Quick answer. AQL 2.5 (Acceptable Quality Limit 2.5) means the buyer tolerates at most 2.5% major defects as the process average — it is the standard major-defect level for garment final inspections. To use it, you look up your lot size in the AQL 2.5 table below and read off the sample size and accept/reject numbers.
Example from the table below: for a lot of 1,000 pieces at AQL 2.5, General Level II (the default), you inspect a random sample of 80 pieces — the lot passes with 5 or fewer major defects and fails at 6 or more (80 → 5/6).
How to use these tables as an AQL calculator
- Pick the AQL level your buyer specifies for the defect class — most garment buyers use AQL 2.5 for major defects and AQL 4.0 for minor defects (stricter programs use 1.5 or below).
- Find your lot size row in that AQL's table and read the General Level II column (GII) unless the buyer specifies GI or GIII.
- Read the plan as sample size → accept/reject: inspect that many randomly drawn pieces; the lot passes at or below the accept number of defects and fails at or above the reject number.
What sample size do I need for AQL 2.5?
It depends only on your lot size and inspection level. At the default General Level II, the AQL 2.5 table below gives: lot of 500 → sample 50 (accept 3 / reject 4); lot of 1,000 → sample 80 (accept 5 / reject 6); lot of 2,400 → sample 125 (accept 7 / reject 8); lot of 4,000–8,000 → sample 200 (accept 10 / reject 11).
Click any cell to see the full sample plan, worked example, and FAQ for that specific combination. Cells show: sample size → accept/reject. Verified against QIMA's published reference table.
AQL 0.65 — Critical
| Lot size | GI | GII (default) | GIII |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | GI: 13 → 0/1 | GII: 50 → 0/1 | GIII: 80 → 1/2 |
| 1,000 | GI: 20 → 0/1 | GII: 80 → 1/2 | GIII: 125 → 2/3 |
| 2,400 | GI: 32 → 0/1 | GII: 125 → 2/3 | GIII: 200 → 3/4 |
| 4,000 | GI: 32 → 0/1 | GII: 200 → 3/4 | GIII: 315 → 5/6 |
| 8,000 | GI: 32 → 0/1 | GII: 200 → 3/4 | GIII: 315 → 5/6 |
| 15,000 | GI: 50 → 0/1 | GII: 315 → 5/6 | GIII: 500 → 7/8 |
| 30,000 | GI: 50 → 0/1 | GII: 315 → 5/6 | GIII: 500 → 7/8 |
| 50,000 | GI: 80 → 1/2 | GII: 500 → 7/8 | GIII: 800 → 10/11 |
| 100,000 | GI: 80 → 1/2 | GII: 500 → 7/8 | GIII: 800 → 10/11 |
AQL 1.0 — Critical-Major boundary
| Lot size | GI | GII (default) | GIII |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | GI: 13 → 0/1 | GII: 50 → 1/2 | GIII: 80 → 2/3 |
| 1,000 | GI: 20 → 0/1 | GII: 80 → 2/3 | GIII: 125 → 3/4 |
| 2,400 | GI: 32 → 0/1 | GII: 125 → 3/4 | GIII: 200 → 5/6 |
| 4,000 | GI: 32 → 0/1 | GII: 200 → 5/6 | GIII: 315 → 7/8 |
| 8,000 | GI: 32 → 0/1 | GII: 200 → 5/6 | GIII: 315 → 7/8 |
| 15,000 | GI: 50 → 1/2 | GII: 315 → 7/8 | GIII: 500 → 10/11 |
| 30,000 | GI: 50 → 1/2 | GII: 315 → 7/8 | GIII: 500 → 10/11 |
| 50,000 | GI: 80 → 2/3 | GII: 500 → 10/11 | GIII: 800 → 14/15 |
| 100,000 | GI: 80 → 2/3 | GII: 500 → 10/11 | GIII: 800 → 14/15 |
AQL 1.5 — Major (strict)
| Lot size | GI | GII (default) | GIII |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | GI: 13 → 0/1 | GII: 50 → 2/3 | GIII: 80 → 3/4 |
| 1,000 | GI: 20 → 0/1 | GII: 80 → 3/4 | GIII: 125 → 5/6 |
| 2,400 | GI: 32 → 1/2 | GII: 125 → 5/6 | GIII: 200 → 7/8 |
| 4,000 | GI: 32 → 1/2 | GII: 200 → 7/8 | GIII: 315 → 10/11 |
| 8,000 | GI: 32 → 1/2 | GII: 200 → 7/8 | GIII: 315 → 10/11 |
| 15,000 | GI: 50 → 2/3 | GII: 315 → 10/11 | GIII: 500 → 14/15 |
| 30,000 | GI: 50 → 2/3 | GII: 315 → 10/11 | GIII: 500 → 14/15 |
| 50,000 | GI: 80 → 3/4 | GII: 500 → 14/15 | GIII: 800 → 21/22 |
| 100,000 | GI: 80 → 3/4 | GII: 500 → 14/15 | GIII: 800 → 21/22 |
AQL 2.5 — Major (standard)
| Lot size | GI | GII (default) | GIII |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | GI: 13 → 0/1 | GII: 50 → 3/4 | GIII: 80 → 5/6 |
| 1,000 | GI: 20 → 1/2 | GII: 80 → 5/6 | GIII: 125 → 7/8 |
| 2,400 | GI: 32 → 2/3 | GII: 125 → 7/8 | GIII: 200 → 10/11 |
| 4,000 | GI: 32 → 2/3 | GII: 200 → 10/11 | GIII: 315 → 14/15 |
| 8,000 | GI: 32 → 2/3 | GII: 200 → 10/11 | GIII: 315 → 14/15 |
| 15,000 | GI: 50 → 3/4 | GII: 315 → 14/15 | GIII: 500 → 21/22 |
| 30,000 | GI: 50 → 3/4 | GII: 315 → 14/15 | GIII: 500 → 21/22 |
| 50,000 | GI: 80 → 5/6 | GII: 500 → 21/22 | GIII: 800 → 21/22 |
| 100,000 | GI: 80 → 5/6 | GII: 500 → 21/22 | GIII: 800 → 21/22 |
AQL 4.0 — Minor
| Lot size | GI | GII (default) | GIII |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | GI: 13 → 1/2 | GII: 50 → 5/6 | GIII: 80 → 7/8 |
| 1,000 | GI: 20 → 2/3 | GII: 80 → 7/8 | GIII: 125 → 10/11 |
| 2,400 | GI: 32 → 3/4 | GII: 125 → 10/11 | GIII: 200 → 14/15 |
| 4,000 | GI: 32 → 3/4 | GII: 200 → 14/15 | GIII: 315 → 21/22 |
| 8,000 | GI: 32 → 3/4 | GII: 200 → 14/15 | GIII: 315 → 21/22 |
| 15,000 | GI: 50 → 5/6 | GII: 315 → 21/22 | GIII: 500 → 21/22 |
| 30,000 | GI: 50 → 5/6 | GII: 315 → 21/22 | GIII: 500 → 21/22 |
| 50,000 | GI: 80 → 7/8 | GII: 500 → 21/22 | GIII: 800 → 21/22 |
| 100,000 | GI: 80 → 7/8 | GII: 500 → 21/22 | GIII: 800 → 21/22 |
Interactive AQL calculator → Read the deep-dive guide →
For developers — use the open-source npm package
All 90 sampling plans (15 code letters × 6 AQL values) are available as a zero-dependency JavaScript library on GitHub. MIT licensed. Verified against QIMA reference + ISO 2859-1:1999 standard.
npm install aql-sample-size