The Complete Guide to Choosing Knit Fabric for Garment Manufacturing and Clothing Brands

Sales Intan Jaya Tekstil
5 hours ago
7 min read

Choosing knit fabric looks simple until you actually have to do it for a production run where the money is coming out of your own pocket.

Combed or carded? 20s, 24s, or 30s? What GSM is right? What's the difference between CVC and PE? When do you use drifit? How much should you order? How do you make sure it stays consistent?

This guide answers all of that in one place — organized by the sequence of decisions you actually face, not by technical categories that don't map to how you work.

If you're starting out, read from the top. If you already know the basics, jump straight to the section you need.

Part 1: Know Your Fabric Types

Cotton Combed

Fabric made from 100% cotton fiber that goes through a combing process — removing short fibers and impurities, leaving only long, uniform fibers.

The result: fabric that's smoother, stronger, less prone to pilling, and more comfortable against skin than cotton that skips this step.

Best for: streetwear, local clothing brands, premium merchandise, products where comfort and appearance matter.

Available variants: 16s, 20s, 24s, 30s — the higher the number, the finer the yarn and the lighter the fabric.

Cotton Carded

Also 100% cotton, but without the combing process. Short fibers remain in the yarn.

The result: slightly rougher fabric, slightly more prone to pilling, but at a more accessible price point. Still comfortable to wear — just not as smooth as combed.

Best for: promotional t-shirts, event uniforms, budget-conscious merchandise, products that don't demand refined texture.

Available variants: 24s, 30s.

CVC (Chief Value Cotton)

A blend of cotton and polyester with cotton as the dominant component — typically around 60% cotton and 40% polyester.

This combination produces fabric that resists shrinkage better than pure cotton, dries faster, but retains cotton's comfort.

Best for: work uniforms, frequently washed garments, products that need higher durability.

Available variants: 24s, 30s — including Misty variants with a melange color effect.

PE (Polyester)

100% synthetic fiber. The most economical of all types, fast-drying, shrink-resistant, with very stable color retention.

Its limitation: less breathable than cotton, and can feel hot in tropical climates for everyday wear.

Best for: mass promotional t-shirts, single-use event uniforms, products with very tight budgets.

Available variants: 24s, 30s, 40s — including PE DK.

Drifit Jersey

Polyester-based knit fabric with moisture-wicking properties — engineered to pull sweat away from skin toward the outer surface.

Best for: sports jerseys, activewear, team uniforms, running apparel.

Available variants: Milano, Speedy, Benzema, Adidas — each with different characteristics.

Rib and Waffle

Rib is a vertically ribbed stretch knit — commonly used for collars, cuffs, and hems. Available in 16s, 20s, 24s, 30s.

Waffle is fabric with a honeycomb-style textured surface — often used for products with a distinct visual character.

Part 2: Understanding Yarn Count (20s, 24s, 30s)

This number is called ne count — a measure of yarn fineness.

The basic rule: the higher the number, the finer the yarn, the lighter and thinner the fabric.

Ne Count	Character	Best for
16s	Thickest and heaviest	Hoodies, sweaters, outerwear
20s	Thick, durable	Workwear, field uniforms, outdoor t-shirts
24s	Versatile, middle ground	Mid-range streetwear, merchandise, community uniforms
30s	Light, soft, premium	Fashion brands, everyday casual wear

Part 3: Understanding GSM (Fabric Weight)

GSM is fabric weight per square meter — a variable that's often overlooked despite being as important as yarn count.

Two fabrics both labelled "combed 30s" can have significantly different GSM, and the difference shows up in the finished product.

For combed 30s:

140–150 GSM — thin, light, very breathable. Ideal for everyday casual wear or hot climates. More prone to sheerness in light colors.
150–160 GSM — medium weight, more substantial but still light, better drape, safer across a wider range of colors.

For combed 24s and 20s: GSM is generally higher because the yarn is thicker.

How to check GSM without specialized equipment:

Cut a 50 cm × 50 cm sample
Weigh it on a kitchen scale
Multiply the result by 4

Example: a 50×50 cm sample weighs 38 grams → 38 × 4 = 152 GSM

Always discuss both variables with your supplier: ne count and GSM.

Part 4: Calculating How Much Fabric You Need

Miscalculating fabric requirements creates two problems: excess stock you can't use, or running short mid-production and being forced into a reorder that risks a lot mismatch.

