Simply put, I wrote this e-book because I found apparel manufacturers catalogs to be EXTREMELY confusing. As an apparel decorator, you are using these catalogs to buy the blanks to decorate to run your business, so understanding them is very important.
What if youre paying $1.00 more a shirt for a 6.1 ounce ring spun T-Shirt when a 5.4 ounce open end T-Shirt will be good enough for your customer?
To know exactly what blanks you should be purchasing, you need to have a basic understanding of the terms and definitions that Apparel Manufacturers use in their confusing catalogs. That is the exact purpose of this e-book.
In this first e-book, Ill explain common terms you come across in easy-to- understand language. In future e-books, Ill apply this knowledge youve learned to further help you decide what you need to buy, and what you need to skip.
I also included free Bonus Content, which includes additional content for you, in case you are decorating other items in addition to shirts.
I have two degrees in Textiles, but YOU shouldnt have to in order to be a successful apparel decorator!
Woven Shirts Category
Dobby
A Dobby weave is achieved on a Dobby loom. This type of weave usually has more intricate patterns than a plain weave fabric. A Dobby weave will usually have small, intricate patterns such as diamonds or small repeating floral prints.
Because the dobby loom gives more control over the individual yarn ends, there are more patterns that are possible with this type of loom. A jacquard loom gives the highest degree of intricacy possible, with the ability to control each individual yarn end independently.
80-doubles
Also written as 80/2. The 80 refers to the mass of the yarn. In this numbering system, the larger the number, the finer (lighter) the yarn will be, while the smaller the number, the thicker (heavier) the yarn will be. The 2 refers to the fact that two yarns of N= 80 were twisted together to form a plied yarn.
This is an "indirect system" of expressing the size of a yarn. It expresses the size of a yarn (N) as its length per unit mass. Therefore, a yarn with an N= 80 will be finer than a yarn of N=40.
40-singles
Also written as 40/1. Please see the explanation for 80-doubles above.
Pinpoint Oxford
A pinpoint oxford is an oxford weave using finer yarns which will give a softer more refined handfeel than a regular oxford weave.
An oxford weave is one in which one set of yarns is very fine and the other set of yarns is thicker in texture. When woven, the resulting fabric has a textured feel will a fine pattern caused by the two different thicknesses of yarn being woven together.
Single- Needle Tailoring
A shirt in which there is a single stitch used to hem the fabric together, not two as in double- needle tailoring. The stitch from Single needle tailoring is not as strong as the stitch from double-needle, but it leads to better drape of the fabric in the finished garment and has come to be seen as a detail found in fine garments.
Compacted Yarn
A compacted yarn results from a special type of yarn creation that causes the fibers in the yarn to be more tightly packed together, with fewer short, hairy yarns around the outside of the yarn. Fabrics created with these compacted yarns have a smoother handfeel and are usually used for fine sheeting and other similar uses where a smooth handfeel is very important.
Wrinkle-Resistant
Also known as a "durable press finishes". An item that is called "wrinkle resistant" has been treated with a finish after dyeing that causes the fabric surface to resist wrinkling. Usually, this wrinkle resistance is caused by a liquid finish that is applied to the fabric during wet processing, and it will generally last for 25 washes, up until the life of the garment (50 washes).
DuPont Teflon Treatment
A DuPont Teflon Treatment is a finish that is applied to a fabric that causes the fabric to resist oil and water. This causes the fabric to be "stain resistant". It is also useful in the rainwear industry, because it causes the fabric to repel water.
In previous years, these finishes had an increased environmental impact; however, DuPont has done a very good job in the last 10-15 years of reducing the environmental impact of these finishes while still keeping their superior stain, oil, and water resistance.
Poplin
A lightweight but sturdy plain weave fabric with a ribbed effect. Historically made from silk and wool, today's poplin is made from various yarn types and is generally used in shirting and other easy-care items.
Garment Washed
A process that involves washing finished garments together in a large vessel with either plain water or water and other additives that give the entire garment a softer more pleasing handfeel. This wash process may also be intended to lighten the garment color as well as soften the final garment.
