45+ Terms · First-Hand from a Manufacturer
Knit Fabric Glossary
Wholesale Buyer's Vocabulary
What is single jersey? What does GSM mean? Why is knit fabric sold by weight? Every term you'll meet when sourcing fabric from Türkiye — explained plainly by a manufacturer in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu textile district, not by a marketing department.
Glossary
Fabric Terms & Definitions
Why this glossary? So you can speak the same language as your manufacturer. Below are 45+ terms in 4 categories: fabric types, yarn & knitting, finishing & quality, and trade & certification. Every definition is written from the production floor by Altunkaya Tekstil — a knit fabric manufacturer in Istanbul since 2013, exporting with a 50 kg minimum order.
01 — Fabric Types
Single Jersey
Süprem (TR)
The most common single-layer plain knit; the standard for t-shirts and underwear. Altunkaya produces combed cotton jersey at 150-180 gsm. Jersey fabric page →
Stretch Jersey
Lycra Jersey
Single jersey knitted with elastane (92% cotton, 8% spandex) for body-fit t-shirts, dresses and leggings.
Interlock
Double Knit
A dense double-bed knit, smooth on both faces and more stable than jersey. Widely used for linings and baby clothing. Interlock fabric page →
Three-Thread Fleece
Üç İplik (TR)
A heavy winter knit built from ground, tie and loop yarns (310-320 gsm). The core sweatshirt and jogger fabric; available brushed or unbrushed (diagonal).
French Terry
Loopback
Loops on the inside face, flat outside (420-440 gsm at Altunkaya). Unbrushed — ideal for mid-season sweatshirts and joggers. French terry page →
Polar Fleece
Fleece
Polyester knit brushed on both faces; light and warm (270-280 gsm). The base fabric for jackets, cardigans and blankets. Fleece fabric page →
Anti-Pill Fleece
Shaved / Traşlı Polar (TR)
Fleece sheared to an even pile height after brushing. Smoother surface, much lower pilling than untreated fleece.
Coral Fleece
Welsoft (TR)
Ultra-soft velvety micro-polyester knit (240-250 gsm), known as welsoft in Türkiye. For pajamas, baby textiles and blankets; plain, striped and checked jacquard variants. Coral fleece page →
Sherpa
Teddy Fabric
Curly, lamb-look high-pile fabric (290-310 gsm), also called teddy. Used for jacket linings and winter outerwear. Sherpa fabric page →
Plush
Peluş (TR)
Family name for long, soft pile fabrics used in toys, blankets and winterwear. Sherpa and printed plush belong to this family.
Ottoman Rib
Selanik (TR)
Firm 100% cotton knit with pronounced horizontal ribs (290-300 gsm). For cardigans and sweater-look tops. Ottoman rib page →
Pique
Lacoste / Lakost (TR)
Breathable honeycomb-textured knit (190-200 gsm); the classic polo shirt fabric, in combed cotton and polyester versions. Pique fabric page →
Scuba Knit
Double Knit Polyester
Double-layer polyester knit with a smooth, structured body (230-240 gsm). Holds its shape; used for dresses and jackets. Scuba fabric page →
Neoprene-Style Knit
Dalgıç (TR)
Thicker, firmer scuba (260-270 gsm) resembling wetsuit fabric; for jackets, skirts and sportswear.
Moss Crepe
Zara Crepe
Drapey polyester with a grainy, sandy surface (230-240 gsm). A favorite for dresses, tunics and modest fashion. Crepe fabric page →
Rib Knit
1x1 / 2x2 Rib
Elastic rib-structure knit with high crosswise stretch; the standard for cuffs, collars and waistbands.
02 — Yarn & Knitting Terms
Combed Cotton
Penye (TR)
Cotton yarn combed to remove short fibers: smoother, stronger, less hairy fabric. A grade above carded yarn.
Carded Cotton
Karde (TR)
Uncombed yarn that keeps its short fibers. More economical; the fabric surface stays slightly fuzzy.
Ring Spun Yarn
Ring İplik (TR)
Yarn from ring spinning frames — high strength and evenness. The standard for quality knits.
Open-End (OE) Yarn
Rotor Spun
Economical rotor-spun yarn with a coarser hand feel; used in cost-driven production.
Elastane
Spandex / Lycra
The synthetic fiber that gives stretch; "Lycra" is a trade name. Typically blended at 5-8% in knits.
Plated Knitting
Vanize (TR)
Knitting two different yarns in the same stitch — e.g. cotton face, polyester back in three-thread fleece.
Jacquard
Structural Pattern
Pattern created in the knit structure itself, not printed. Striped and checked coral fleece are jacquard knits; the pattern never washes out.
GSM
Grams per Square Meter
Fabric weight per m² — the main driver of thickness, warmth and cost. 150 gsm = summer tee class; 320 gsm = winter sweatshirt class.
Fabric Width
Kumaş Eni (TR)
Edge-to-edge roll width (cm). Affects marker planning and cutting waste; knits typically run 100-185 cm.
Hand Feel
Tuşe (TR)
How fabric feels to the touch: softness, drape, smoothness. The reason buyers request physical samples — it can't be judged from photos.
