Clothing Fabrics Guide: The Fabrics We Use and How to Choose

Every clothing brand’s first real decision is the fabric, and the choice shapes everything after it: hand-feel, cost, drape, durability, and how the garment performs. After 20+ years manufacturing knit garments in Tirupur, here is a clear guide to the fabrics we actually work with, the blends we run, and honest notes on what each one does well. This is written from the production floor, so the notes are the ones that decide whether a fabric is right for your product.

Cotton and Cotton Blends

Cotton is the foundation of most knit garments and the fabric we build the majority of our production around. It is soft, breathable, and reliable, and it takes prints and washes well. We work across pure cotton and cotton blends, and one honest value insight worth sharing: a good cotton jersey given a biowash finish produces a genuinely soft hand-feel, and it is a more affordable route to that premium softness than an expensive Pima cotton. A well-chosen combination of yarn counts and knitting gauge is what turns ordinary cotton into a top-quality jersey, and that craft, rather than simply the fibre grade, is where real fabric quality comes from. For organic ranges, we produce 100% organic cotton with organic certification through our certified partner factories.

Viscose and Viscose Blends

Viscose is prized for its soft, fluid drape and a smooth, almost silky hand that cotton cannot match, which makes it a favourite for fashion-led women’s tops and relaxed tees. We produce knit tops and t-shirts in 100% viscose, in a balanced 50% cotton and 50% viscose blend that pairs viscose’s drape with cotton’s structure, and in a 95% viscose with 5% spandex blend for a soft fabric that also stretches. Viscose has a beautiful hand but is more delicate than cotton, so the blend is often the practical choice for a garment that needs both drape and durability. As a bamboo viscose clothing manufacturer and viscose specialist, we help brands choose the right viscose route for their product.

Modal

Modal is a soft, smooth fibre made from beech wood, noted for its silky feel, colour retention, and resistance to shrinkage, which makes it popular for premium loungewear and next-to-skin tops. We produce knit tops and t-shirts in 100% modal and in a 50% cotton and 50% modal blend that combines modal’s softness with cotton’s everyday practicality. Modal sits above standard cotton in both feel and cost, so it suits brands positioning a softer, more premium product.

Bamboo

Bamboo fabric, produced as bamboo viscose, has a naturally silky, breathable hand and is popular with sustainability-minded brands and for garments worn close to the skin. We produce knit tops and t-shirts in 100% bamboo and in a 50% cotton and 50% bamboo blend, which balances bamboo’s softness with cotton’s structure and cost. Bamboo is a strong choice for a soft, sustainable-feeling alternative to pure cotton, and it works especially well in kidswear and next-to-skin styles.

Stretch Fabrics with Elastane

Stretch comes from adding elastane, also called spandex or Lycra, to a base fabric. We run 95% cotton with 5% elastane, which is our standard stretch blend for everyday garments, along with viscose lycra for a soft stretch drape, and a 50% polyester, 45% cotton, 5% lycra blend for garments that need durability and stretch together. The key principle is that more elastane is not better, it is simply stretchier, and the right small percentage gives controlled stretch with good recovery. Our full guide to elastane and lycra blends explains the ratios in detail.

Knit Structures: Jersey, Interlock and Rib

Beyond the fibre, the knit structure shapes how a fabric behaves. Jersey is the classic single-knit used for most t-shirts, light and with a smooth face. Interlock is a denser double-knit, smooth on both sides, with more stability and body, which suits baby rompers, bibs, and structured tops. Rib has vertical lines and natural stretch, used for cuffs, collars, necklines, and fitted styles. We produce all three across varied GSM, and one piece of production knowledge worth knowing is that French terry, once brushed on the inside, becomes fleece, which is why the same base knit can serve both a light sweatshirt and a warm hoodie depending on the finish. Choosing the right structure and GSM matters as much as the fibre, as our guide to the GSM weights t-shirt manufacturers use sets out.

Special Yarns and Finishes

Fabric character also comes from the yarn and the finish. We work with special yarns such as neppy yarn, which gives a flecked, textured surface, and marl yarn, which gives a heathered, mixed-tone look, both popular for fashion tees and streetwear. On finishes, we apply a range of printing techniques and washing techniques, including the biowash that softens jersey, and we produce yarn-dyed auto-stripe PK polo shirts where the stripe is knitted in rather than printed. These yarn and finish choices are what give a garment its distinctive character beyond the base fabric.

Fabric Guide at a Glance

The table below sets out the fabrics we produce and where each fits.

For the sustainability side of these fabrics, our approach to organic cotton certification covers the standards behind organic and certified ranges.

How to Choose the Right Fabric

The choice comes down to matching the fabric to the garment’s job and price point. For everyday tees, cotton or a cotton blend, softened with a biowash, gives quality at a sensible cost. For a fluid, fashion-led feel, viscose or modal is the route. For sustainability and next-to-skin softness, bamboo or organic cotton fits. For stretch, add elastane in the right small percentage. And always choose the knit structure, jersey, interlock, or rib, and the GSM to suit the garment, because the structure and weight shape the result as much as the fibre. Confirm the fabric against a physical sample before bulk, because a swatch tells you what no specification sheet can.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fabrics are used for knit clothing?

The core fabrics for knit clothing are cotton and cotton blends, viscose, modal, bamboo, and organic cotton, along with stretch blends that add elastane. These are knitted into jersey, interlock, and rib structures at varied GSM. Each fabric suits a different purpose, from everyday cotton tees to fluid viscose tops and stretch gym wear.

What is the difference between viscose, modal, and bamboo?

All three are soft, drapey fibres, but they differ. Viscose has a silky, fluid drape ideal for fashion tops. Modal is a beech-wood fibre that is very soft, colour-fast, and shrink-resistant, suited to premium loungewear. Bamboo, produced as bamboo viscose, has a naturally silky, breathable feel popular for sustainable and next-to-skin garments.

What is a more affordable alternative to Pima cotton?

A well-chosen cotton jersey given a biowash finish produces a genuinely soft hand-feel and is a more affordable route to premium softness than Pima cotton. Fabric quality also comes from the combination of yarn counts and knitting gauge, not the fibre grade alone, so a well-engineered standard cotton can feel excellent.

What is the difference between jersey, interlock, and rib?

Jersey is a light single-knit with a smooth face, used for most t-shirts. Interlock is a denser double-knit, smooth on both sides with more body, suited to baby garments and structured tops. Rib has vertical lines and natural stretch, used for cuffs, collars, and fitted styles. The structure shapes the fabric as much as the fibre.

Does French terry become fleece?

Yes. French terry, once brushed on the inside, becomes fleece. The same base knit can therefore serve a lighter sweatshirt or a warmer hoodie depending on whether the interior is brushed, which is why the finish matters as much as the fabric itself.