AQL — Acceptable Quality Limit — is the worst defect level in a batch that you are willing to accept as a buyer. It is written as a number like 2.5 or 1.5, and that number is a percentage of the inspected sample, not the whole order.
What the number means
Inspectors don't check every garment; they sample to an AQL table (ISO 2859 / ANSI Z1.4). For a given order size, the sample count is fixed and the AQL sets how many defects are allowed before the lot is rejected.
- **AQL 2.5** allows more minor defects per sample. It is the common default for standard fashion and promotional apparel where a few loose threads or a faint shade variation are acceptable.
- **AQL 1.5** is tighter. Fewer defects are permitted, so more of the lot is effectively held to a higher bar. It suits retail, uniform and private-label programmes where consistency protects a brand on a shelf.
- **AQL 1.0 or lower** is reserved for critical-use or highly visible SKUs.
Major vs minor defects
The number alone is not the whole story. A missing size label is a *major* defect; a slightly long thread is *minor*. AQL 2.5 and 1.5 each have their own major/minor acceptance counts, so a lot can pass on minors yet fail on a single major.
Which to specify
If you are unsure, AQL 2.5 is a reasonable default for general apparel and AQL 1.5 for retail or branded product. We set the level at sampling, run in-line checks during sewing, and apply the agreed AQL at final inspection — so the number on your PO is the number on the report.