HM Factory Audit-Quality Control Manual Contents

HM Factory Audit-Quality Control Manual Contents

H&M has issued a Production and Quality Control Manual (GPQ) to help it reach an agreement with suppliers on mutually acceptable quality standards. The GPQ should be used as a guide to identify and resolve problems as early as possible.
GPQ clearly defines the minimum quality control requirements that are consistent with H&M's rules, requirements, restrictions, conditions and standards.
The GPQ is considered to be the contract between H&M and the supplier regarding the order. The rest of the contract includes all other official documents of H&M . See page 3.
It is the supplier's responsibility to ensure that all H&M official documents listed on page 3 are communicated to yarn, fabric and accessory suppliers.

If the requirements of these documents are not implemented or met, H&M reserves the right to cancel the order or re-process the original order. Any costs incurred due to failure to meet these requirements will be borne by the supplier. Legal proceedings will be conducted in accordance with the legal procedures of the importing country.

It is important to carry out quality control throughout the entire process, from the planning stage of production until the bulk shipment.
The purpose of garment inspection is to visually examine the garment, judging its overall form and appearance according to the specifications of all H&M official documents and the standards of pre-production samples accepted by H&M .

H&M requires real-time inspection of systems and processes in all aspects of the production process. For every order from H&M, there must be a final quality control report to ensure that the quality meets the requirements.
H&M's quality control staff will regularly visit suppliers during production to monitor and ensure that suppliers strictly implement H&M's quality standards and requirements. H&M personnel should have the right to inspect all garments and access all records at any time before, during and after production.
However, the main purpose of inspection is not only to check the percentage of defective products, but also to point out possible problems and to correct them as early as possible in subsequent production.

H&M requires suppliers to:
* Employees receive training relevant to their jobs.
* All relevant parts of the garment must be recorded: fabrics, accessories, packaging materials, hangers, etc.
* Record inspection results throughout the production process.
* Detect problems before defects occur
* Stop production immediately after a defect occurs
* Identify problems, find out their causes, and prevent them from happening again.

H&M official document
* H&M company order form, size chart, pattern, construction diagram, size and color matching chart, trademark instructions, production order and detailed instructions, etc.
* H&M's Code of Conduct
* H&M Company "Quality Standards and Requirements"
* H&M's "Children's Clothing Safety Requirements"
* H&M Company "Restrictions on Chemicals"
* H&M Company "Restrictions on Sunglasses"
* H&M Delivery and Trade Conditions (H&M D&TC), the terms and conditions of delivery. The supplier's country should have one of the two.
* H&M's standard purchasing conditions
* The latest version of "ICC Incoterms"

Manufacturing Manual
1 Sample Procedure
1.1 General Rules
* The order has been written with the required garment size and the delivery date of each sample. The order will not be effective until H&M approves the pre-production sample provided by the supplier. If the pre-production sample arrives at H&M later than the agreed time, H&M will consider it as a new sample provided by the supplier and make a decision at its discretion.
* H&M Rowells orders are only valid if they arrive at H&M as scheduled and are approved.
* H&M reserves the right to cancel the order if the sample does not meet the specified requirements.
* All samples must be marked with order number, department number, supplier name, date, sample name (e.g., "style sample", "pre-production confirmation sample"), etc., and then sent to the local production department of H&M .
* H&M or another independent company will conduct various tests on confirmation samples, production samples and subsequent delivered products.

1.2 Style
The style sample must provide confirmation of style, size, pattern, and workmanship according to the specified requirements of the size table, paper pattern, structure diagram, and detailed description. The quality of the sample should be as close as possible to the mass-produced product in terms of fabric composition, structure, and weight. The color should be consistent with the color sample.

1.3 Size Sample
Garment size samples include a complete set of garment samples of various sizes or a set of samples of different sizes (as specified in the order). Size samples must meet the requirements of style, size, pattern, and workmanship specified in the size chart, paper pattern, construction diagram, and detailed description. The quality of the samples should be as close as possible to the mass-produced products in terms of fabric composition, structure, and weight. The color should be consistent with the color plate sample.

