Knitwear glossary
Knitwear, explained.
Plain-language definitions of the technical, quality and compliance terms used across knitwear sourcing — from GSM and spirality to AQL, GOTS and SMETA.
A
- amfori BSCI
- A social-compliance monitoring and supply-chain improvement framework. Factories hold an audit status, not a product certificate.
- AQL
- Acceptance quality limit — the maximum defect level accepted in a sampled inspection, set per defect class.
B
- Better Cotton
- A programme promoting more sustainable cotton farming; claims are made through a mass-balance system.
- bluesign
- A system that manages chemical inputs across textile production to remove harmful substances at source.
- BOM
- Bill of materials — every fabric, trim, label and packing component of a style, with quantities.
- Bursting strength
- The pressure a knitted fabric withstands before rupturing — knits are tested for bursting rather than tearing.
C
- Colourfastness
- How well a colour resists fading or transferring through washing, rubbing, light, water or perspiration.
- Cover stitch
- A stretchable stitch with parallel needle lines on top and a looper underneath, used for hems and bindings.
- Crocking
- Colour transfer by rubbing, tested dry and wet.
F
- Flatlock
- A flat seam joining fabric edges butt-to-butt, common in activewear for comfort.
- FOB
- Free on board — the price including goods loaded at the port of origin; freight onward is the buyer’s.
- French terry
- A knit with a smooth face and loops on the back, used for sweatshirts and joggers.
- FSC
- Forest Stewardship Council — certifies responsibly sourced paper and board, used for hang tags and packaging.
G
- GOTS
- Global Organic Textile Standard — certifies organic-fibre textiles through processing, with chemical and social criteria.
- GRS
- Global Recycled Standard — certifies recycled content and chain of custody, with environmental and social requirements.
- GSM
- Grams per square metre — the standard measure of fabric weight.
H
- Heat-transfer label
- A tagless label printed onto the garment with heat and pressure, common in T-shirts and activewear.
I
- Interlock
- A double-knit fabric, smooth on both sides, stable and soft — common in babywear and polos.
- ISO 9001
- The international standard for quality management systems, held by a facility, not a product.
L
- Lab dip
- A small dyed sample submitted to approve colour before bulk dyeing.
M
- MOQ
- Minimum order quantity — the smallest quantity per style or colour a partner will produce.
- MRSL
- Manufacturing Restricted Substances List — chemicals restricted from use in the production process.
O
- OCS
- Organic Content Standard — verifies the presence and amount of organic material, with chain of custody.
- OEKO-TEX
- STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certifies textiles tested for harmful substances, at product level.
- OEKO-TEX STeP
- Sustainable Textile & Leather Production — facility-level certification for environmental and social performance.
- Overlock
- A stitch that trims, joins and neatens the fabric edge while keeping stretch.
P
- Pilling
- Small balls of fibre forming on the fabric surface through wear and abrasion.
- Piqué
- A textured knit with a fine honeycomb or waffle surface, the classic polo fabric.
- POM
- Point of measurement — a defined place and method for measuring a garment.
- PP sample
- Pre-production sample, made in bulk fabric and trims, approved as the reference for production.
R
- RCS
- Recycled Claim Standard — verifies recycled input and chain of custody, without GRS’s social and chemical criteria.
- RSL
- Restricted Substances List — chemicals limited or banned in the finished product.
S
- SA8000
- A social-accountability standard covering labour rights, health and safety and management systems.
- Sedex
- A responsible-sourcing platform where suppliers share ethical and audit data with customers.
- Shrinkage
- Dimensional change in length or width after washing, measured as a percentage.
- Single jersey
- The basic weft knit: smooth face, loops on the back — the everyday T-shirt fabric.
- SMETA
- Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit — an audit methodology covering labour, health and safety, environment and ethics. Not a certification.
- Spirality
- The twist of a knitted fabric or garment after washing, which can make side seams rotate.
- Strike-off
- A test print or embroidery on production fabric, approved before bulk decoration.
T
- Tech pack
- The full technical specification for a style: sketches, measurements, materials, construction and artwork.
- TOP sample
- Top of production — a sample taken from the first bulk output for approval.
- Trim card
- A sheet carrying physical samples of every approved trim — labels, buttons, zippers, threads — for a style.
W
- Woven label
- A label woven on a jacquard loom (damask, taffeta or satin), used for brand and size labelling.
- WRAP
- Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production — a social-compliance certification for sewn-product facilities.
Z
- ZDHC
- Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals — a programme setting the MRSL and wastewater guidelines for textile processing.
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New to a term? Read the knitwear glossaryHelpful to include
- 01Tech pack
- 02Product reference
- 03Fabric composition & GSM
- 04Quantity per style & colour
- 05Colour requirements
- 06Trims & packaging
- 07Certification requirements
- 08Quality standards
- 09Target FOB
- 10Delivery timeline