Plain-spoken reference notes on how textiles are specified, priced and shipped — the questions we answer for buyers and mills every week, written down so they are useful to anyone sourcing the value chain.
Count is the first number on every yarn enquiry and the one most often confused. Here is what each system measures, how to convert between them, and why a higher number does not always mean a finer yarn.
GSM is the shorthand for fabric weight, but it is not a quality grade. What it actually controls, the typical ranges for common knits, and the traps that make two fabrics of the same GSM behave nothing alike.
Three letters in a contract decide who arranges freight, who insures the goods, and exactly where responsibility passes from seller to buyer. A clear guide to the terms that matter most in textile shipments.
More notes are added as the questions come up. If there is something you would find useful explained here, tell us — chances are another buyer is asking the same thing.
Send us the specification, the quantity and the destination. We will come back with the suppliers worth talking to and an honest view of price and lead time.