1.4 Pre-production confirmation sample (pre-production sealed sample)
* Pre-production confirmation samples are correct samples that are finally approved by the supplier and provided to H&M before production begins.
* After the pre-production sample is approved, it is considered that the supplier has understood and implemented the " H&M Company Quality Standards and Requirements", " H&M Company Safety Requirements" and " H&M Company Restrictions on Chemicals".
* Pre-production samples must be made of bulk fabrics and must comply with the order, paper pattern, size chart and all requirements in the previous samples. The order will not take effect until the pre-production samples are approved.
* All trims and logos must be of the correct quality and sewn in the correct position.
* Pre-production confirmation samples are available on request for each color.
* A sample report must be provided together with the samples, and the report must include the dimensions and final comments.
* Production must comply with approved pre-production sample standards and fully comply with H&M D&TC , H&M Code of Conduct, H&M Quality Standards and Requirements, H& M Safety Requirements, H&M Sunglasses Requirements and H&M Chemical Restrictions.

Production can only begin after the pre-production confirmation sample is approved.
H&M will attach a special seal to the confirmed pre-production sample for easy identification. After the pre-production sample is approved, it is considered that the supplier has understood and implemented all the requirements and restrictions mentioned in the introduction.

Suppliers are required to display duplicate seal samples in each production department, especially during the inspection stage. These duplicate samples can be used as a reference for the inspection department and production management department, and must also be available for use during the final inspection. All duplicate seal samples must be hung with a hanger tag indicating the sample's order number, style and production date.

Each production department must have a copy of the confirmation sample.

1.5 Production Sample
Production samples must be taken from the actual production line. When the finished product comes off the line, H&M quality control personnel should take samples as soon as possible. All trademarks, price tags, etc. must be attached to the product. The folding and packaging of the product must also be exactly the same as the actual delivered product. Before shipment, H&M must confirm the production sample and perform various tests on it.

1.6 Fashion Show Samples – For Advertising Only
For many orders, H&M needs a lot of samples for promotions and fashion shows. Fashion show samples cannot replace or be part of other samples. Fashion show samples should be sent to the press contact in each country by prepaid courier or registered airmail express mail at the latest on the specified date. For further information, please see H&M D&TC .

1.7 Image - Only for H&M Rowells
The sample does not have to be picked up on the actual production line. However, its style, quality, color and accessories must be consistent with the order and the actual product. The order of H&M Rowells will not be effective until the sample arrives at H&M within the required period.

2. How to measure
H&M requires all suppliers to measure their products strictly in accordance with H&M's method. Please contact H&M's local office for specific instructions.

3. Color samples/yarn samples/pattern samples and hand-woven samples are required to make color samples for mass production and to provide confirmation of a color that matches the original color of H&M .

The purpose of making a pattern / hand-woven sample is to confirm the pattern design of the print and the color combination of the yarn-dyed fabric.

* The color sample should be consistent with the actual fabric or material ordered
* The minimum size of the color sample should be 4x 10cm
* The pattern or hand-woven pattern should be large enough to show the repeating pattern of the pattern. Hand-woven patterns can be replaced by winding sample yarn.
* For yarn-dyed checks or stripes, it is recommended to send a small sample for confirmation.
* For yarn-dyed plain fabrics and knitted sweaters, the yarn should be woven into a swatch by a sampler or other means before submitting the sample. If this is not possible, the yarn should be wound on a board that does not contain fluorescent brighteners. The surface area of ​​the yarn should be at least 4× 4cm , the board cannot be seen through the yarn.
* The pattern / color / hand-woven pattern must be shown on paper, face up, with serial number, date, original pattern / design number.
* It is recommended to include a spectral color analysis report with color samples.

4. Color Continuity Control A color continuity record should be established as a reference for each batch of dyed samples.
* The size of the sample for continuous color should be at least 4× 10cm .
* Fix each sample firmly on a board, with the front side facing up, with all ends and stripes arranged in the same direction, and clearly mark the batch number, actual width, length, and planned country and date of shipment.
* It is recommended that a color report comparing the measurements of each dyed batch to the approved color sample be submitted with the color continuity report.
* For washed garments, all color batch samples should be sewn together to make a patchwork sample, and then washed so that the color change of the samples can be observed after washing.
H&M shall have access to all records, which shall be kept for at least 12 months.

