KENYA STANDARD       DKS 559 -1: 2019  
ICS 61.020  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Men’s and boys’ trousers  — Specification  
 
Part 1: 
 
Making up requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS 201 9         Third  Edition 201 9 
 
 DKS 559 -1: 201 9 
  
ii                     © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical C ommittee:  
 
Egerton University  
Alliance Garments  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute  (KIRDI)  
Bedi Investments  
Kenyatta University  
University of Nairobi  
Manchester Outfitters  
Spinners and Spinners  
Consumer Information Network  
Export Processin g Zones Authority  
Ministry of I ndustrialization and Enterprise Development  
Kenya Polytechnic University  
Milbrook Garments  
Kenya S hirts 
Kenknit Ltd Eldoret  
Spinknit Ltd Nakuru  
Kenya Manufacturers Association(KAM)  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 201 9 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyr ight 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of this Act,  no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in  writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD  DKS 559 -1: 2019  
ICS 61.020  
 © KEBS 2019             iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Men’s and boys’ trousers  — Specification  
 
Part 1 : 
 
Making up requirements  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020 )  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254  041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 DKS 559 -1: 201 9 
  
iv                     © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee on Ready Made Garments under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee , and it is in accordance with the procedures of Kenya Burea u 
of Standards  
 
This standard was formulated with a view to help manufacturers in producing goods of satisfactory quality. 
Manufacturers and others concerned are urged to label the men's and boys' tro users in accordance with  KS 
412, Specification for size  designation for men's and boys' ready -to-wear clothing and KS ISO 3758 , Textiles 
— Care labelling code using symbols . 
 
In this third edition of this Kenya Standard, the following changes have been made:  
 
i) Clause 4.7 on  hems has  been reviewed.  
ii) The title of Clause 4.9 has been changed to ‘securing belt loops’. The word ‘or securely stitched 
added’  
iii) The parameter of pockets clause 4.4 has been updated  
iv) The number of seam of stiches per cm has been reviewed  to 4.  
v) The minimum requirements of outlet allowance have  been reviewed  to 4 
 
 
During  the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following document:  
 
IS 7414 , Specification for men’s trousers ' — General requirements.  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assist ance received from this source . 
 
 
  
KENYA STANDARD                    DKS 559 -1: 2019  
 
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved                      1  
Men’s and boys’ trousers  — Specification  
 
Part 1:  
 
Making up requirements  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya Standard  prescribes materials and making -up requirements for uniform coats, including jackets 
and blazers . 
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referen ced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (in cluding any amendments) applies:   
 
KS 412, Specification  for size designation for men’s and boy s’ ready to wear clothing  
 
KS 479 -1, Specification for sewing threads Part 1: Cotton sewing threads  
 
KS 479 -2, Specification for sewing threads Part 2: Sewing threads made wholly or partly from synthetic fibres  
 
KS 520, Specification for woven fabrics used for suits, jackets and trousers  
 
KS 585, Specification for zippers   
 
KS 665, Specification for textile labels  
 
KS 688, Glossary of terms used by the clothing industry  
 
KS 697 -1, Code of practice for grading of textile materials Part 1: Fabrics  
 
KS 223 4, Denim fabrics — Specification   
 
KS ISO 3758, Textiles — Care labelling code using symbols  
 
3 Terms and  Definitions  
 
For the purposes of this standard, the definitions given in KS 688 shall  apply:  
 
4  Requirements  
 
4.1 Size d esignation  
 
The trousers shall be designated by three numbers denoting three dimensions in the order of waist girth, hip 
and outside leg length as given in KS 412 . 
 
4.2 Fabric m aterials  
 
4.2.1  The fabrics for the manufacture of trousers shall comply with the requirements of KS 520 and 
KS 2234.  
 
 DKS 559 -1: 2019  
  
                              © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  2  
4.2.2  Fabric g rade  
 
4.2.2.1  The quality grade of fabric shall be of at least grade 2 when assessed in accordance with KS 697 -1. 
 
4.2.2.2  The fabri cs shall also be free from the objectionable flaws including the following:  
 
a)  Float.  
 
b)  Bar due to difference in raw material, count, twist, lustre, colour, shade or spacing of adjacent group 
of threads.  
c)  Slub or slubby yarn or gout.  
d)  Printing or dyeing defect or broken pattern.  
e)  Missing threads extend ing over 10 cm.  
 
f)  Any other defect which would significantly mar the appearance or affect the serviceability or 
durability of the garment.  
 
4.3 Standards of manufacture  
 
4.3.1  Components  
 
All components of the trousers namely, front side, back side, wai st band, button stand, bu tton catch and belt 
loops shall be  cut longitudinally (warp wise direction).  
 
4.3.2  Top side and Under side  
 
4.3.2.1  Pleats   
 
The pleats , if any shall be provided on each top side of the trousers at waist spaced evenly and facing 
towards the side seam.  
 
4.3.2.2  Darts  
 
Each back side of the trousers shall have one or two darts.  
 
The front and backside of trousers shall be assembled with plain split (pressed open) seams at sides, leg 
and seat when made from polyester, woollen or blen ded fabrics. In case of trousers made from cotton 
fabrics, assembling of the top and the underside shall be done by lapped seams.  
 
4.3.2.3  Front and b ack side  
 
The front and backside of trousers shall be assembled with plain split (pressed open) seams at s ides, leg 
and seat when made from polyester, woollen or blended fabrics. In case of trousers made from cotton 
fabrics, assembling of the top and the underside shall be done by lapped seams.  
 
4.4 Pockets   
 
The poc ket lining material shall confor m to KS 214 -2. Raw edges of pockets shall be  properly secured to 
prevent fraying.   
 
