AQL sampling for furniture orders, explained
Every furniture inspection report turns on three numbers: the sample size, the accept number and the reject number. They are not invented per order — they come from a published standard, ISO 2859-1, and once you can read the table you can check any inspector's maths yourself.
What AQL actually is
AQL — Acceptable Quality Limit is the most defects a lot can contain and still pass. Instead of checking every piece, the inspector checks a statistically sized random sample and counts defects against an accept/reject threshold. The sample size and those thresholds are fixed by ISO 2859-1 (identical to ANSI/ASQ Z1.4), so two honest inspectors given the same order size and AQL will draw the same sample and apply the same numbers. Every term below is also in the glossary.
The AQL sampling table for furniture
Single sampling, normal inspection, General Inspection Level II — the standard default Qualis uses unless your contract says otherwise. Read across from your order quantity.
| Order quantity (lot) | Code | Sample size | AQL 2.5 — major | AQL 4.0 — minor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accept | Reject | Accept | Reject | |||
| 91 – 150 | F | 20 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 151 – 280 | G | 32 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 281 – 500 | H | 50 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 501 – 1,200 | J | 80 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 1,201 – 3,200 | K | 125 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 |
| 3,201 – 10,000 | L | 200 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 |
| 10,001 – 35,000 | M | 315 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 22 |
ISO 2859-1 / ANSI-ASQ Z1.4 · single sampling · normal inspection · Level II. Orders under ~90 pieces use the next larger sample size; critical defects are always zero-tolerance.
How to read it — a worked order
Say you have 600 dining chairs on one order. That lands in the 501–1,200 row, code J, so the inspector draws 80 chairs at random from the packed cartons — not a line-up the factory chose.
Counting major defects against AQL 2.5: accept at 5 or fewer, reject at 6 or more. Counting minor defects against AQL 4.0: accept at 7, reject at 8. Both tests have to pass. And a single critical defect — a split frame, a toppling stool — fails the lot on its own, whatever the other counts say.
That is the whole decision. It is why a report can say "reject" on 6 defects out of 80 and be completely correct: the standard, not the inspector's mood, drew the line.
Major, minor, critical — the three classes
The same defect list is sorted into three severities before the counts are applied. How Qualis classifies each one is set out in the Defect Library.
Minor · AQL 4.0
Cosmetic issues a customer might notice but that do not affect use — a faint finish mark, a slightly proud plug. Tolerated in larger numbers because they neither break nor stop a sale.
Major · AQL 2.5
Defects that hit function, durability or saleability — a loose joint, wrong dimensions, moisture over the limit, colour drift from the golden sample. Judged at the stricter limit.
Critical · zero tolerance
Anything unsafe or unshippable: a structural failure, a sharp edge, a fire-label breach on UK upholstery. One is enough to fail the order outright.
Setting your AQL and inspection level
If your buyer or retail programme specifies an AQL, use theirs — Qualis adopts whatever is written into your contract. If you are setting it yourself, AQL 2.5 major / 4.0 minor at General Inspection Level II is the sensible furniture default, strict enough to protect a balance payment without rejecting orders over trivia.
Tightening to AQL 1.5, or moving to Level III, pulls a larger sample and a lower accept number — worth it for a first order with a new factory, or after a problem shipment. Loosening rarely pays: the inspection fee is a fraction of one rejected container. When in doubt, we will recommend a plan for your order on the pre-shipment inspection booking.
AQL questions we get asked
What does AQL 2.5 mean for a furniture order?
AQL 2.5 is the Acceptable Quality Limit for major defects: the lot is judged against a sample, and up to a set number of major defects is tolerated before the whole order is rejected. The sample size and its accept/reject numbers come from ISO 2859-1 at General Inspection Level II, sized to your order quantity. Qualis uses AQL 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor by default.
How many pieces get inspected?
Not all of them — that is the point of sampling. The number is set by your lot size under ISO 2859-1, General Inspection Level II. A 600-piece order draws 80 pieces; a 2,000-piece order draws 125. The inspector selects them at random from packed cartons, never a set the factory prepares.
What is the difference between major, minor and critical defects?
Minor defects are cosmetic and judged at AQL 4.0. Major defects affect function, saleability or durability and are judged at the stricter AQL 2.5. Critical defects — anything unsafe or unshippable — are zero-tolerance: a single one fails the order regardless of the counts.
Can I set my own AQL?
Yes. Retail chains often specify their own AQL and inspection level, and Qualis adopts whatever is in your contract. If you have no house standard, AQL 2.5 major / 4.0 minor at General Inspection Level II is the sensible default for furniture.
Does a passed AQL inspection guarantee zero defects?
No. Sampling is a statistical control, not a promise that every piece is perfect. It gives you a defensible, standards-based decision on whether the lot as a whole meets the quality you agreed — which is what protects your balance payment and your claim position.
Put the table to work on your next order.
An AQL-sampled pre-shipment inspection, photographed and standards-referenced, with the accept/reject maths shown. Confirmed within 2 hours, reported within 24. Paid by buyers only.
Book a pre-shipment inspection