A sleepwear fabric specification turns a hand-feel preference or reference swatch into a material your team can compare, quote and repeat. A useful fabric card connects the complete fiber formula, yarn, structure, GSM, usable width, finish and performance requirements to an identifiable sample.
| Field | What it describes | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber composition | The generic fibers and their percentages | The knit structure, weight, care or finished-garment performance |
| Yarn specification | The yarn count system and relevant yarn construction or processing | The fabric's GSM or a universal softness level |
| Fabric construction | How the yarns form the textile, such as jersey, interlock, rib or a woven structure | Whether the fiber is cotton, viscose, polyester or another type |
| GSM | Fabric mass per square meter | Thickness, TOG, opacity or garment weight on its own |
| Usable width | The width available for the agreed cutting process | The yield of every style or size combination |
| Stretch and recovery | Extension and return under defined directions and conditions | A guarantee that every seam or finished opening behaves the same way |
| Finish | The selected treatment and intended surface or performance effect | Proof of the effect without the relevant sample assessment |
“40S cotton” is incomplete. Identify the yarn count system and cotton/yarn specification, then state construction and GSM separately. Likewise, “rib” is a structure; it is not a fiber composition or proof of elastane content.
The following card is a development example for discussion, not an available-stock entry or a completed test report.
| Card field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Intended product | Children's long-sleeve two-piece pajama set |
| Composition | 95% combed cotton, 5% elastane |
| Construction | Single jersey |
| Target mass | 200 GSM; final approved value and tolerance to be agreed from the selected quality |
| Color | Customer-selected color, approved against the agreed physical reference |
| Usable width | To be recorded from the actual supply specification and checked for cutting |
| Stretch/recovery | Test or evaluation conditions and directions to be agreed for the garment |
| Finish | Defined soft-hand and dimensional-stability route, with wash assessment |
| Identification | Supplier/material reference, sample version and material lot where applicable |
| Approval | Buyer decision, date, approved scope and any remaining material decisions |
The open entries are questions to settle during development. A proposed number is not an accepted production tolerance, and an approved hand feel does not establish every performance characteristic.
GSM and width help describe consumption, but the garment pattern and cutting layout still matter. Directional prints, pile direction, matching requirements, defects and size allocation affect usable yield.
As a simple calculation, one linear meter of fabric at 1.60 m usable width covers 1.60 m². At a uniform 200 GSM, that area has a theoretical mass of 320 g. This is an area-and-mass calculation, excluding edge losses and variation. It does not tell you how many pajama sets can be cut from that meter.
Send the intended size range and mix when asking for a material-cost comparison. A proposal based on the smallest size alone may not represent the order you plan to buy.
Useful for initial surface feel, color direction and structure identification. Record which side is the face and whether the swatch has been washed or finished. The swatch is a starting reference, not complete garment approval.
Useful for print repeat, drape, directional behavior and the agreed material checks. Its identity and preparation should be recorded so the result can be traced to the candidate quality.
Useful for seams, fit, openings, rib, zippers, labels and washing. A main fabric needs to work with its companion components. The selected garment is the reference for final construction decisions.
Ready-to-ship garments, existing fabric made into a new order and newly developed fabric are different states. An available swatch does not establish that sufficient bulk material is reserved. Confirm quantity, color, lot, usable width and the conditions for replenishment.
Standard-fabric custom orders can use custom colors or prints on established qualities. A new fiber formula or construction requires its own development review. Explore fabric sourcing.
GSM measures mass per area. Thermal behavior also depends on structure and the complete product. For layered sleep products, use a defined thermal-resistance assessment rather than a GSM conversion.
Yes. Yarn, structure, density and finish can differ. Identify and compare the actual samples, then record the approved quality.
Add the directions, evaluation method and recovery requirements relevant to the garment. The marketing phrase alone does not give a repeatable acceptance criterion.
Its complete specification, a comparison with the original, cost and timing effects, and the sample or testing needed to approve the substitution.
