Knowledge area
Fibers, yarn count, knitted and woven structures, GSM, shrinkage, spirality and fabric properties.
Fabric decisions set the cost, look and performance of a garment before a single stitch is sewn. This section covers the fabric knowledge that merchandisers, quality staff and production engineers use every day: how fabric weight is measured and converted, how yarn counts work across systems, how the common knit structures differ, and why fabrics shrink, twist or skew after washing.
Start with fabric GSM and yarn count if you are new to the topic. For knitwear, read single jersey first, then compare it with rib, interlock and pique. For stability problems, see fabric shrinkage and spirality.
A practical reference of typical GSM ranges for knitted and woven apparel fabrics, what moves a fabric up or down the range, and how to use the chart when reviewing a specification.
Step-by-step yarn count conversion between Ne, Nm, tex, dtex and denier, including worsted and linen counts, folded yarns and blended yarn resultant counts.
How to convert fabric weight between grams per square meter and ounces per square yard, where the 33.906 factor comes from, and why linear weight is a different number.
Rib is a double-knit structure with wales on both faces. Why it stretches and recovers so well, the difference between 1x1 and 2x2 rib, how rib is used for cuffs, collars and fitted tops, and how to specify and cut it.
Interlock is a double-knit made of two interlocked 1x1 ribs. Why it is smooth on both faces, more stable than jersey or rib, where it is used, and how it behaves in cutting, sewing and finishing.
Pique is a textured weft knit made by adding tuck stitches to a jersey base. What gives it the honeycomb surface, single and double pique, its properties, and the problems to watch in polo shirt production.
Fleece is a knitted fabric with a brushed, raised back. How cotton-rich sweatshirt fleece and polyester polar fleece are made, typical weights, the problems fleece brings (pilling, shedding, shrinkage) and how to specify it.
French terry is a knitted fabric with a smooth face and soft loops on the back. How it is made, how it differs from fleece, typical weights, and what to watch for in shrinkage, pilling and sewing.
Viscose and modal are both regenerated cellulose fibers made from wood pulp. How modal differs in wet strength, shrinkage and durability, what that means for garments, and how to specify and test each.
Modal feels softer and drapes more; cotton is familiar, durable and usually cheaper. A practical comparison of feel, strength, shrinkage, color, pilling, cost and care, and why blends are so common.
21 notes, newest first.
Bio-scouring uses pectinase enzymes instead of hot caustic soda to remove waxes and pectins from cotton before dyeing. How it works, typical process conditions, a step-by-step process, how to test absorbency, its benefits and limits, and how to switch from conventional scouring.
Bowing and skewing happen when weft yarns or knitted courses are not straight and square across the width. How to measure bow and skew, where they come from in finishing, and why they cause twisted garments and mismatched checks.
The main types of fabric used for dresses and everyday clothing: cotton, linen, silk, wool, viscose, polyester and blends, and the constructions made from them such as poplin, denim, satin, chiffon, crepe, jersey and velvet. Properties, typical weights, care and which garments each suits.
A practical guide to the main types of knit fabrics: weft knits such as single jersey, rib, interlock, pique, French terry and fleece, and warp knits such as tricot, powernet and mesh. How each is made, typical weights, properties and the garments they suit.
A practical reference of typical GSM ranges for knitted and woven apparel fabrics, what moves a fabric up or down the range, and how to use the chart when reviewing a specification.
GSM is the weight of one square meter of fabric in grams. Learn how to measure it with a round cutter, calculate it from any sample size, estimate it from construction, and control it in production.
Why woven and knitted fabrics shrink, how shrinkage is measured and calculated, typical causes in knitting, weaving and finishing, and how factories control shrinkage through relaxation, compaction and pattern allowance.
Fleece is a knitted fabric with a brushed, raised back. How cotton-rich sweatshirt fleece and polyester polar fleece are made, typical weights, the problems fleece brings (pilling, shedding, shrinkage) and how to specify it.
French terry is a knitted fabric with a smooth face and soft loops on the back. How it is made, how it differs from fleece, typical weights, and what to watch for in shrinkage, pilling and sewing.
How to convert fabric weight between grams per square meter and ounces per square yard, where the 33.906 factor comes from, and why linear weight is a different number.
Interlock is a double-knit made of two interlocked 1x1 ribs. Why it is smooth on both faces, more stable than jersey or rib, where it is used, and how it behaves in cutting, sewing and finishing.
Knitted fabrics are made of interlooped yarns; woven fabrics of interlaced warp and weft. How that difference affects stretch, shrinkage, costing, cutting, sewing and testing, with a side-by-side comparison.
Modal feels softer and drapes more; cotton is familiar, durable and usually cheaper. A practical comparison of feel, strength, shrinkage, color, pilling, cost and care, and why blends are so common.
Pique is a textured weft knit made by adding tuck stitches to a jersey base. What gives it the honeycomb surface, single and double pique, its properties, and the problems to watch in polo shirt production.
Rib is a double-knit structure with wales on both faces. Why it stretches and recovers so well, the difference between 1x1 and 2x2 rib, how rib is used for cuffs, collars and fitted tops, and how to specify and cut it.
Single jersey is the basic weft-knit fabric behind most T-shirts. How it is made, the settings that control its weight and shrinkage, its typical problems (curling, spirality, laddering) and how to specify it.
Spirality makes wales slant and side seams twist around T-shirts after washing. Why single knits twist, how spirality is measured, the main causes in yarn, knitting and finishing, and how to reduce it.
Stretch is how far a fabric extends under load; recovery is how well it returns. What drives stretch and recovery in knits and wovens, elastane content, how the properties are tested, and what goes wrong in garments.