Pile
Hav (TR)
The fiber surface layer of fleece, plush and coral fleece. Pile height and density define the product: coral fleece is short and fine, sherpa is long and curly.
03 — Finishing & Quality Terms
Finishing
Terbiye (TR)
Everything that turns greige fabric into product: dyeing, heat setting, brushing, shearing. At least as important for quality as the yarn.
Brushing / Napping
Şardon (TR)
Raising surface fibers with wire rollers. This step gives brushed three-thread and polar fleece their warmth.
Shearing
Traşlama (TR)
Machine-cutting the brushed pile to an even height for a smooth surface and lower pilling. "Shaved fleece" takes its name from this step.
Pilling
Boncuklanma (TR)
Small fiber balls forming through friction — the most common complaint about cheap fabric. Reduced by yarn quality, knit density and finishing.
Anti-Pilling Finish
Anti-Pill
A finish that keeps the surface smooth wash after wash; the distinguishing property of quality polar fleece.
Stenter / Heat Setting
Ram / Fikse (TR)
Stretching and fixing fabric at high temperature to stabilize width and weight; controls shrinkage and form.
Sanforizing
Pre-Shrinking
Mechanically pre-shrinking so fabric barely shrinks after washing; standard for cotton knits.
Dye Lot Variation
Lot Farkı (TR)
Visible tone difference between dye batches. One lot per style is a basic garment rule — always request lot integrity.
Pantone / RAL Matching
Custom Color
Custom dyeing to an international color code. At Altunkaya: custom colors 10-15 business days, stock colors ship in 2-5.
Shrinkage
Çekmezlik (TR)
Size change after washing (%). Quality knits stay within about ±5% thanks to heat setting and sanforizing.
04 — Trade & Certification Terms
MOQ
Minimum Order Quantity
The smallest order a manufacturer accepts. Altunkaya's MOQ is 50 kg for all fabrics — well below the 300-500 kg industry norm.
Sold by Weight
Per Kilogram Pricing
Knit fabric is priced per kg, not per meter. Conversion: meters/kg ≈ 10,000 / (gsm × width in m). E.g. 250 gsm at 180 cm ≈ 2.2 m per kg.
Color Card
Swatch Card
Real fabric pieces showing a fabric's stock colors — the standard tool for checking color and hand feel before ordering. Our color cards →
Sample
Numune (TR)
A fabric piece or short yardage for quality and color approval before ordering. Altunkaya processes sample requests via WhatsApp the same day.
Incoterms
EXW / FOB / CIF
International delivery terms: EXW ex-works, FOB loaded on vessel, CIF freight + insurance included. Always stated in export quotes.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100
Class I — Baby Safe
Certifies the fabric is free of harmful substances. Class I is the strictest level: safe for direct contact with babies (0-3 yrs). Altunkaya fabrics are certified in this class. Our certificates →
GOTS
Global Organic Textile Standard
Certifies the full production chain of organic-fiber textiles. Certified organic cotton production available on request.
BCI
Better Cotton
Certifies more sustainable cotton farming. Production with BCI cotton yarn available on request.
FAQ
Common Questions from Fabric Buyers
What does GSM mean and how do I choose the right fabric weight?
GSM is grams per square meter — the fabric's weight, which drives thickness, warmth and cost. Rough guide: 140-180 gsm for summer t-shirts and blouses, 190-250 gsm for mid-season (pique, scuba, coral fleece), 270-320 gsm for winter (fleece, three-thread, sherpa), 420+ gsm for heavy sweatshirts (french terry). Choose by season and silhouette.
What is the difference between combed and carded cotton?
Combed cotton yarn has its short fibers removed by combing, giving smoother, stronger, less hairy fabric. Carded yarn skips this step; it is cheaper but slightly fuzzy. For quality t-shirts and underwear, combed (penye) is the standard choice.
Why is knit fabric sold by the kilogram instead of by the meter?
Weight is the industry standard for knits because it is independent of width and stretching. To convert: meters per kg ≈ 10,000 / (gsm × width in meters). Example: 250 gsm coral fleece at 180 cm width gives about 2.2 meters per kilogram.
What MOQ do Turkish fabric manufacturers require?
Most Turkish mills ask for 300-500 kg per color. Altunkaya Tekstil accepts 50 kg minimum orders for all 22 fabrics, which lets small garment makers and new brands buy directly at factory prices, with 2-5 business day delivery for stock colors.
What does OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class I mean for buyers?
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifies through independent testing that a fabric contains no harmful substances. Class I is the strictest category: fabrics are safe for direct skin contact with babies aged 0-3. Altunkaya's fabrics carry Class I certification through its dyehouse chain — relevant for baby clothing, toys and blankets.
How do I check fabric quality before placing a wholesale order?
Request a physical sample and color card first — hand feel and tone cannot be judged from photos. Check GSM with a scale cutter, verify shrinkage after a test wash, rub-test for pilling, and confirm dye lot integrity for your full order. A reliable manufacturer ships samples within days; Altunkaya processes sample requests the same day via WhatsApp.
You Know the Terms — Let's Talk Fabric
22 knit fabrics, 50 kg minimum order, direct factory prices, 2-5 business day delivery from Istanbul. Not sure which fabric fits your product? Ask us on WhatsApp — we'll advise honestly, as manufacturers.