How to Read a Fabric Spec Sheet, Line by Line
Faraz approves the first sample of every collection with a loupe in his hand, counting stitches. Before the sample exists, the only thing to check is the spec sheet. Most of the sheets suppliers send are written in adjectives like "luxury feel" and "heavyweight construction", which nobody can audit. A proper sheet turns each claim into a number you can hold against the garment in your hand.
Below is the spec block for our T-Shirt, then what each line means and what a worse line would have told you.
Fiber and weight on lines 1 and 2
"100% combed ring-spun cotton" is three claims, and each one costs the mill money. Ring-spun means the yarn was twisted continuously into a fine, strong strand instead of being spun from loose fiber, the cheaper default known as open-end. Combed means the short fibers were pulled out before spinning, and the fibers that are left lie flat and pill less. When a sheet says only "100% cotton", assume the yarn is open-end. How the two spinning methods differ is covered in our fabric guide.
"220 GSM" is grams per square meter, and it's the hardest line on the sheet to fake. Our four fabrics sit at four weights: 220 for the tee, 200 for the piqué polo, 330 for the fleece and 140 for the oxford shirt. Each number is the reason the garment feels the way it does. If a sheet has no GSM on it, you have nothing to hold the supplier to.
Line 3 describes the cut.
"Modern relaxed fit, side-seamed" tells you how the shirt was patterned and put together. Side-seamed means the body was cut from flat fabric and sewn up both sides. It hangs like a shirt instead of a tube, and a chest print sits flat. Tubular tees are cheaper to make, and they twist after a few washes. A fit opinion belongs on the sheet too, and ours is that this tee runs true and you should order your normal size.
What line 4 says about the neck
The neck is where a tee fails in public. Ribbed 1x1 recovers its shape after being pulled over a head every morning. Taped shoulder to shoulder means a strip of fabric covers the seam behind the neck, which keeps the neckline from stretching into a boat neck by spring. When a uniform tee looks tired, the collar is what went first. For daily-wear programs like hospitality, the neck and the seams matter more than hand feel, because those shirts go through the wash so often.
Lines 5 to 7 cover the decoration.
Most garment sheets stop at the fabric. Ours carries the decoration too, because on a cheap shirt the mark fails before the fabric does. A left-chest embroidery runs 5,000 to 12,000 stitches in raised satin, with up to 12 thread colors and no lettering under 5 mm, and it outlives the garment. A DTF print is rated for 50-plus washes without cracking, and it's the choice for anything with a gradient or fine detail. Chest embroidery goes to about 4 in wide and a chest print to about 10 in. How to choose between the two is in why we embroider, and when DTF wins.
Sizes at one price on line 8
"XS to 4XL, one price" is the line most sheets leave off, because it's a commercial fact rather than a mill fact. We think it belongs on the sheet anyway. A size surcharge above XL means your roster pays a different price per person, and the person paying more knows it.
Compliance on line 9, and the certificate behind it
OEKO-TEX certifies that the finished fabric is free of harmful substances, which is the baseline for anything worn against skin all day. Ask for the certificate, not the logo, because a real program can produce current paperwork on request. Which certifications mean what is in the sustainability guide.
What a sheet can't tell you
A sheet has two limits. Two fabrics can share every line above and still feel different in the hand. The difference is finishing, how the fabric is washed and brushed after knitting, and it barely shows up on paper. A sheet also can't tell you how a collar holds after a year of Mondays. Both gaps close the same way, with the garment in your hand. Use the sheet to get to a shortlist, then order a sample before you decide. Ours is a paid sample set, and it takes about two weeks.
A five-line audit for any supplier's sheet
Next time a supplier sends a spec sheet, or conspicuously doesn't, run this:
- The spinning method is named. If the word "ring-spun" isn't anywhere on the page, assume the yarn is open-end.
- GSM is stated. Expect a number, such as 220 for a tee or 330 for a fleece.
- Construction is on the sheet. Look for side seams and shoulder tape, the two details that decide how the shirt holds its shape.
- Decoration is on the sheet. A print should come with a wash rating and embroidery with a stitch range.
- The certificate has a number. A logo printed on the sheet doesn't count without one.
A sheet that passes all five is worth a sample. Start in the Design Studio, ask for the sample set, and put your current supplier's tee next to ours.