AQL (Acceptable Quality Level)

Definition

A statistical sampling system (defined by ISO 2859) used to determine how many units to inspect from a production batch and the maximum number of defects allowed for the batch to pass. AQL 2.5 is the industry standard for garments — in a 1,000-unit order, a random sample of 80 units is inspected, and the batch fails if more than 5 units have defects. White Cotton applies AQL 2.5 on all orders unless a stricter level is specified.