Yarn Dye
Yarn dying is the process of dyeing packages or yarn before knitting or weaving that yarn into fabric. Yarn dyeing is done when a pattern is desired in the fabric that cannot be created with regular dyeing of the whole fabric. Fabric printing can also create some of these patterns, however, printing is not permanent like yarn dyeing is and is a less expensive way to create the patterned fabric. Tartan plaids are popular examples of fabrics that are yarn-dyed.
Brushed Fabric
A brushed fabric is literally run against a roll that brushes the surface of the fabric, giving the fabric a softer surface and, depending on the fabric and brush type, can also give the fabric a napped or suede-like feel. It is more cost effective to use a roll to give the fabric this effect after it is woven or knitted.
Jacquard
A type of weaving or knitting that allows very intricate patterns to be created in the fabric. Each individual yarn end can be moved independently from every other end, so that means that the resulting fabric is rich in intricate details. The jacquard process takes longer to produce on more expensive equipment than "normal" weaving or knitting, so expect to pay more for a jacquard fabric.
Polos/ Knits Category
"self-fabric collar"- Simply put, a collar made out of the same fabric that the body of the garment is made from. Self-fabric collars may look a bit more relaxed or sporty than a flat knit rib collar, but they don't have the curling issues that some rib collars can have.
Pique
A pique fabric is a double knit fabric that uses two different types of stitches that alternate with each other. The result is a fabric that is thick and stable like all double-knit fabrics, and the alternating stitch-types cause it to have a mesh-like appearance on the surface of the fabric. Pique fabrics are often used in higher-quality polo shirts.
Honeycomb Pique
A honeycomb pique is a pique fabric with a honeycomb shaped pattern in the fabric. Very popular in high-end polo shirts.
Ottoman Rib Knit
A knit fabric that has small horizontal ribs on the fabric. The ribs give the fabric more stability and provide the garment with a more polished look. Often used in polo shirts and corporate wear that needs to have a polished, professional look.
Spandex
A synthetic fiber made of at least 85% polyurethane. The name spandex is a generic name, whereas Lycra is a specific brand-name of the fiber, trademarked by Invista. Spandex gives fabric stretch and recovery properties, and is used in garments that need a fitted appearance, or those that need to keep their shape wear after wear.
Bamboo
A fast-growing grass that is used in the textile industry to create a rayon-type fabric with a soft hand feel. Bamboo is a cellulose-based fabric, as rayon and cotton are, and it requires harsh chemicals to break down the fibers so they can be spun into fibers. Because the Bamboo grows very quickly (fastest growth on record is 39 in a 24 hour period), it is often marketed as a green product. However, Bamboo manufacture requires the same harsh chemicals to manufacture it as Rayon does, and for that reason, many countries have begun either banning its manufacture altogether, or are requiring strict labeling identifying it as a Rayon made from Bamboo.
Bamboo Charcoal
Charcoal made from the controlled incineration of Bamboo. What does Colorblock mean?
A garment design whereby different fabric colors are sewn into one garment, instead of the garment being the same color throughout. Special consideration for colorfastness must be made, because the darker colored portions of the garment can bleed onto the lighter colored portions in garments with a high polyester content or those that are not dyed and finished correctly.
Pima Cotton
Pima cotton is a variety of cotton that has a long fiber length. That long fiber length causes the resulting yarn and fabric to have a soft, luxurious hand-feel. Expect to pay more for Pima cotton, and note that it is usually ring spun, since ring spinning preserves the softness of the yarn more than other spinning methods. The fact that 1) ring spinning is a slower spinning method with more steps involved, and 2) the Pima cotton is more expensive to start with means that the fabric will be relatively expensive, but there is a large market for it when a soft hand feel is a must.
Micro piqu
A knit fabric with the same pattern as a pique. The difference between a micro piqu and a pique is the repeat size of the pattern is much smaller than the pique. Micro piqu fabrics usually have a very soft handfeel and are stable structurally so they curl and shrink less than jersey fabrics.