4.5 Waistband   
 
The waistband shall be made of double thickness of body material or the body material on the outside and 
the same material as that used for pockets under 4.3 above shal l be used as facing on the inside. A shirt 
gripper shall be attached to the centre of the facing of the waistband. The left front of the waistband shall 
extend for 6 cm beyond the centre front seamline.  
 
 
 DKS 559 -1:2019  
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved           3 4.6  Fly and button s tand   
 
The button catch and s tand shall be lined with either body material or lining of tightly woven cotton poplin or 
blend fabric. The button end or the fly shall be either bartacked or tacked with 3 rows of machine stitching. 
Four buttons/buttonholes shall be provided in the fly in  addition to those provided in the waistband for men's 
trousers and three button/buttonholes for boys' trousers. As an alternative to buttons, zippers may be used.  
 
4.7 Hems   
 
The bottoms of th e regular trousers may be hemmed . The hem shall be sewn in plac e with a slip -stitch or 
hemming stitch for turned under or seam binding finishes and a blind stitch for overcast finishes. The 
completed hem shall be inconspicuous from the outside and the raw edges finished securely without bulk.  
 
4.8 Cuffs   
 
The upper ed ge of cuffs shall be a bit wider than pants leg; cuffs in fabrics such as knits shall be interfaced to 
prevent them from collapsing . 
4.9  Securing Belt  loops   
If the trousers are provided with belt loops, the ends of loops shall be reinfor ced with three ro ws of stitches or 
securely stitched.  
 
4.10  Buttons and b uttonholes  
 
4.10.1   The buttons shall be stitched with not less than 12 stitches through each pair of hole when sewn by 
machine or 11 stitches of single thread and five stitches of double thread when  sewn on by hand. The thread 
shall be wound round the stitches six times when single threads or three times when using double threads to 
form a neck. All ends shall be securely fastened.  
 
NOTE      In case of button stitching by machine, the winding of thre ad around the button to form a neck is not possible.  
 
4.10.2  The number of stitches on buttonholes shall be not less than 8 per cm when stitching is carried out 
manually and not less than 9 per cm when stitched on machine.  Buttonholes shall be bartacked w ith not less 
than 5 stitches or fish tailed and shall be cleanly cut.  All ends of threads shall be securely fastened. The 
length of the buttonhole shall be 0.3 cm greater than the diameter plus the thickness of the button.  
 
4.11  Seams and s titches  
 
4.11. 1 The trousers shall be assembled with lock/chain stitc hes regulated at not less than 4  stitches per cm.  
 
4.11.2  Seam w idth  
 
All seams shall be not less than 1 cm.  
 
4.11.3  Stitch finishing and q uality   
 
The ends of all seams and stitchings, and all breaks  in the thread shall be securely backstitched. Stitches 
shall present a regular even appearance without fabric pucker and shall be free from skips that may result 
from faulty machine thread tension or other stitching malfunction.  
 
4.11.4   All raw edges sha ll be turned under and stitched.  
 
4.12  Outlet a llowance   
 
An outlet allowance of 4  cm in addition to the seam allowance shall be provided at the back seat seam near 
the waistline.  
 
 
 
 DKS 559 -1: 2019  
  
                              © KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved  4 4.13 Trouser d efects  
 
4.13.1  The trousers shall be free from the follow ing fabrication defects:  
 
a) Stains.  
 
b) Defective stitching.  
 
c) Loose ends of sewing thread getting easily frayed.  
 
d) Hole, cut or tear.  
 
e) None -alignment of pockets, buttons and buttonholes.  
 
f) Any other defect which would significantly mar the a ppearance or affect the serviceability of the 
garment.  
 
5 Ancillaries  
 
5.1  Buttons   
 
The buttons shall be of good quality and conform to the relevant Kenya Standards for buttons. The shade of 
buttons shall match with that of the fabric.  
 
5.2  Eyelets and hooks   
 
Eyelets and hooks shall be rust -proof .  
 
5.3  Linings and i nterlinings   
 
Linings and interlinings used for pockets and waistbands shall have characteristics of colour fastness and 
dimensional stability similar to those of the base cloth. The charac teristics of the interlinings and linings shall 
conform to KS 214  for interlinings and linings.  
 
5.4  Sewing t hreads   
 
Synthetic fabrics shall be sewn only with synthetic threads, and synthetic natural fibre blend fabrics in which 
the synthetic is the majo rity shall be sewn only with synthetic blend threads in which synthetic is the majority. 
Natural fibre fabrics shall be sewn with mercerized cotton threads. Buttons and buttonholes shall be sewn 
with blends, cotton (polished) nylon or polyester or any othe r appropriate synthetic stronger than cotton. The 
sewing thread shall conform to the requirements of KS 479. The shade of sewing thread shall match with 
that of the fabric.  
 
5.5  Zippers   
 
Zippers shall conform to the requirements of KS 585. The shade of z ippers shall match with that of the base 
cloth.  
 
6 Marking and labelling  
 
6.1  Each garment shall bear a permanent label complying with KS 665 including the following 
information:  
 
i) The manufacturer's name or identification mark;  
 
ii) Care labelling in a ccordance with KS ISO 3758 ; 
 
iii) The size code and size designation in accordance with KS 412 ; 
 
iv) Fibre composition of the fabric;  DKS 559 -1:2019  
 
© KEBS 2019  — All rights reserved           5  
v) The inscription “Country of Manufacture ’’. 
 
6.2  The size designation may be put on a detachable swing ticket.  
 
6.3  The permanent label or swing ticket shall be securely attached to the garment and so positioned as 
to be easily readable.  
 
7  Packaging  
 
Each pair of trousers shall be pack aged in such a way so as to avoid soiling in storage as well as transit.