Fabric grading systems compared
4-point vs 10-point vs Graniteville 78: fabric inspection scoring systems
Fabric inspection software has to score defects the way the buyer's manual says. Most export buyers specify the 4-point system per ASTM D5430, but some woven and home-textile buyers still write the 10-point system, and a few cutting-led buyers use Graniteville 78. This page compares the three, shows the same roll scored under each, and lets you check your own roll with a free calculator.
How do the three systems score a defect?
Every system turns the length of a visible defect into penalty points. They differ in the length bands, in how many points one yard may carry, and in how the total is judged.
| Rule | 4-point (per ASTM D5430) | 10-point system | Graniteville 78 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points by defect length | ≤ 3 in = 1 · 3–6 in = 2 · 6–9 in = 3 · over 9 in = 4 | Warp: ≤ 1 in = 1 · 1–5 in = 3 · 5–10 in = 5 · 10–36 in = 10 Weft: ≤ 1 in = 1 · 1–5 in = 3 · 5 in to half the width = 5 · over half the width = 10 | ≤ 9 in = 1 · 9–18 in = 2 · 18–27 in = 3 · 27–36 in = 4 |
| Most points for one defect | 4 | 10 | 4 |
| Most points per linear yard | 4 | 10 | Width in inches ÷ 9, rounded up (6 for 48 in, 7 for 58–63 in) |
| Holes and openings | Usually ≤ 1 in = 2, over 1 in = 4 (buyer rule) | By length and direction | By length |
| Running defects | 4 points for every yard they continue | Points for every yard they continue, max 10 per yard | Points for every yard they continue, within the per-yard cap |
| How the roll is judged | Points × 3600 ÷ (yards × width in) against the buyer limit, often 40 per 100 sq yd for a roll | First quality when total points ≤ yards inspected (1 point per yard); many buyers use 0.5 per yard for finished goods | Normalised to points per 100 sq yd against the buyer limit; published descriptions differ, so use the buyer's figure |
| Typical use | Knits and wovens for most export buyers today | Older system, mostly woven piece goods | Cutting-room view: short defects are cut out, longer ones weigh more |
Standards are cited for reference only; always use the figures in your buyer's own manual. Fabric Inspection Software stores the system, limits and caps on each buyer standard and is not certified by any standards body.
Try it: one roll, three systems
Enter the roll size and each defect's length and position. Switch the system to see how the same roll scores under each rule; the per-yard cap and running defects are applied as you type.
Score a roll defect by defect
| Defect length (in) | Direction | At yard | Runs (yd) | Points | Remove |
|---|
0 × 3600 ÷ (100 yd × 58 in) = 0.0
Per-yard cap: 4 points.
Worked example: the same 100-yard roll under each system
A 100 yd × 58 in roll with seven defects. The sixth defect is a 4-inch warp defect that runs for 3 yards. These are the numbers the calculator above loads, and they are checked by an automated test in the product.
| Defect (length, direction, yard) | 4-point | 10-point | Graniteville 78 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in, warp, yard 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 in, weft, yard 25 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 8 in, warp, yard 43 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 1 in, warp, yard 61 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 in, weft, yard 75 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 4 in, warp, yards 86–88 (running 3 yd) | 2 × 3 = 6 | 3 × 3 = 9 | 1 × 3 = 3 |
| 12 in, warp, yard 99 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| Total points | 21 | 36 | 12 |
| Result | 21 × 3600 ÷ (100 × 58) = 13.0 per 100 sq yd · PASS at 40 | 36 ≤ 100 yd × 1 point = PASS (36 per 100 linear yd) | 12 × 3600 ÷ 5,800 = 7.4 per 100 sq yd · PASS at 40 |
The same roll looks very different under each system: the 10-point system punishes the long warp defect hard, while Graniteville 78 barely counts the short ones. That is why a roll can pass for one buyer and fail for another, and why the system belongs on the buyer standard, not in the inspector's head.
How does Fabric Inspection Software apply the right system?
