The purchase of fabric in bulk is a significant aspect for clothing brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retails. Such an operation might minimize expenses connected to a square meter cost or a garment’s price. On the other hand, multiple mistakes may ruin countless items of clothing or provoke customer complaints and damage compensation claims.
Therefore, it is critical to determine the characteristics of interlock before buying it in bulk to avoid buying low-quality knitting. In fact, it is highly recommended not to consider the fabric quality check as a guessing game.
General Interlock Fabric Description
Interlock is a knitting technique involving the use of double sets of loops. Two sides of the material should ideally have one and the same design but have various thickness. It usually possesses good stretch, as well as smooth and comfortable surfaces as compared to single knitting options.
Interlock is commonly used in T-shirts, dresses, children’s clothes, sportswear, loungewear, etc., and is also available in an extensive variety of materials, weights, and finishes.
The interlock’s overall quality and performance are defined by the composition, GSM, quality of stitches, stretching level, shrinkage or twisting, surface characteristics, and width. Interlock can be composed of various materials like cotton, polyester, viscose, modal, or include a combination of several above-mentioned fibers.
If a fabric manufacturer or supplier is unable to provide specific composition details about interlock at a specific time, such ambiguity should trigger concerns. For example, if one is going to buy cotton interlock, a specific composition grade (percentage) might be interesting and critical for negotiations with the company.
Any high-quality fabric should possess a clean and attractive appearance; therefore, the surface of the interlock should be examined in detail to ensure the absence of any damages or spots. It should also be checked whether there are irregularities or holes in case the fabric is to be used for a dress, children’s clothes, or other garments for adults. In addition, a customer may take a sample fabric and test its softness and overall appearance with hands.
Furthermore, it might also be worth paying particular attention to the lighting, as the look of some materials can hardly be determined without appropriate lighting. Finally, it is also critical to use the right measuring tools for weight (GSM), surface inspection, and other characteristics.
Interlock Fabric Density
The interlock fabric weight (density) must match the particular garment size – a light fabric will suit t-shirts, whereas sportswear, dress, or even winter clothes will be appropriate for medium and heavy weights. If a customer’s order has particular size requirements, the fabric’s GSM (grams per square meter) can be measured to determine its weight.
The fabric’s weight must also have specific characteristics depending on the fabric’s quality, as one should not hope for substantial weights per each particular roll.
Therefore, a specific roll’s GSM should be compared to what a fabric manufacturer is stating. It is critical to remember that one should not be fooled about the visual impression of the fabric.
As it goes with most aspects of the fabric industry, specific weight must be controlled during the measuring process. Such an approach can be applied during both small and large order size purchases.
Surface Stretch and Resiliency
Another critical characteristic that should always be taken into consideration is an interlock surface stretch. Depending on a garment category, interlock fabric will possess different stretch levels along with the specific knitting construction.
For example, one might horizontally stretch one sample and observe its reaction. For stretch evaluation, one may determine whether an interlock fabric can resist vertical stress and stretch as necessary without deforming. Surface recovery characteristics are vital if there is an intention to make dressy clothes, children’s wear, or sportswear.
At the same time, garments with elastic properties are also appropriate when purchasing interlock as it is likely to conform to body shape. Notably, some cotton interlock characteristics might stretch to a larger extent than the ones attributed to other fiber blends.
Interlock Shrinkage after Washing
One of the most common fabric industry mistakes made by fabric or clothing manufacturers and suppliers in the past and even today is skipping a test for shrinkage by failing to do an adequate inspection prior to an actual fabric cutting process.
For this reason, fabric customers should determine whether there were any major wash cycle changes or shrinkage. To do that, a sample must be cut (a smaller sample in case of a single roll purchase) and compared for measurements. Once washed, it will be possible to measure its new size and see whether there is a significant percentage of shrinkage beyond the approved limits.
Such a mistake with interlock fabric might lead to massive shrinkage after garment purchase by an end customer.
In terms of color, there is also an option to make use of a lab dip or any production sample to inspect it for a fabric customer using an order specification. In this case, an order buyer must ensure the identical color across multiple rolls (for single purchase) or several rolls for different fabric buyers.
This aspect is more apparent to the end-customer during the clothes shopping process and can affect the quality of a particular garment or fashion piece in terms of color matching. In this situation, it is necessary to check the material color durability, rubbing and washing resistance. Such characteristics are vital whether the chosen interlock fabric is set for a white, black, or any other bright outfit.
It goes without saying that pilling resistance is also important when a customer purchases a garment made in interlock fabric. For example, there is always some pilling risk with knitted fabric; nevertheless, the presence of substantial lint should be an issue for a fabric consumer and a supplier if it provokes clothing customer comments.
If buying interlock in medium or larger sizes, one should conduct the pilling check (a simple friction test). Alternatively, it is always possible to request (with reference to a fabric supplier) actual pilling test data and laboratory results at a more commercial level.
Similar interlock fabric characteristics checks could apply when one is to purchase fabric that may come in different knitting patterns like crinkle, as well as other interlock knitting designs. The use of multiple fabric samples allows a better understanding of the surface material, including its weight and width, with appropriate weaving.
Fabric Width in Determining Interlock Characteristics
The width of fabric rolls should also play an essential role in the purchasing decision.
Prior to the actual purchase of interlock in larger sizes, it is advisable to determine the exact material usable width according to the actual roll size. Additionally, one must pay close attention to the edges and potential material damages, especially if their appearance does not match the fabric roll width. On the contrary, the larger the usable interlock material is, the better.
The usable width is a matter of particular importance for fabric manufacturers who are to distribute the selected fabric (in rolls) across several fabric customers or to design multiple garments per roll. The latter option may involve considerable expense, considering the width difference (even with minimal differences) across several garment pieces per order, or multiple garments.
Final Tips on Evaluating Fabric Characteristics with Samples Inspection
Fabric buyers need to conduct an interlock fabric sample inspection before ordering it in larger sizes. It is important to learn the actual weight and hand sensation, as well as stretch, color, sewing performance, interlock fabric surface characteristics, fabric shrinkage, and other factors. For example, if the inspection includes a piece made from sample material (on which actual garment seams are applied), it will also be possible to determine the material’s overall sewing performance (including such characteristics as cutting and washing).
Cloth manufacturers and sellers must comply with the customer expectations if the party is buying interlock material in bulk. On the fabric buyer’s side, sample material evaluation can also help the buyer avoid potential issues during a larger purchase and conduct a better-quality control process with fabric sellers. Such practices ultimately help ensure that clothes that meet the required quality levels are prepared fo
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