5 H&M company light source and color measurement method
H&M uses a spectrophotometer to assist in visually evaluating colors. All visual color matching assessments must be performed in a light box.
The minimum size of the color sample is 4× 10cm .

5.1 Light Box
* The light source of the light box must comply with the daylight D65 light source ( Philips TLD 965 ) and the H&M company's " store light source " TL83 ( Philips TLD830 ). Each light source should be used separately.
* The light box should be placed in a darkroom or in a room that is as dark as possible.
* The light box should be clean and free of other samples.
* The inner wall surface of the light box is non-reflective neutral gray, and the gray tone should be close to Munsell N7 . The light source lamp should be replaced in time after working for 1300 hours.
* Color matching requires two people to complete it together.
* The sample and standard sample should be in the same direction.
* Evaluate color from different angles, which is especially important for directional fabrics (such as pile fabrics, vertical pile fabrics, etc.).

5.2 Spectrophotometer
H&M uses a spectrophotometer from Datacolor .
* This spectrophotometer is only used to evaluate the color of solid color fabrics.
* The sample cloth should be flat, without wrinkles, dust on the surface, and without coating or adhesive on the back.
* Fold the fabric into several layers to ensure that light cannot penetrate the fabric sample, but not too thick to prevent the fabric from protruding into the test integrating sphere and affecting the measurement accuracy. Measure the front side of the fabric.

Spectrophotometers should be regularly maintained, cleaned and calibrated according to Datacolor 's spectral test methods or similar methods. These maintenance tasks should be performed by authorized personnel.

Color space CMC2:1
Light source: D65 light source or TL83 light source, 10° space
Device:        Measuring area: Diameter 30mm ( LAV aperture), calibration method: reflected light, including reflector aperture, UV range up to 400nm , calibration every 8 hours, at least 2 readings are required for plain fabrics (once at 0° and once at 90° ), at least 4 readings are required for fabrics with directionality or other organizational structures (once at 0° , 90° , 180° and 270° ).

Color Evaluation
Color difference between original sample and color sample: DE<1.0
Color difference between color sample and production sample: DE<1.0

* Swatches should not show color matching (i.e., color differences under different light sources).
* The production area and all parts of a garment (garments of the same color) must be consistent with the approved laboratory samples in terms of DL brightness, DC saturation and DH color, see the figure for details.
* There will be color differences between each batch of products. Garment suppliers must check the color differences in a batch or a roll of products according to the standards before cutting (differences at the edges and differences at both ends).
* Knitted plain fabric: All parts of the same garment must be of the same quality and the same cylinder number before they can be cut.
* Woven fabrics: All pieces of the same garment must be made not only from the same cylinder number, but also from the same layer of fabric.
* For fabrics with direction, all parts of the garment must be cut in the same direction. All garments in the same order must be cut in the same direction unless otherwise agreed on the order.

For fabrics whose color measurement points fall outside the color tolerance range of H&M , suppliers should contact H&M 's local office to seek a solution to the problem. When contacting H&M 's office, the quantity of fabrics involved should be reported.

6 Fabric / Yarn

6.1 Fabric / yarn inspection
Fabric / yarn suppliers are responsible for conducting a thorough inspection of fabrics/ yarns before delivering them to garment processing factories to ensure compliance with the " H&M Quality Standards and Requirements" and " H&M Chemical Restrictions". Garment suppliers are responsible for inspecting fabrics / yarns before cutting or knitting, regardless of whether they have any relationship with fabric / yarn suppliers. Inspection records of fabric / fabric suppliers must be included with delivery .

Garment processing factories should have a set of methods and equipment for fabric inspection before cutting.

H&M recommends that all textile inspections follow the " four-point system " .
According to the following criteria, the defects in the warp and weft directions are scored according to the size of the defects:
Length less than 3"/ 7.5cm Defects 1 point
Length greater than or equal to 3"/ 7.5cm to equal 6"/ 15cm 2 points for defects between
Length greater than 6"/ 15cm to equal 9"/ 22.5cm 3 points for defects between
Length greater than 9"/ 22.5cm 4 points of defects
Hole size less than or equal to 1"/ 2.5cm 2 points for defects
Hole size greater than 2"/ 5cm 4 points of defects
In 36"/ 90cm The total score of defects on long fabrics shall not exceed 4 points.

