What should our sealed sample approval record include so bulk can be checked against it?
A sample on a shelf is not a standard until its record says what it is. Capture the references, measurements and tests that bulk will be judged against.
Our factory and our inspector disagree about whether bulk hoodies match the approved sample. The sample was signed, but nobody wrote down what exactly was approved. What should a sealed sample record include next time?
Main answer
A sealed sample is useful because it is a physical reference both sides agreed. But a signature on a hangtag does not say which features were approved, which were accepted with comments, or which tests the sample passed. The record should make the sample checkable by someone who was not in the approval meeting, such as your inspector.
Identify exactly what was approved
Record the style number, size, colour and the date, and which sample stage it was: fit, pre-production or production sample. List the references of every component: body fabric, rib, thread, labels, drawcords, zips and packaging. A sample made with substitute trims should say so, with the approved trim references noted separately.
Write down the numbers
Attach the measured spec sheet for the sealed sample, with each point of measure and its tolerance. Record the fabric's finished weight and its method, for example ASTM D3776, and any test reports on the fabric or garment. Bulk is then compared with numbers as well as with the sample's appearance.
Record the comments
Most disputes come from approvals with comments, such as "approved, but lengthen sleeve 1 cm". Write each comment as a required change with its measurement, and mark whether the factory must submit another sample or can proceed directly to bulk. If the sealed sample does not yet show the change, the record must say so.
Connect it to the inspection
Give the inspector a copy of the record together with the defect list and sampling plan. Your inspection contract should name the sampling standard and its edition. ISO 2859-1 was revised in 2026, so the edition matters. The inspector then checks bulk against the sealed sample, the record and the defect list, all of which the factory has seen.
Store it where it can be used
Keep one sealed sample with you and one at the factory, sealed and labelled with the same reference. Store the record digitally with photos of the front, back and key details. At reorder, the same record becomes the starting point, and only changes need new approval.
A good test of the record: could a new inspector, with only the record and the sample, decide whether a bulk garment passes? If not, add whatever they would need to ask about.
Sources and further reading
- ISO 2859-1 — Sampling by attributes indexed by AQL (1999 edition page, showing its 2026 revision)
- ASTM D3776/D3776M — Mass per Unit Area (Weight) of Fabric
Standards and rules are summarised from their published scope or official guidance. Use the current edition and confirm requirements for your market.
Three perspectives on this question
Purchasing perspective
I'd reference the sealed sample record number on the purchase order. Then 'matches approved sample' in the contract points to a document, not just to a garment that may have been handled for months.
Merchandising perspective
Approval comments are where my decisions live. I'd write them with the measurement and the reason, so the factory understands what matters and doesn't over-correct something else.
QC perspective
Our inspectors work from the record, not memory. If a point isn't on the record, it is hard to raise as a defect. So we'd rather have a slightly longer record than an argument at final inspection.
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