Production of fibres in the world
is expected to increase to 50 million tonnes in the year 2000. Scenario
for textile and clothing industry is fast changing with internet
becoming a global market place and increased consumer awareness. World
seems to be shrinking, bringing down trade barriers. Under these
challenging market conditions effective quality systems have emerged as
a major thrust point.
Quality control is not a recent realisation, though it has
become paramount now. In the past, techniques like Coal Tar
distillation, Mercerization and Sanforization have led to quality
enhancement/ improvement. Now even flame proofing, anti-microbial, water
and oil proofing and several other properties can be obtained with new
finishes. And with each finish came specifications and special quality
control parameters.
In 1970s and 80s readymade garments became the premier retail outlets
for fabric. This brought a revolution of sorts, expanding quality
parameters from more dimentional stability and colourfastness to garment
appearence, feel & fall, construction, physical properties, special
finish and presentation.
Garment
manufacturing and processing techniques have come a long way. Enzymes in
bio-polishing, use of resins and subsequent curing in Garment forms are
required to have their own quality parameters.Speciality products of
special end uses also requires their own set of quality specifications.
For example, defence textiles need rot proofing, children's wear should
be colourfast to saliva and garments for Arctic conditions require
ability to withstand extreme cold.
Based on end uses, specifications are even further categorized, like
for schoolwear tear strength is 700 g.: warp & weft. There are
similar ranges in dimentional stability, steam strength, abrasion
resistance, seam slippage and other test descriptions for various
clothings.
While improving on quality of textile ecological factor cannot be
overlooked. Textile industry uses many chemical polutants, allergens &
carcinogens. These have to be severely restricted by laying down
ecological requirements. Only limited use of various chemicals like azo
dyes, heavy metals, odour, etc should be permitted.Textile industry also
needs to address the problem of indiscriminate disposal of waste water
loaded with toxic chemicals. Quality parameters & specifications in
future will revolutionise/ pervade/ define the whole ' life-cycle ' of a
textile product.
The quality of a final product is as good as at the various levels of
manufacturing . To achieve consistency in quality it is necessary to
define quality parameters. With this view, the International Standards
Organisation ( ISO ) has published the standards series ISO 9000. In the
long run, good quality always pays.