Raglan
A Raglan sleeve is a sleeve that is a single piece of fabric from the collar all the way down the arm with the seam going diagonally from the underarm area up to the collarbone. Usually the sleeves are a different color than the body on this shirt. A Raglan shirt is also sometimes called a baseball shirt.
Why does polyester need "odor fighters"?
Some polyesters need odor fighters for several reasons. 1) Polyester is attracted to oils, so it is more difficult to remove all the odor-causing bacteria from the shirt during washing if they are mixed with body oil (which they usually are). 2) Another reason that polyester can require odor fighters is due to the small size of the yarns used to make the garment. To achieve moisture-wicking properties in a performance shirt, the yarn diameter is extremely small so that the moisture will wick away from the body in the many channels that a smaller fiber creates. Because those fibers are so small in diameter and there are a lot of them, there is more surface area for the body oils and bacteria to become trapped, causing odor.
Anti-curl Collar
A collar that has been constructed to resist curling after wash. This is especially important in high-end polo shirts, because many rib knits that are used for collars will curl up at the end after washing. This curling is undesirable, is generally seen as a sign of a cheap shirt, and is something you need to avoid if you are providing shirts for a customer with premium expectations.
Flat Knit Rib
A flat knit rib is a knit fabric that is knitted flat, not on a circular machine. The fact that the rib is knitted flat causes the knit to be more stable and less likely to curl. Flat knit ribs are used extensively on higher-end polo shirts, where they keep their shape more than self-fabric collars.
Interlock Fabric
An interlock fabric is a double-knit ribbed fabric, which means that the fabric is basically two layers of fabric knit together on the knitting machine at the same time. The fabric has the same face on both sides, is thicker than a single-knit fabric, and is typically used when a heavier, more substantial fabric is needed for a shirt.
Combed Cotton
Combed cotton is cotton that goes through an extra combing step to straighten the fibers before being made into yarn. Combing the cotton makes the small cotton fibers line up together to make the resulting yarn smoother, stronger, and less hairy than un-combed cotton. Since combing is an extra step, combed cotton is more expensive and is generally used in higher-end shirts that require a soft hand.
Moisture Management
The term moisture management refers to a broad category of fibers, fabrics, treatments, and/or finishes that can cause a material to wick moisture away from the surface of the wearers skin so that the wearer feels cooler and more comfortable. The moisture then evaporates from the surface of the fabric once that moisture has wicked away from the wearer. Two key parts of moisture management are the wicking phase and the evaporation phase. In the wicking phase, moisture from the body is wicked away through the small channels created by the microfibers in the fabric, or it is wicked away because of a finish that is applied to the fabric. Wicking that is caused by microfibers is more expensive, but it lasts forever, since it is due to the mechanical properties of the fabric. Wicking finishes are cheaper, and they can cause a fabric with larger fibers to wick moisture away when it ordinarily would not. However, that wicking finish is a chemical application, and will wear off after a period of time, leaving the fabric with no wicking function.
The other important phase is the evaporation phase. To be a true moisture management garment, the garment must dry very quickly. Usually, synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon are used for this because they do not absorb moisture like cotton, rayon, or silk do. You can have a cotton-rich fabric that evaporates quickly due to a chemical finish, but just as in wicking, that chemical finish will wear off over time.
Triple Needle Stitching
Hemming that is done with 3 rows of stitches. This gives a much more durable seam and shows greater attention to detail, and therefore, a higher garment cost.
Debossed
In debossing, a design or logo is heat pressed into the surface of a material so that the design is depressed into the surface of the material. The design is imprinted into the surface of the material, sitting lower than the material itself. Debossing is the opposite of embossing, which causes a raised design on the surface of the material.
T Shirts
General notes about Ts- consumers still prefer cotton and equate cotton Ts with more value, so be careful choosing T- Shirts with a lot of Polyester for higher end uses. Most mid-to-high end customers still want and are willing to pay for cotton.
Double Knit
A fabric knit with 2 sets of needles instead of just one, yielding a thicker, more stable fabric than a single-knit fabric. Double knits are usually more expensive than a single knit fabric, and are used when a thicker, more substantial fabric is required, often for higher-end garments.
What Does Colorfastness Mean?