For more information on the four-point system, please contact the textile testing agency or H&M 's local office.

Fabrics are inspected using a fabric inspection machine that has a variable speed control, projection light source, yardage counter, and an overfeed device for knitted or elastic fabrics. Fabric rolls selected for inspection should represent all colors and batches of the same color. Inspection should be performed by at least two people in turn to ensure that they can make correct judgments and do not get tired.

When delivering fabrics in batches, clothing suppliers should conduct visual inspections on at least 10 % of the total delivery volume. If the defect rate is high, an additional 15 % of the rolls should be inspected. If they still cannot pass the inspection, the batch should be rejected or a comprehensive inspection should be conducted on the batch.

Both yarn suppliers and garment processing factories should have methods and equipment for yarn inspection.
* Patch the yarn together to a sufficient thickness and then test.
* Knit a fabric sample (a handkerchief) from different color lots of yarn to detect the difference in color.

6.2 Storage of fabrics / yarns
When storing, place the fabric on the shelf and cover all fabric / yarn rolls with plastic bags to prevent them from getting damp or deteriorating, or from being contaminated or corroded by the outer packaging. Fabrics should not be stacked too high to prevent the bottom rolls from deforming or being damaged.

6.3 Fabric / yarn shrinkage
H&M requires clothing suppliers to evaluate the shrinkage of batches of fabrics and yarns before cutting or knitting. This is to determine the different shrinkage rates of each batch of fabrics / yarns so that they can be cut and knitted individually according to the style within the allowable shrinkage range. The rolls of fabric or yarn selected for shrinkage testing must be able to represent all colors and product types in a batch of goods. The shrinkage record must include both the warp and weft shrinkage.

6.4 Fabric relaxation
Generally, all knitted fabrics and woven fabrics containing elastic yarns (such as spanx / elastane) need to be relaxed and pre-set before cutting and laying. This helps to reduce and prevent relaxation shrinkage, and the natural shrinkage of the cut pieces is more severe.

7 Accessories The quality of all accessories should comply with " H&M Quality Standards and Requirements", " H&M Chemical Restrictions" and " H&M Children's Wear Safety Requirements".

Accessories include sewing thread, buttons, pockets, zippers, linings, all trademarks and hangtags, price tags, etc. It is important that all accessories look exactly the same as those approved by H&M . Keep the accessories card.
It is important to ensure that metal decorations on infant and children's clothing do not contain iron.
The care label should be durable. The printed words should be washable and still legible after daily washing.
Elastic bands must be shrunk and relaxed before being processed into finished garments.
H&M recommends that all buttons be sewn with a lockstitch machine.
Children's clothing buttons must be made with a lockstitch button machine. All children's clothing suppliers should have a safety fastness quality tester (SAFQ) . All accessories such as buttons, rivets, bows, etc. should be tested for fastness.
The sewing thread must be of good quality and able to maintain its strength, especially after the garment has been heavily washed.

8Production Process

Before production begins, the supplier should hold a separate pre-production meeting for each style of garment. It is very important that all personnel involved in the production process, both before and after, attend the meeting. This will help to clarify the control measures required to ensure that the garments are of consistent quality, and in each production area, emphasize the need to avoid defects during production as much as possible, rather than detecting them later. Keep minutes of the meeting. If the production site is far away and a meeting is not possible, then detailed written information should be provided to the production department.
We recommend that the main order and tail order be produced continuously, so as to avoid starting the production line twice and help improve product quality.
In every production area, our focus should be on avoiding defects rather than finding them.
When the production area is far away, the detailed information from the production meeting must be delivered to the production area in writing.
All production areas must have a backup of the opposite sample.

8.1 Testability Tailoring
H&M recommends that suppliers conduct test cuts before starting production, testing approximately 150-600 pieces in various sizes and colors. This makes it easier to identify and resolve problems that would otherwise occur during production.

