Apparel Fabric Types Guide: Cotton, Poly-Cotton, Stretch & Performance for Buyers

Quick Answer: Apparel fabrics from Pakistan fall into two categories: woven (poplin 100–140 GSM, twill 200–400 GSM, denim 8–14 oz) and knitted (single jersey 120–200 GSM, French terry 200–320 GSM, fleece 260–380 GSM). Woven fabrics are dimensionally stable with limited stretch; knitted fabrics have inherent stretch and suit T-shirts, polo shirts and sweatshirts. Both categories are available in 100% cotton, CVC (60/40) and poly-cotton blends from Pakistan's certified mills. See the apparel fabric sourcing page for roll widths and minimum order quantities.

Fabric Categories by Construction

Apparel fabric from Pakistan falls into two primary construction categories — woven and knitted — each with fundamentally different properties, production machinery, and end applications. Understanding the distinction is the starting point for any fabric sourcing brief.

Woven Apparel Fabrics

Woven fabrics are produced on a loom by interlacing warp and weft yarns at right angles. The result is a dimensionally stable fabric with limited stretch on the grain (warp and weft directions), with some bias stretch at 45°. Standard woven apparel fabrics include:

• Poplin: Plain weave, high thread count, smooth surface. 100–140 GSM. Shirt-weight fabric for formal and casual shirts, blouses.
• Twill: Diagonal weave pattern (chino, gabardine, denim). 200–400 GSM. Trousers, workwear, jackets.
• Canvas: Heavy plain weave. 280–400 GSM. Workwear, bags, structured outerwear.
• Denim: Twill weave with dyed warp and undyed weft. 8–14 oz. Jeans, jackets, casual trousers.
• Ripstop: Reinforcing grid woven into lightweight base. 80–180 GSM. Outdoor, workwear, military.

Knitted Apparel Fabrics

Knitted fabrics are produced by interlocking loops of yarn. They have inherent stretch and recovery in both directions, breathe well, and are comfortable against skin. Standard knitted apparel fabrics include:

• Single jersey: The most common T-shirt fabric. 120–200 GSM. Lightweight, one-way stretch.
• Interlock (double jersey): Heavier, more stable, same appearance both sides. 160–280 GSM. Polo shirts, children's wear.
• Rib: 1×1 or 2×2 rib knit. Used for neckbands, cuffs and waistbands, and as a standalone fabric for tank tops and fitted garments.
• French terry: Loop on one side, smooth on other. 260–400 GSM. Sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers.
• Fleece: Brushed loop on inside for warmth. 200–400 GSM. Sweatshirts, outerwear, hoodies.

Cotton and Cotton-Blend Specifications

Stretch Fabrics: Elastane Addition

Elastane (spandex/Lycra) is added to woven and knitted fabrics in small percentages to add recoverable stretch:

• Woven stretch: 1–3% elastane adds comfortable body movement without distorting the woven structure. Standard for modern chinos, twill trousers and shirt fabrics.
• 4-way stretch woven: 2–5% elastane in both warp and weft. Used for activewear, fitted workwear, technical outwear.
• Knitted stretch: 3–8% elastane in jersey, interlock and rib knits provides shape retention and fit. Essential for fitted garments — without elastane, knitted garments lose shape quickly.

Elastane above 10% in woven fabrics creates a satin or sateen-like hand-feel with high stretch — a swimwear/activewear construction, not a garment fabric. Specify elastane percentage in the fabric specification to avoid substitution.

Performance Fabrics

Performance functions in apparel fabric come from two sources: fibre-based (inherent to the fibre type) and finish-based (applied to the fabric surface or cross-section).

• Moisture-wicking: Polyester micro-filament fabrics or cotton with wicking finish. Finish-based treatments degrade after 30–50 washes — specify wash durability requirement.
• Anti-bacterial: Silver ion treatment or bamboo viscose (natural antimicrobial claim). Specify test standard (ISO 20645) and wash durability.
• UV protection: UPF-rated fabric from tightly woven construction or UV-absorbing finish. Specify UPF rating (UPF 15 to UPF 50+) and test standard (AS/NZS 4399 for Australia/NZ, AATCC 183 for USA).
• Flame resistant: As covered in the workwear fabric standards guide — specify inherent FR vs. finish-based FR and required standard.

Width Standards

Fabric width determines the cut efficiency for each garment type. Common widths from Pakistan's apparel fabric mills:

• 44 in (112 cm): Narrower width, commonly used for denim and heavy canvas; older looms.
• 58/60 in (147–152 cm): Standard for woven shirting, twill, poplin. Efficient for most woven garment cut plans.
• 72 in (183 cm): Common for knitted fabrics (open-width) — more efficient cut plans for wider pattern pieces.
• Tubular knit: Knitted fabric in a closed tube, typically 30–36 in diameter flat (60–72 in circumference). Must be slit open for cut-and-sew; some patterns cut directly from the tube.

Width tolerance is typically ±2% — a fabric specified at 60 in must arrive between 58.8 in and 61.2 in. Wider width variation causes cut plan yield loss and must be rejected in incoming inspection.

Quality Parameters: What to Specify

Always specify the following with tolerances in your fabric purchase order:

• GSM tolerance: ±5% of specified value (e.g., 180 GSM ±9 GSM acceptable range 171–189 GSM)
• Width tolerance: ±2% of specified width
• Shrinkage: ≤3% in both warp and weft after 3 washes at 40°C (for garment-intended fabrics)
• Colour fastness: Minimum grade 4 on grey scale for washing, rubbing (dry) and perspiration
• Pilling: ISO 12945-2 minimum grade 3 after 2,000 cycles (for knitted fabrics)
• Tensile strength: Per EN ISO 13934-1 for woven; specify minimum values for the fabric category

Certification for Fabric Rolls

• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 — required for fabric destined for retail garments in EU, UK, USA. Covers finished fabric including any dyes, finishes and auxiliaries used.
• GOTS — chain-of-custody certificate required for organic cotton fabric; the spinning mill, weaving/knitting mill and dye house must all be GOTS-certified.
• GRS (Global Recycled Standard) — required for any recycled fibre claim (recycled polyester, recycled cotton) — chain-of-custody from fibre to finished fabric.
• Test report formats: USA buyers typically require AATCC test methods; EU buyers accept ISO and EN methods. Specify which in the purchase order.

Fabric Ordering: Minimum Roll Quantities

Apparel fabric from Pakistan is supplied in rolls. Typical MOQ parameters:

• Solid colour fabric: 200–500 m per colour, per article. Below 200 m, most mills add a short-length surcharge.
• Printed fabric: 500–1,000 m per design/colourway for screen print; digital print MOQ can be lower but cost per metre is significantly higher.
• Roll weight: Woven rolls are typically 50–100 kg; knitted rolls 20–40 kg.
• Roll marking: Each roll must be labelled with fabric type, width, GSM, metre count and batch/lot number for traceability.

Home textile fabric buyers (terry, percale, sateen) should refer to our dedicated home textile fabric guide for width, GSM and quality parameters specific to that category.

Sourcing Apparel Fabric from Pakistan

MZ Global Trading sources apparel fabric from Pakistan — woven poplin, twill, denim, canvas, and knitted jersey, terry, fleece and interlock fabrics, by the roll with full OEKO-TEX and GOTS chain-of-custody documentation.

Request a fabric quote with your fabric type, fibre content, GSM, width, quantity in metres, colour or print requirement, and certification requirement — mill match and FOB pricing returned within 3–5 business days.