The term colorfastness refers to the degree that a material retains its color during various uses or processes. If a fabric is said to have poor colorfastness, that fabrics color bleeds or fades easily.
Preshrunk Fabric
Refers to a fabric that is processes with water and heat before the consumer purchases it in order to shrink the fabric. This is done to help ensure that the garment does not shrink too much after purchase. Garments made from preshrunk fabric can still shrink up to 3%, while fabric that is not preshrunk can shrink up to 10-15%.
Flatback Rib
A flatback rib is a ribbed fabric that has a ribbed texture on one surface, but is flat on the other surface. This fabric is usually used for the body fabric of a garment.
Organic Cotton
Cotton that is grown from non-genetically modified plants and that is grown completely without the use of synthetic chemicals including fertilizers or pesticides. Cotton grown in the US must comply with USDA requirements in order to be considered organic.
Tick Stitch
A stitch, usually a contrast stitch. The term tick stitch is usually used to describe the stitches on T shirts.
Slub yarn
A slub yarn is a yarn containing small tufts of unprocessed fibers along the length of the fiber at regular intervals. In most yarn uses, slubs are considered a flaw, but there are many fashion uses for slub yarn in decorative apparel. Waffle Knit
A waffle knit has a very textured surface where the knitting creates a pattern of squares that resemble waffle squares. The resulting fabric has a 3D structure and it is very useful in moisture wicking garments, since the 3D texture allows the fabric to rest off of the wearers skin, maximizing air flow and increasing comfort level for the wearer.
What Does Heathered Mean?
Refers to a yarn or fabric composed of fibers of different colors or contents. Each individual component of the yarn is visible within the yarn. For example, a pink heathered yarn could be composed of red and white fibers, with both red and white fiber being visible within the yarn creating a heathered effect.
Mlange
A French word that means a mixture of different elements. In the garment industry, another term for heathered
Sueded Fabric
A sueded fabric is one that has been passed over rollers in the finishing process that scuff the surface of the fabric. This sueding causes microscopic breaks in the fibers on the surface of the fabric, making the fabric feel softer. In general, sueded fabric feels softer and is less stiff than un-sueded fabric.
Pigment Dyed
Usually means garment dyed in the T shirt industry. Instead of dyeing the fabric first and then manufacturing the garment second (piece dyeing), the garment is constructed out of un-dyed fabric, then dyed in a vat with other garments, dyes, and softeners. Dyeing after garment construction gives the garment a softer hand with more muted colors than piece- dyeing.
Flannel
A soft, warm fabric usually made of cotton or wool or blends of those two fibers. Flannel fabric is relatively thick and has a soft fuzzy feeling on the surface.
Bonus Content
Caps Category
Enzyme Washing
In enzyme washing, finished goods are placed in a bath with enzymes and washed for a specific amount of time at a precise temperature.
An enzyme wash creates a softer hand to the fabric because the enzymes eat away at the fuzz on the surface of the fabric, causing it to appear slightly worn and rugged. Often the color will appear slightly lighter as well after an enzyme wash. Enzyme washes are preferred recently because they do not damage the strength of the fabric like stonewashing does.
Brushed Cotton
As one of the final finishing processes that fabric goes through, brushing is a process where cotton fabric passes over a roll that has tiny brushes all over the surface. The brushing gently pulls up some of the cotton fibers on the surface of the fabric, increasing the softness of the fabric.
This is one way that stiff fabrics used for hats and caps can achieve a worn look as soon as the cap is purchased.
Cotton Canvas
Cotton Canvas is a Cotton fabric that is very heavy and very tightly woven. It is usually used for tarp, tents, or other uses where a fabric needs to stand up to wear and tear for long periods of time. Canvas can also be made of Jute, Hemp, or Linen and may also be called Duck or Duck Canvas.
Scarves and Gloves Category
Why Use a 2-ply Yarn?
2-ply yarns are used in scarves quite frequently, because by twisting two smaller yarns together to weave the scarf, the scarf has a softer hand feel with better drape than if a single thicker yarn had been used to weave the scarf. Softness is generally a requirement for items such as scarves and gloves. Bags and Packs Category
Why Use Nylon in Bags?