Each buyer in the buyer standards library has one or more standards, and each standard names its scoring system. When the inspector picks the buyer at roll intake, the inspection screen changes to match: 1–4 point buttons with the 4-point or Graniteville bands, or 1, 3, 5 and 10 point buttons with a warp / weft switch for the 10-point system. The gauge shows points per 100 sq yd or points against yards, the per-yard cap and running-defect rules follow the system, and the report prints the system's legend at the foot.
If the inspector types the defect size instead of pressing a button, the app scores it under the buyer's system automatically. A roll's defects keep their lengths and positions, so the result is always reproducible.
Which system should you use?
The one in your buyer's manual. For a mill grading its own output, the 4-point system per ASTM D5430 is the common choice because almost every export buyer understands it. If a home-textile or woven buyer sends a 10-point manual, set that buyer's standard to the 10-point system and the allowed points per yard they specify. If a buyer grades from the cutting room's point of view, Graniteville 78 may be what they ask for. Read more in our 4-point system guide, try the original 4-point calculator for a quick per-100-sq-yd figure, or see how the result reaches the buyer on the sample reports page.
What about automatic vision systems?
Machine-vision systems such as Shelton WebSpector, Uster Fabriq Vision and Datatex CATS detect and classify defects on the inspection machine and plan cuts for yield, at capital-equipment prices that are quoted rather than published (as of October 2026; check with each vendor). Fabric Inspection Software is for human inspection on a ₹10k tablet: it does not detect defects from camera images, but it applies the same buyer grading, adds bow, skew, width and length checks, and plans cuts from the roll map. See the full comparison with alternatives.
Check your own roll, then let the app do it on the floor
Every plan includes all three systems. Start a 14-day pilot with your buyer's manual loaded, or book a demo on your own rolls.
Fabric scoring system questions
What is the difference between the 4-point and the 10-point system?
The 4-point system gives each defect 1 to 4 points by length (3, 6 and 9 inch steps), caps a linear yard at 4 and normalises to points per 100 sq yd. The 10-point system gives 1, 3, 5 or 10 points, with separate warp and weft bands, caps a yard at 10 and compares total points with yards inspected.
What is the Graniteville 78 system?
Graniteville 78 scores defects in 9-inch steps: up to 9 in = 1 point, 9–18 in = 2, 18–27 in = 3, 27–36 in = 4. It puts less weight on short defects that are usually cut out, and limits a linear yard to the fabric width in inches divided by 9. Fabric Inspection Software normalises it to points per 100 sq yd against the buyer limit.
When is a roll first quality under the 10-point system?
The usual rule is that total penalty points must not exceed the yards inspected, so a 100-yard roll passes with up to 100 points. Many buyers use a stricter ratio for finished goods, such as half a point per yard. Fabric Inspection Software stores the allowed points per yard on each buyer standard.
Which system should my mill use?
Use the one in your buyer's manual. Most export buyers now specify the 4-point system per ASTM D5430, especially for knits. Some woven and home-textile buyers still name the 10-point system, and a few cutting-room-led buyers use Graniteville 78. Fabric Inspection Software lets each buyer standard pick its own system, so one floor can serve all of them.
Can I convert a 10-point score into a 4-point score?
Not exactly. The systems use different length bands, caps and acceptance rules, so the same roll can pass one and fail another. Re-score the roll under the buyer's own system instead; Fabric Inspection Software keeps defect lengths and positions, so a defect logged with its size is scored under the buyer standard's system automatically.
Do vision inspection machines use these systems?
Automatic systems such as Shelton WebSpector, Uster Fabriq Vision and Datatex CATS classify and grade defects themselves, at capital-equipment prices (as of October 2026; check with the vendor). Their output is still judged against the buyer's grading system, which is what Fabric Inspection Software does for human inspection on a tablet.
Inspect the first roll the same day
We load your defect master, buyer limits and report layout, then train your inspectors on the floor in Tirupur, Surat or Ludhiana, or over a video call. 14-day pilot, no card. Plans start at ₹4,999 a month with unlimited rolls, and every result follows the ASTM D5430 4-point rules and your buyer's own limit.