Section
Fabrics
A complete fabric knowledge system: fibres, weaves, knits, blends, finishes and the metrics used to specify them.
Most avoidable sourcing failures are fabric failures. A fabric is specified by composition, construction, weight, width, finish and test result — and a supplier who is not asked for all six will supply whatever is cheapest to make. This section exists so that buyers can specify precisely and read a specification critically.
Fibres
What a fabric is made of. Fibre choice sets most of the properties that follow.
- [FABRIC] Cotton Cotton is a natural cellulose fibre spun from the seed hairs of the cotton plant. It is the most widely used apparel fibre, and the one whose quality varies most between origins and processing routes.
- [FABRIC] Combed cotton Combed cotton is cotton that has passed through a combing stage, which removes short fibres and impurities before spinning. The result is a stronger, smoother, less pilling yarn — and roughly 10–20% of the fibre is discarded to get it.
- [FABRIC] Ring-spun cotton Ring-spun cotton is yarn formed on a ring spinning frame, where a continuous strand of fibres is drawn out and twisted simultaneously. It produces a stronger, smoother, softer yarn than open-end spinning — and it is slower and more expensive to make.
Weaves
How yarns are interlaced on a loom. A weave is a structural decision.
No weaves published yet. Pages publish individually as they pass editorial review.
Knits
Looped construction rather than interlaced. Stretch and drape behave differently.
No knits published yet. Pages publish individually as they pass editorial review.
Blends
Deliberate combinations that buy a property neither fibre has alone.
No blends published yet. Pages publish individually as they pass editorial review.
Other fabrics, finishes and metrics
Nothing filed here yet.
Metric reference
The measurements used to specify and compare fabric.