Nylon is used in bags because of its resistance to abrasion and the fact that it absorbs very little water. Nylon resists degrading due to excessive brushing or wear, and because it is not attracted to water, it makes an excellent fabric to use in bags and packs.
Why Use Polyester in Bags?
Generally speaking, polyester is less expensive than Nylon, so for bags that are not intended for long periods of extreme wear and tear, polyester has the strength necessary to be used in bags. It also does not absorb moisture and resists degrading in sunlight.
What Does 600D Mean?
The D stands for denier (pronounced: den-yer), which is a fancy French word that is a unit of yarn weight or size. The bigger the number, the thicker (heavier) the yarn. When the yarn used is heavier, the fabric woven from that yarn is thicker and stronger. That weight and strength comes at a higher price, so the weight needed and allowable cost must be balanced.
The most common denier for packs and bags is 600D.
For those of you who want the official definition, denier is the amount of grams in weight that 9000 meters of a yarn would weigh if 9000 meters were unraveled and weighed on a scale. So, 9000 meters of a 600 denier fabric weighs 600 grams.
PVC
Stands for Poly Vinyl Chloride, which is a common plastic. PVC is lightweight, reasonably inexpensive, and is waterproof, which is why it is used so frequently in packs and bags.
Hypalon
Hypalon fabric is a very durable, waterproof synthetic rubber manufactured by DuPont. It can be coated onto fabrics to make the fabrics durable and waterproof, which is how Hypalon is usually used when found in bags and packs. Hypalon was discontinued by DuPont in 2009.
Dobby
(Reposted from earlier in this document since Dobby weaves are used in bags and packs as well as shirts)
A Dobby weave is achieved on a Dobby loom. This type of weave usually has more intricate patterns than a plain weave fabric. A Dobby weave will usually have small, intricate patterns such as diamonds or small repeating floral prints.
Because the dobby loom gives more control over the individual yarn ends, there are more patterns that are possible with this type of loom. A jacquard loom gives the highest degree of intricacy possible, with the ability to control each individual yarn end independently.
What is a Ripstop Fabric?
Ripstop fabric is woven with thin yarns primarily, but with thicker, reinforcing yarns woven in at regular intervals. The result of this construction is that when the fabric is ripped, the rip will propagate to the thicker yarn, which will stop the rip. This is a very important feature in sail cloth, parachutes, etc, but this feature is also important in packs and bags as well.
Pindot Nylon
A nylon fabric with small pin-sized dots woven in at regular intervals for a decorative effect. Not functionally important to the item, for decoration only.
What is Rhinoskin Poly?
A light-weight puncture-proof, tear-resistant polyester fabric that is impregnated with a durable water repellent coating.
TPE
Abbreviation for Thermoplastic Elastomers- Basically refers to a type of material that acts both like a heat-settable plastic and a rubber.
Neoprene
A type of synthetic rubber. Golf Bag Category
Micro twill
A fabric made up of microfiber yarns that are woven into a twill design.
PU (Polyurethane)
Polyurethane is a synthetic polymer that combines properties of both a rubber and a plastic.
PP (Polypropylene)
Polypropylene is a major polymer used in nonwovens, and in apparel it is used to create base layer underwear to be worn in cold conditions. Polypropylene is the lightest synthetic fiber, so garments made of PP feel very light and comfortable to the wearer. Polypropylene can also be used to create warm weather clothing because it does a great job of wicking moisture away from the wearers body. PP does have a rather low melting point, so there are very few heat applied materials that can be applied to this fabric because it will usually melt. PP does not absorb water, but it does absorb oil readily, so odors in these fabrics can be a concern when wearing them as base layers next to the skin, as they absorb and retain body oils.
Accessories Category
Terry
Terry or terry cloth is a fabric with loops that can absorb large amounts of water. It is usually made of a natural fiber like cotton, since natural fibers are more water absorbent than synthetic.
