Fabric Manufacturing
Weaving, knitting, nonwoven production.
What really happens at this stage
Fabric manufacturing converts yarn into greige fabric through weaving, knitting, or nonwoven web formation, and the process choice fixes the fabric's stretch behaviour, drape, and cost structure long before dyeing or cutting begins. Weaving interlaces warp and weft yarns on air-jet, rapier, or projectile looms to produce stable fabrics used in shirting, bottoms, and denim, while circular and flat knitting machines form interlooped structures such as jersey, rib, and interlock that give apparel its stretch and comfort. Nonwoven lines bond or entangle fibre webs mechanically, thermally, or chemically for interlinings, wadding, and technical components. Machine gauge, yarn count, and loom or knitting speed together determine fabric weight, cover, and the realistic daily output a mill can commit to a buyer.
Greige fabric quality is inspected on a four-point or ten-point grading system before it is released to dyeing, and mills track defects such as broken picks, missing needles, holes, and oil stains that originate on the machine rather than in later wet processing. Beam and warp preparation, including sizing and creel tension, has a direct bearing on downstream weaving efficiency and fabric shrinkage potential. Knit fabric relaxation and conditioning before cutting is essential because greige knits carry residual stress from the knitting tension that only shows up as dimensional change after washing. Buyers who visit the fabric stage typically review loom or machine allocation plans, greige inspection records, and shrinkage trend data to judge whether a mill can hold the fabric specification consistently across a bulk order.
How it is done
- 1Confirm construction and yarn plan
Fix warp/weft count and density for wovens, or machine gauge and stitch length for knits, against the approved fabric specification before booking capacity.
- 2Prepare yarn and beam warp
Size and beam warp yarns to a target tension that limits warp breakage to a low frequency per shift; condition knitting yarn for even tension feed.
- 3Run production on allocated machines
Load looms or knitting machines against a daily output plan, typically expressed in metres or kg per machine per shift, and log stoppages by cause.
- 4Inspect greige fabric
Grade rolls using a four-point or ten-point defect scoring system, recording defect type, location, and points per 100 square metres.
- 5Relax and condition fabric
Hold knit fabric in relaxed, tension-free storage for at least 24 hours before it moves to dyeing to let residual knitting stress dissipate.
- 6Release batch with traceability
Tag approved rolls with loom/machine number, lot, and shift so any downstream fault can be traced back to the originating machine and operator.
Key metrics (indicative targets)
| Metric | Working target | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Greige defect points per 100 sqm | Indicative: under 15 points on a four-point system | High point scores signal downgraded fabric that will fail finishing or cutting yield later. |
| Loom/machine efficiency | Indicative: 85-95% efficiency | Low efficiency inflates lead time and per-metre cost even when quality is acceptable. |
| Warp/needle breakage rate | Indicative: under 2-3 breaks per beam or shift | Frequent breakage causes fabric faults and unplanned downtime. |
| Shrinkage potential (greige to relaxed) | Indicative: tracked and trending stable batch to batch | Uncontrolled shrinkage variation undermines finished garment dimensions after washing. |
| On-time fabric delivery to dye house | Indicative: 95% within planned window | Late greige release compresses the remaining production calendar for dyeing and cutting. |
Targets are indicative working ranges, not standard or legal limits.
Control points to check and sign off
- Approved construction sheet matches loom or knitting machine settings before a run starts.
- Greige inspection records are signed off and retained with lot identification.
- Relaxation or conditioning time is respected before fabric moves to the next process.
- Yarn lot changes mid-batch are flagged for potential shade or barre risk.
- Machine maintenance and calibration logs are current for allocated equipment.
Common pitfalls and their consequences
- Running knit fabric straight to cutting without relaxation, causing post-wash dimensional shrinkage claims.
- Ignoring beam tension variance, producing warp streaks or tension bands that only becomes visible after dyeing.
- Mixing yarn lots without tracking, leading to shade and strength inconsistency across a bulk order.
- Accepting greige fabric on visual check alone without point-grading, letting latent defects pass into finishing.
- Overloading loom or machine capacity plans optimistically, causing schedule slippage that cascades into late shipment.
Main activities
- Fibre and blend selection with impact screening
- Supplier qualification and material sourcing
- Yarn, fabric and finishing production control
Quality risks
- Weaving defects
Sustainability risks
- Fabric waste
AI opportunities
- Loom performance AI
Official sources
Learn the skills used at this stage
Free GarmentEd lessons with worked calculations, checklists and practice questions for the work described above.
Also relevant: Electrical Systems and Safety, Energy and Carbon Management.