Procurement decisions and comparisons
Lot Rejection vs Item Segregation: Separate the Apparel Decisions
A lot disposition and an item-sorting instruction answer different questions. Record whether the defined lot is accepted, held or rejected separately from which individual garments have been identified and physically segregated.
For buyers managing a questioned garment shipment.
Define the population under discussion
Identify the order, style, color, size range and shipment or production portion covered by the decision. Avoid using the word lot for both an entire order and a single carton. Link the question to the inspection record and its stated scope. If the population cannot be reconstructed, resolve identification before announcing a disposition. The guide supplies no sampling threshold and does not infer full-order condition from a limited observation.
Describe segregation as a handling action
State which identified items move, where they go and how they remain distinguishable from unreconciled stock. Record the reason and current count without calling the remainder accepted by default. A sorting instruction can protect traceability while the decision is unresolved. Ask how removed items will be prevented from returning to ordinary packing. Photographs of a separate pile are insufficient if the individual or carton references cannot be tied to the record.
Assign disposition authority separately
Name who may accept the defined population, authorize more examination or agree a corrective route. A warehouse colleague who isolates items may not have that authority. Keep the supplier response and buyer decision distinguishable. If sorting is proposed as a remedy, agree its scope and subsequent evidence before restarting dispatch. Do not treat a count of visibly removed garments as proof that every remaining garment satisfies all purchase requirements.
Reconcile before changing status
Connect the initial population, segregated items and final handling outcome. Record whether items were reworked, returned, retained or otherwise disposed of under an agreed instruction. Obtain a new decision where required instead of overwriting the original inspection result. Keep any commercial settlement separate. This produces an auditable status trail without inventing universal acceptance rules, compulsory remedies or a guarantee that a particular sorting exercise resolves the underlying problem.
Decision and evidence checklist
| Decision | Include in the brief | Review evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Exact order and covered portion | Inspection scope reference |
| Handling | Item IDs, count and hold location | Segregation record |
| Disposition | Authority and subsequent decision | Accepted resolution instruction |
What this brief does and does not establish
A status-and-custody comparison, not an inspection standard or legal rejection right. Confirm the actual population, contractual acceptance terms and qualified inspection scope.
Share the defined lot and open disposition question when discussing garment QC scope. Open the MyOwnWear RFQ form.
Buyer questions
Does sorting mean the lot is accepted?
No. Record the lot decision independently and obtain the relevant authority.
Can the remainder be assumed conforming?
Not from segregation alone. Agree the examination and acceptance evidence needed.
Does this set an AQL rule?
No. Any sampling plan or acceptance criterion must be separately agreed and correctly applied.