Velour
Velour fabric is knitted or woven with an extra set of yarns which create the loops in the fabric. If the loops are left intact, the fabric is a terry fabric. However, to make a velour fabric, the loops are sheared off relatively close to the surface of the fabric, resulting in a pile of soft yarns left over after the top of the loops is sheared off. Velour is often used in drapes, curtains, high-end towels, and other home furnishings and accessories.
Bamboo
Bamboo fabric is made from Bamboo, which is a grass. It is a fast-growing grass, and because of this, was thought of initially as an eco-friendly fiber-forming material. However, the process needed to create the woody grass bamboo into a soft fiber is very chemical-intensive and is not generally recognized as eco-friendly. The process used to create bamboo is very similar to the process used to create Rayon. Fabrics made from Bamboo generally have a soft, silky hand feel with nice drape.
Teflon finish
Teflon is the most well-known brand name of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and is made by DuPont Co. Teflon has a very low coefficient of friction, which leads to its slick surface. It is hydrophobic and non-reactive. In garments, Teflon repels water, so it is used in high end water repellant/ water resistant garments.
Outerwear Jackets Category
Seam-Sealing
A process used to render a seam waterproof by applying seam tape or a liquid sealant to the seam of a garment. This process is used extensively in water resistant and water proof garments. In most cases, the sealant or tape is applied to the inside of the garment so it is hidden from the outer surface of the garment.
What does 3000MM mean?
The value 3000MM is a water resistance rating for fabric. The higher the number, the better water resistance the fabric has.
Imagine that you have a column of water resting on a waterproof fabric. Only the fabric is keeping the water from flowing out of the column. The rating that a fabric receives is equal to the height of the water column that the fabric can support before water starts to squeeze through to the other side of the fabric due to the weight of the water column. So, the higher the number, the higher the water column, the better the water resistance of the fabric
The highest performance waterproof garments will usually have a rating of 10000MM or higher.
The higher the water resistance value for the money, the better.
What Does 3000G/M2 Mean?
The value 3000G/M2 refers to the breathability (also known as water vapor permeability) rating of a fabric. It is expressed in the amount of water vapor (in grams) that is able to transfer through 1 square meter of the fabric. When this value is higher, it means that more water vapor can be transferred through the fabric, which makes the wearer feel more comfortable. Please note that it is water vapor that is being transferred, not liquid sweat. Therefore, in order for a breathable jacket to truly breathe, the wicking layers that are closer to the body must wick liquid sweat off the surface of skin and distribute it through to the other side of the wicking layer so that it can evaporate off the wicking layer and out through the breathable jacket.
The higher the breathability rating for the money, the better.
Bonded Fabric
A bonded fabric is one that is usually a web of nonwoven fibers that are held together into a sheet form by some type of adhesive.
Laminated Insert- Why do I need that?
A laminated insert is a porous film that is sandwiched between two fabrics, usually in protective outerwear-type garments. The laminated film has microscopic holes that allow moisture vapor (sweat) to escape from the wearer, but the films holes are so small that rain cannot enter into the garment.
Nylon Taffeta
Taffeta is a plain weave fabric, usually very lightweight. A nylon taffeta is, simply put, a taffeta made of Nylon.
Taslan Nylon
Taslan Nylon is a type of Nylon that is texturized before it is made into a fabric. This texturizing causes the Nylon to feel more like cotton fabric and less like a synthetic. Therefore, it is usually used in garments that touch the skin, or where a softer, more cotton-like hand feel is important.
Micro fleece
Micro fleece is a fleece fabric that is made of very small-diameter fibers. These small diameter fibers are able to wick moisture away from the surface of the skin. When a jacket is needed that is water repellant and provides warmth, a micro fleece fabric is used on the inside of the jacket to both keep the wearer warm AND to wick moisture away from the wearer. Micro fleece fabrics are used anytime a warm, soft fabric is needed.
Melton Wool
A woven fabric usually made of wool with synthetic fibers as well. Melton wool originated in Melton, England, and is known for being so thick that the weave is concealed. The fabric is heavily napped and sheared very close to the surface of the fabric. It resembles wool felt, is very substantial, and is quite wind-resistant. Melton wool is considered to be a higher quality wool fabric.
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