Base formula per piece:

Fabric per piece (kg) =
  [(Body length + 10 cm) × (Body width × 2 + 10 cm)]
  × GSM / 10,000,000

Quick reference table (combed cotton, 180 GSM, with 12% allowance):

Size	Estimated per dozen
S	~1.9 kg
M	~2.1 kg
L	~2.4 kg
XL	~2.7 kg
XXL	~3.0 kg

Always add 10–15% allowance for fabric shrinkage and cutting waste.

Read more: [How Much Fabric Do You Need Per Dozen T-Shirts?]

Part 5: Choosing Based on Production Context

This is the most practical section. Find the scenario closest to your situation:

Product type	Recommended fabric
Premium clothing brand, upper price point	Combed 30s, 150–160 GSM
Everyday casual wear, mid price point	Combed 30s or 24s
Mid-range streetwear	Combed 24s
Event/community merchandise	Combed 24s or Carded 24s
Work uniforms / workwear	Combed 20s or CVC
Mass promotional t-shirts, tight budget	Carded 30s or PE
Competition sports jerseys	Drifit Speedy
Lifestyle activewear	Drifit Milano
Hoodies / outerwear	Combed 16s or Fleece

Part 6: Verifying Quality Before Production Starts

Fabric that has arrived isn't necessarily ready to cut. Five things to check:

GSM accuracy — weigh a sample, compare against your order specification
Color and lot consistency — compare samples from at least 3 rolls under natural daylight
Fabric width — measure at three points along each roll
Physical defects — unroll 2–3 meters, check for holes, stains, broken yarns
Fabric condition — check for moisture, musty odor, signs of poor storage

This process takes 15–20 minutes per delivery. Far cheaper than handling a return.

Part 7: Lot Problems and How to Prevent Them

A lot is a fabric production batch. Fabric from different lots can carry color and GSM differences that aren't visible until pieces are placed side by side.

Three main causes of lot mismatch:

Splitting the order across two separate purchases
Supplier mixing old and new stock without confirmation
Fabric entering the warehouse without lot inspection

How to prevent it:

Calculate total requirement upfront, order all at once
Request lot confirmation at time of order
Record lot codes when fabric arrives
Store leftover fabric with its lot information intact

Part 8: Choosing the Right Supplier

The best fabric from an unreliable supplier still produces production problems.

Five warning signs to watch for:

Can't answer technical questions with specifics
Price too far below market rate
Won't provide samples before a large order
Slow and inconsistent communication
No verifiable track record

What to look for: not a supplier who never has problems — but one who handles problems proactively with real solutions.

Part 9: Calculating the Real Cost

Price per kg is the wrong number to compare fabric options with.

What should actually be calculated:

Actual fabric cost =
  (price per kg × kg required)
  + (estimated additional waste × price per kg)
  + (estimated reject pieces × production cost per piece)
  + (estimated returns × cost of handling a return)

Cheaper fabric per kg can end up more expensive if it produces higher waste, more rejects, or customer returns.

Pre-Order Checklist

Before you transfer payment, make sure you've answered all of these:

Fabric type determined based on product and target market
Ne count (20s/24s/30s) selected for the right context
GSM confirmed with supplier — not just ne count
Fabric requirement calculated per size, not averaged
10–15% allowance added
Actual fabric width confirmed with supplier
Lot confirmation requested — all fabric from the same lot
Samples requested and inspected (for new suppliers)
Delivery timeline clear and realistic
1–2 kg buffer set aside for samples and QC

The Bottom Line

There's no objectively "best" fabric. There's only the fabric that's most appropriate for the product you're making, the market you're targeting, and the price point you're holding.

Good decisions start with the right questions:

Who will be wearing this product, and in what context?
What retail price are you targeting?
What's the priority — function, comfort, or premium appearance?

The answers to those three questions almost always point to a clear choice.

And once that choice is made, the rest is execution: calculate correctly, check before cutting, and choose a supplier who can maintain consistency from the first order through the tenth.

Need help determining the right fabric for your production? Tell us about your product type, target market, and production scale — the IJT team is ready to recommend the most sensible option before you order.

Contact our 24hr CS at WA 0812 9090 2360 or contact our store admin at office hours (Monday–Friday 09.00–17.00 and Saturday 09.00–17.00, Sunday off) at WA 0812 1234 2360