8.2 Laying and cutting
* Joining: The two layers should overlap and cover the joining mark.
* Tension: When laying the material, check that the fabric has no tension, that is, it should not be stretched tight.
* Stretchy yarns must be relaxed before cutting.
* Fabric layer height: Determine the appropriate layer height based on fabric type.
* All patterned fabrics on the pattern sheet must be placed on the correct lines.
* Where marking is done, the fabric pattern must not be damaged or overlapped.
* All parts of woven garments must be made from the same layer of fabric.
* All parts of knitted plain fabric garments must be from the same cylinder number.
* Avoid using any type of pins when fixing the marker.

8.3 Sewing
* We require assembly line processing. This ensures continuous and stable quality throughout the production process.
* Quality control personnel should monitor quality at the production site and at the end of the production line. Supervisors should frequently inspect the production site.
* Once a problem is found, production should be stopped immediately until the problem is found and solved, and then production can be restarted. Keep records of any problems.
* There should be a mechanic to maintain the machine. All machines should be inspected and repaired regularly. It is recommended that suppliers establish a maintenance service contract with the machine manufacturing company.
* The machine operator is responsible for ensuring that the machine is functioning properly. If a major machine failure occurs, the mechanic or supervisor should be contacted immediately.
* Broken needles should be recorded. The locations of all broken needles should be recorded in the work log.

8.4 Knitting or weaving
* Different pieces of the same garment should be woven on the same loom.
* Quality control personnel should monitor quality at the production site and at the end of the production line. Supervisors should frequently inspect the production site.
* Once a problem is found, production should be stopped immediately until the problem is found and solved, and then production can be restarted. Keep records of any problems.
* There should be a mechanic to maintain the machine. All machines should be inspected and repaired regularly. It is recommended that suppliers establish a maintenance service contract with the machine manufacturing company.
* The machine operator is responsible for ensuring that the machine is functioning properly. If a major machine failure occurs, the mechanic or supervisor should be contacted immediately.
* Broken needles should be recorded. The locations of all broken needles should be recorded in the work log.

8.5 Thread trimming
* Thread trimming should be done throughout the sewing process.
* Only final touches are performed on the finished area before the product is packaged.

8.6 Ironing
* Adjust the heating temperature of the iron according to the material and style of the clothing.
* To avoid aurora marks after ironing, it is recommended to use a nylon iron cover.
* For heavy knitted fabrics, it is recommended to use some shaping boards when ironing the garments, so that the garments will not be deformed during ironing.

8.7 Needle Detection
Each piece of baby and children's clothing must be checked using a needle detector. Our standard is ferrous metal with a diameter of 1.2 mm. For further information, please see H&M's corporate safety information.

8.8 Retail and transport packaging
* Packaging must comply with H&M D&TC standards.
* The size and quality of the carton must comply with the order requirements and H&M D&TC standards.
* During the packing process, the goods must be protected from insects. The doors and windows of the packing building must be closed or equipped with screens or other suitable coverings.
* Packaging must be reviewed.

8.9 Storage
* Cartons must be stored differently in different countries.
* Carton number one must be clearly marked with a red label indicating that a packing list is enclosed.
* Cartons must be stored on racks to avoid damage from water or soil during storage.
* Goods that are about to be shipped must be stored by country, size and color. Goods must be covered with plastic tape / wrapping material.
* For questions about preventing mold, please contact your local H&M office for advice.

9 Inspection
H&M recommends that suppliers arrange an independent quality assurance team to be responsible for quality management (internal audit). This team must be separate from the production staff, directly guided by the company owner and completely independent.
It is important that H&M carries out an internal quality control (audit) before inspecting the ordered goods.
The inspection report must be kept for reference by visiting H&M quality control personnel. To make H&M 's inspection more effective, please use the form provided by H&M , which contains the same information as the H&M report .

Suppliers who have subcontractors for production must arrange their own quality control personnel at the subcontractor. The supplier is responsible for ensuring that the subcontractor also complies with all H&M 's quality standards and requirements.

