selection · 5 min read

Fabric width and why it changes your cost per garment

Two fabrics at the same price per metre can differ by 15% in cost per garment, because what matters is not the width on the label but the usable width after shrinkage and selvedge.

By Weft Bridge · Reviewed by our Guangzhou sourcing team · Updated 2026-11

Total width versus usable width

The width quoted by a mill is selvedge to selvedge on the finished fabric. The usable width is smaller: selvedge, curled edges on tubular knits and shrinkage all take a bite.

For tubular knit, the tube is flattened and measured double, so a 90 cm tube is sold as 180 cm. When you cut it open, the usable width is the tube circumference, not the doubled figure.

Why width drives cost

Cutting a garment is a nesting problem. A marker that fits six pieces across a 160 cm fabric may only fit five across a 150 cm one, which changes the consumption per piece by 15–20% even though the fabric price is identical.

This is why a slightly wider fabric at a slightly higher price per metre is often cheaper per garment. Compare consumption, not price per metre.

What to put in the spec

Finished width, with a tolerance, measured after the finishing you will use.
Whether the fabric is tubular or open width, and the tube circumference if tubular.
Shrinkage in width as well as length.
The minimum usable width, not the average.

FAQ

Is a wider fabric always cheaper per garment?

Only if the marker uses the extra width. For small pieces, a wider fabric can leave more waste at the selvedge.

Why is knit width sometimes quoted as a range?

Because the tube is not perfectly stable and finishing changes it. Ask for the minimum, not the range.