak edge warp yarns

Effects

• Cutting difficulties
• Edge tearing during spreading
• Garment panel rejection

Prevention

• Correct selvage setting
• Proper weft insertion control
• Regular inspection of tuck‑in mechanisms

2. Broken Warp or Weft

A missing or broken yarn running in warp or weft direction, often visible as a thin line.

Causes

• Weak yarn strength
• Excessive tension
• Sharp loom parts
• Poor yarn quality

Effects

• Reduced fabric strength
• Visible lines after dyeing
• Risk of fabric tearing

Prevention

• Use yarn with adequate tensile strength
• Optimize warp and weft tension
• Replace damaged loom components

3. Loose Warp (Slack Warp)

Warp yarns appear loose, wavy or buckled compared to surrounding yarns.

Causes

• Unequal warp tension
• Incorrect let‑off mechanism
• Warp beam defects

Effects

• Fabric distortion
• Shade variation after dyeing
• Poor garment appearance

Prevention

• Uniform warp tension
• Regular beam alignment
• Proper let‑off adjustment

4. Hole

An open space in fabric caused by missing or broken yarns.

Causes

• Broken warp and weft not repaired
• Mechanical damage
• Weak yarn or slub breakage

Effects

• Fabric rejection
• Not repairable in most cases
• Severe quality fault

Prevention

• Immediate loom stop on yarn break
• Effective warp stop motion
• Strict fabric inspection

5. Miss Pick

One or more missing weft insertions, visible as thin horizontal gaps.

Causes

• Weft breakage
• Shuttle/rapier/air‑jet malfunction
• Improper pick detection

Effects

• Fabric weakness
• Visual defect after finishing
• Rejection in solid‑dyed fabrics

Prevention

• Proper weft stop motion
• Maintain weft insertion systems
• Regular loom calibration

6. Loose Weft (Slough‑off)

Weft yarn appears loose or slack, forming loops or waviness across the fabric.

Causes

• Low weft tension
• Improper beat‑up force
• Faulty take‑up motion

Effects

• Uneven fabric surface
• Poor dyeing uniformity
• Cutting and sewing problems

Prevention

• Correct weft tension setting
• Optimize beat‑up force
• Regular take‑up checks

7. Ball (Knot / Lint Ball)

Small round fiber accumulations trapped in the fabric structure.

Causes

• Yarn knots
• Fly and lint contamination
• Poor yarn clearing

Effects

• Visible spots after dyeing
• Poor aesthetic appearance
• Buyer complaints

Prevention

• Use yarn clearers
• Improve housekeeping
• Reduce knot frequency

8. Reed Mark

Vertical lines or streaks repeating at regular intervals, corresponding to reed dents.

Causes

• Damaged or dirty reed
• Unequal spacing of warp yarns
• Incorrect reed count

Effects

• Barre or streaks after dyeing
• Fabric appearance defects
• Difficult to correct later

Prevention

• Regular reed cleaning
• Correct reed selection
• Uniform warp drawing‑in

9. Float

Yarn floats over several yarns without proper interlacing.

Causes

• Incorrect weave design
• Missing interlacing due to broken yarn
• Loom timing faults

Effects

• Snagging during use
• Reduced abrasion resistance
• Visible defects in finished garments

Prevention

• Correct weave programming
• Immediate repair of broken ends
• Proper loom timing control

10. Slub (Unwanted)

Unintentional thick places in yarn visible as bumps or lines in fabric.

Causes

• Yarn count variation
• Poor carding/combing
• Roller slippage in spinning

Effects

• Uneven appearance
• Dyeing spots
• Reduced fabric strength

Prevention

• Yarn evenness control
• Autoleveller use
• Yarn clearer optimization

11. Double Pick

Two weft yarns inserted together instead of one.

Causes

• Faulty weft insertion
• Timing issues in rapier or air‑jet looms
• Improper weft control

Effects

• Thick horizontal line
• Shade variation after dyeing
• Fabric rejection in solid shades

Prevention

• Maintain weft insertion system
• Check loom timing
• Effective pick detection

12. Snag

Pulled yarn loops caused by mechanical pulling or abrasion.

Causes

• Rough handling
• Sharp edges on machines
• Improper fabric transport

Effects

• Poor appearance
• Weak points in fabric
• Customer dissatisfaction

Prevention

• Smooth material handling
• Machine surface polishing
• Careful fabric storage and transport

Severity Classification (Typical)

(Severity depends on buyer standard and defect size/frequency.)

Impact of Woven Fabric Defects on Garments

• Cutting losses increase
• Sewing interruptions
• Visible garment defects
• Higher rejection and claims
• Reduced brand value

Quality Control & Inspection

• Grey fabric inspection
• In‑process loom checks
• Fabric inspection (4‑Point System)
• Shade and appearance check after dyeing
• Final audit before cutting