Jersey & Cotton Knit Fabric Guide

What actually makes a jersey a jersey

A jersey is knitted, not woven. Instead of two sets of yarn crossing at right angles, one yarn is looped through itself row after row. Those loops are why the cloth stretches, why it does not fray when you cut it, and why a t-shirt hangs the way it does rather than standing away from the body like a shirt.

It also explains the two things that catch people out. Knitted cloth curls at a raw edge, so plan a hem or a band. And it recovers only as well as its fibre lets it — pure cotton will bag slightly at the knee and elbow, while a few per cent of elastane pulls it back into shape.

Single jersey, rib, french terry — the difference where it matters

Single jersey is the plain one: smooth face, looped back, the everyday t-shirt cloth. Ours run 200–210 gsm, which is heavy enough not to show every seam allowance through.

Rib is knitted so the cloth folds into vertical channels. It stretches far more across the width and springs back hard, which is exactly what you want at a neckline, a cuff or a waistband. Using it for a whole garment is possible but it will cling.

French terry has loops left uncut on the inside. It is the sweatshirt cloth. Brushed french terry is the same construction with the loops raised into a soft nap — warmer, softer, and it drapes less crisply. Both come at 250 and 300 gsm here; the 300 holds a shape, the 250 is closer to a mid-season layer.

Why we print cotton knits with reactive dye

Reactive printing forms an actual chemical bond between the dye and the cellulose in the cotton fibre. The colour becomes part of the yarn rather than a film sitting on top of it. In practice that means two things you can feel: the printed area stays as soft as the unprinted area, and the colour holds its depth through repeated washing instead of going chalky.

It is slower than sublimation — reckon on two to three weeks in production rather than a week — because the cloth has to be steamed and washed after printing. That wash is also why knits come back with some shrinkage already taken out of them.

What people make with these

T-shirts and long-sleeves, babywear and children's clothes, easy dresses, sweatshirts and joggers, and the cuffs and neckbands that finish them. If you are building a small clothing line, the cotton knit family is usually where it starts.

Before you order

• Minimum 5 m per design on every cotton knit. Reactive printing runs continuously, so there is a practical floor.
• Tolerance: ±10% on runs over 50 m per design, ±5 m under that. Build it into your cutting plan.
• Shrinkage: expect a little on first wash. Pre-wash before you cut if the fit is tight.
• Scale your artwork to the width. Most of these are 150 cm; a couple are wider. Each quality page lists its exact width.