9.1 Initial Inspection
The supplier will try to cut 150 to 600 pieces of full color and full code. It is important for the quality control team to conduct an initial inspection of the products. This is to ensure that the products meet all requirements. In order to ensure smooth and continuous production, initial inspection is very important. At this stage, problems can be discovered and solved in time to avoid major problems in subsequent production that will disrupt the entire production.

Information on the planned start and end of production of the order should be provided to the local H&M office.

9.2 Online inspection / mid-term inspection
The purpose of online inspection is to confirm the approved production process and regulations at the beginning of production. The approved pre-production confirmation sample and its identical copy should be provided to each link of production. Information about the style (including size, accessories, etc.) should be made known to each staff member.

Suppliers must immediately resolve all issues found during internal inspections and must not allow H&M to discover these issues during the next quality inspection.

Goods must be inspected and every important process in the production process must be documented.

* Cut / knit: Whether the individual parts match the surface of the fabric, and defects in the fabric or knitting.
* Semi-finished products: General craftsmanship, appearance and dimensions. For example, the position of stitches, seams, collars, sleeves and pockets.
* Finished Product: General workmanship, appearance and dimensions. For example, stitching, seams, pockets, zipper placement and the fixing of buttons, rivets and buttonholes.
* Finishing / Pressing: Overall process, pressing and adjusting the appearance and size.

9.3 Final Inspection
H&M requires suppliers to conduct final inspection according to the following procedures: implement AQL2.5 , general inspection level II , normal inspection, and separate sampling plan.
That is: randomly sample from the bulk goods, conduct inspection, and decide whether the entire batch of products is accepted based on the quality of the inspected products.

The supplier must fulfill the responsibility that all bulk goods must comply with:
* Approved pre-production sample appearance and workmanship
* H&M company size chart
* H&M company quality standards and requirements
* H&M 's children's clothing safety requirements
* H&M 's restrictions on chemicals in textiles, leather, plastics and metal products
* H&M 's restrictions on sunglasses

At the same time, pay special attention to the following points:
* Price tag, country, clothing size
* Product size, color and quantity in the carton
* Ratio of each large package
* The carton must have the correct box mark and the hanging tag
* Hanging card for bag
* No big plastic bags

Production records should be kept for easy reference and comparison with previous inspection results. Analysis will help identify areas that require improvement. These records will form part of the final inspection report, so a copy may be required to be submitted to the local H&M office for review. If H&M personnel conduct the final inspection in person, the supplier should provide access to all garments to allow true random sampling during the inspection. In addition, internal inspection records should be accessible to H&M personnel.

10 Definition of defects
Defects are divided into serious defects, major defects and minor defects.
Serious defects
Serious defects include:
* Products that do not comply with H&M 's Children's Wear Safety Requirements and / or H&M 's Chemical Restrictions
* The RN number and CA number are missing from the trademark.
* Lack of origin or composition on the trademark.
* The trademark is missing the Swedish address of H&M company “H&M 106 38 Stockholm Sweden” .
* Products that lack the “ Keep Away from Fire ” label on GB children’s clothing, children’s sleepwear, or women’s and men’s sleepwear in sizes 50-62 .
* Products that lack the "Open now" label on children's clothing, children's sleepwear or women's or men's sleepwear in NL .

If serious defects are found during inspection, the entire batch of products will be rejected and thoroughly re-inspected by the supplier's quality control team.

Main defects
The main defects are:
* Defects that consumers can see and discover during use and that affect product quality
* Defects that affect the practicality of the product
* Not in compliance with the H&M Quality Standards and Requirements and / or the H&M Minimum Production Requirements

Minor defects
Minor defects are:
* Defects that are not easily visible or discovered by consumers during use and do not affect product quality
* Defects that do not affect the practicality of the product but do not meet the required quality standards

Defect judgment
Suppliers must correctly understand how to judge defect types
* Concentrated in the same key area, i.e. the upper part and front center of the garment, 3 minor defects should be regarded as 1 major defect.
* If a garment has 1 major defect and some minor defects, it will be counted as having 1 major defect.

However, if minor defects occur continuously and affect the overall appearance of the garment, production should be stopped and the problem discussed with the local H&M office.