Fabrics We Use Most
Below are the core fabrics in our production. All are knitted apparel fabrics we run on our own lines — pick by hand-feel, cost and the look you want.
| Fabric | Traits | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 100% Combed Cotton | Soft, breathable, premium hand-feel | Custom pieces, EU/US brands |
| CVC (60% cotton / 40% poly) | Holds shape, wrinkle-resistant, low cost | Bulk orders, staff wear, promo |
| Organic Cotton | Eco, OEKO-TEX certified, traceable | EU/US eco brands |
| Poly-cotton (65% poly / 35% cotton) | Durable, colorfast, abrasion-resistant | Sports, workwear styles |
| French Terry | Loop back, mid-weight, breathable | Hoodies, sweatpants |
| Fleece | Brushed interior, warm, cosy | Winter hoodies, loungewear |
| Jersey | Smooth, light, drapes well | T-shirts, light tops |
| Rib | Stretchy, structured, snaps back | Collars, cuffs, hems |
By Product Type
- T-Shirts — jersey or combed cotton gives a smooth, printable surface that takes both print and embroidery cleanly.
- Hoodies — french terry for year-round wear, fleece for a warmer winter version; both stand up to heavy decoration.
- Sweatpants — poly-cotton for durability, french terry for softness, or a structured 'health cloth' for a sharper silhouette.
Cotton vs Blends
How We Help You Choose
If you are unsure, tell us three things and we will recommend a fabric:
- Who is the end customer? (premium brand, promo, staff, sports)
- Where and when will it be worn? (season, indoor/outdoor, climate)
- Will it be printed or have special craft? (this affects which base cloth prints best)
Blend Ratios, Decoded
| Blend | What you get | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| 60% cotton / 40% poly (CVC) | Soft cotton feel, holds shape, fewer wrinkles | Bulk tees, staff wear |
| 65% poly / 35% cotton | Durable, colour-fast, low shrink | Sports, workwear |
| 95% cotton / 5% spandex | Stretch that recovers, still cotton-soft | Fitted, athleisure |
| 100% organic cotton | Premium soft, fully traceable | Eco premium brands |
Eco & Certification
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 — tested for harmful substances, the baseline most EU/US buyers ask for.
- GOTS — for certified organic cotton, from farm to finished cloth.
- Recycled polyester — made from post-consumer bottles, lower footprint.
Weight and Season: Matching Fabric to the Calendar
Buyers often choose fabric by how it looks on a mood board, then discover the weight is wrong for the selling season. Working backwards from the calendar is usually faster and produces fewer returns.
| Season | Comfortable weight range | Fabric direction |
|---|---|---|
| High summer | 150–190 gsm | Single jersey, light cotton blends — prioritise breathability over structure |
| Spring / early autumn | 190–260 gsm | Jersey and light french terry — the widest selling window for tees and light tops |
| Autumn / winter | 280–380 gsm | Brushed fleece, loopback, french terry — structure and warmth matter more than drape |
| Deep winter / outdoor | 380–450 gsm | Heavy brushed fleece — dense enough to hold shape and take 3D decoration |
| All-season basics | 220–280 gsm | Mid-weight jersey — the compromise that sells year-round in most markets |
One caveat: climate is not the only variable. A market with strong indoor heating or cooling can sell heavier or lighter weights than its latitude suggests. If you have sell-through data from a previous season, weight it more heavily than any general rule.
How to Test a Fabric Before You Commit
Most fabric problems do not show up until the garment has been worn and washed a few times — which is far too late for a production order. A short test cycle before bulk catches the majority of them.
- Wash and dry a swatch or a sample garment the way the care label says it will be washed. Measure before and after to quantify shrinkage.
- Check colour fastness by washing a white cloth alongside a dark fabric. Any transfer shows in the white cloth.
- Stretch and release the fabric to feel recovery. Poor recovery shows up as bagging at the knees and elbows later.
- Hold it against the light to judge opacity, especially for white and light colours where show-through is a common complaint.
- Test how the fabric takes decoration. Print or embroider on a swatch before committing the whole order — ink and stitch behave differently on every cloth.
- Feel it after a wash, not only before. Softening or coarsening after washing is normal, but the direction and degree should match what you are promising customers.
- Compare two suppliers' swatches side by side rather than sequentially. A remembered hand-feel is unreliable; a direct comparison is not.
FAQ
Can I mix two fabrics in one garment?
Yes — a jersey body with rib trims, or a french-terry hood with a brushed-fleece pocket, are common. We plan the cut so both behave on the same machine settings.
Which fabric is cheapest at volume?
Poly-cotton and CVC lead on price because polyester is cheaper than cotton and they need less after-care. 100% combed cotton costs more but reads as higher value at retail.
Do you stock these or make to order?
Both. Ready greige and basic colours are held for fast POD; custom blends, gauge and colour are knitted to order for OEM runs.