Denim washes standard operating procedure (SOP)

SOP–SHADE CONTROL FOR ACID/HEAVY DENIM WASHES

Objective:

Aims to set the processes from fabric to final packing to ensure to achieve consistent shades as per buyer requirements in Acid/Heavy Denim Washes.

Scope:

This procedure covers one of the activities of Fabric, Cutting, Sewing, Washing Finishing & Packing.

Authority:

This procedure is being controlled by the Fabric, Cutting, Sewing, Washing, Finishing & Quality Managers/heads.

Responsibility:

Execution and maintenance of this procedure lies on the Fabric Quality, Cutting Team, Sewing Team, Washing Team & Finishing Team.

Procedure

Fabric Processes

Step 1 Blanket Making – Responsible -Fabric Quality 

• Supplier to provide 100% Roll wise shade details.
• Cutting 40” from each roll
• Segregate the head cutting as per supplier’s shades
• Follow supplier’s shade information -One Blanket one shade. No random attaching. Every panels to have roll details along with supplier shade info.
• Minimum 4 sets of Blankets to be made. Make 2 sets of Blanket first. Balance sets keep as panel form. If Required, make additional sets

Step 2 Blanket Reviewing  Responsible – Quality Head/Fabric Quality/Washing Head/Tech & RQS/GPQ

• Buyer Wash standard or Approved C/S a must prior to blanket washing.
• Wash 2 sets of Blankets first following Wash standard/Approved Sample. 

Blanket review –

• Washing team to review the Blankets along with Quality and GPQ/RQS Team

• Blankets reviewed for shade consistency – Supplier’s quoted Shade must be consistent after wash (before wash “A” Shade Blankets must be consistent after wash). Rise the concern if shades not consistent after wash.

• After wash shades reviewed against approved standard and shades matching within the range of approved standard been identified as APPROVED SHADES ROLLS and entered pro-cut. Recipe fixed for Approved shades.

Step 3 – OFF Shade Rolls –

Trials -Responsible -Wash Team

Intimate Suppliers – Responsible – SCM

Involving Buyers if Trails fails – Marketing Team

• Rolls those are too much off from the standard considered as OFF SHADES ROLLS and a mail send to concern fabric Mills for Off Shade Rolls by keeping SCM/Marketing Team in CC.

• Meantime, washing team to do trials and try to achieve the standard. If trails OK, fix the recipe as per trail.

• If Trails NOT OK, review the trials with Fabric supplier for further improvements/Trials.

• If Trails with supplier team fail meet the buyer with our trials for guidance.

• OFF SHADE Rolls -Only Buyer can approve to proceed further.

• Based on wash blanket review and trials, Recipe wise shades fixed.
• Special Recipe shades should be identified with kimbal/string so that these garments washed with special recipe. 

• Shade bands approval in Leg Form where applicable 

• Leg Panels made from the shade family grouping – 5 sets from each shade group
• These leg forms washed using the complete wash process as per buyer approval.
• Shade bands submitted in leg form and get buyer approval prior to bulk cutting or bulk washing

Initial/Pilot/1^st Bulk:

• 300 pcs or as required by washing team for bulk washing to be cut.
• Shade band approval in garment form (Cutting number 99) – one or 2 layers from each shade should be included in initial bulk cutting. (Minimum 8 to 10 pcs per shade grouping) This should be marked properly and identified properly from cutting to washing to get shade bands approval in garment form from buyer.
• Washing team who involved in blanket wash to be involved in 1^st bulk garment wash.
• 1^st Bulk Washed garments to be reviewed with all concern and recipe to be finalized for bulk.

Shade Control at Cutting: 

• Cut Plan-Cut Plan to be Shade, Shrinkage & Width wise.
• Cutting must be shade wise, mix shade not allowed in one cutting. If shades are more, must use separate sheet and bundling done separately to avoid any shade mix up.
• Shade wise cutting to be issued sewing floor.
• Cutting Number should have Shade code.. Example 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D, 5=D.
• Cut Bundles to have shade name.

Shade Control at Sewing:

• Shade wise line feeding.
• Hangers identified with shade numbers.
• Shade numbers to be attached on garment as one of the first process while feeding the line..
• QC Passed Output garments segregated shade wise
• Special Recipe shades should be identified with kimbal/string so that these garments washed with special recipe.
• Shade wise garments identified in a bag or trolley and passed to Washing.

Shade Control at Washing:

• Washing receiving team accept the sewn garments only shade wise
• Garments to be washed based on Shade using the recipe fixed during blanket or leg form washing.
• Washing Quality to check 100% for washing shade
• Every wash lots been audited by independent Auditor Team for Shade & Measurements
• Only shade OK garments passed to Finishing.
• Off shade garments must be reworked.
• Need to get more shade range approval from buyer if required.
• Daily washing quality report shared on rework.

Shade control at Finishing/Packing:

• Finishing 1^st process to check the washed garments against approved shade & only approved shade garments passed to finishing process
• Dedicated shade segregation team-to ensures passed garments packed as per buyer requirements – One Country one shade or one shade one carton, etc
• Independent hourly carton audit to ensure that only approved shades/same shades packed as per buyer requirement.
• GPQ/RQS/NQC teams to check the packed cartons for shade control as per buyer requirements regularly to avoid any possible inline/pre-final & final inspection failure.

we hope this will help you to know about Denim washes standard operating procedure