The material you pick is the first big decision in any clothing programme, and it shapes how the garment feels, how long it lasts, how well it takes a print, and what it costs. This guide walks through the materials Apparel The Hub works with, organised by fibre family, along with the woven and knitted garments we develop in each one.
Each fibre family below lists the properties that decide whether a material suits your range, plus the garments it is commonly made into.
Natural fibres come from plants or animals. They breathe well and have the familiar hand feel that buyers use as a benchmark for other materials. Options: Cotton, Linen (Flax), Hemp, Wool, Jute.
Soft and comfortable against the skin
Breathable and absorbent
Takes dye and print well
Naturally prone to creasing
May shrink if not properly pre-treated
Generally dries more slowly than synthetic fibres
Works across seasons depending on fabric weight
Options available subject to product, fabric, artwork and order requirements.
Strong and long-lasting
Creases easily
Very breathable and cool in hot weather
Can feel crisp at first and softens with washing
Absorbs moisture and dries fairly quickly for a natural fibre
Often blended with cotton or viscose for a softer feel
Natural, slightly textured look that many buyers love
Linen is a natural fibre derived from the flax plant, which is why it is also referred to as Linen (Flax).
Strong and durable
Breathable
Natural, textured look
Softens with wear and washing
Absorbs moisture
Often chosen for sustainability-led ranges
Can feel coarse unless blended or finished well
Warm and insulating
Breathable and manages moisture well
Springs back into shape
Naturally resists odour
Feel depends on fibre fineness; coarser wool can itch
Needs careful washing, as it can shrink or felt
Usually costs more than cotton or synthetics
Strong and rigid
Coarse, natural, rustic texture
Biodegradable plant fibre
Very little stretch
Not soft against the skin, so rarely used alone for clothing
Usually blended with other fibres for apparel use
Not normally a core knitted-apparel material.
Jute is a strong, coarse natural fibre used mainly for trims, panels, bags, packaging and selected blended garments rather than as a primary apparel fabric.
Fibres produced by reprocessing used textiles, plastic bottles and production waste, offering suitable options for collections with recycled-content requirements.
Available on request: Recycled Cotton and Recycled Wool.
Durable
Dries quickly
Holds colour well
Resists wrinkles
Suits sports and outerwear
Low moisture absorbency
Recycled content is stated only when confirmed in the supplier’s fabric specifications.
Very strong, with high tear and abrasion resistance
Lightweight
Smooth feel
Dries quickly
Good stretch recovery
Can be made water-resistant with coatings
Less breathable than natural fibres
Engineered fibres for durability, stretch, quick drying and shape retention – performance and outerwear directions.
Durable
Dries quickly
Holds colour well
Resists wrinkles
Suits sports and outerwear
Low moisture absorbency
Soft, wool-like feel
Lightweight
Warm
Holds colour well
Resists shrinking
Can pill with wear
Less breathable than wool or cotton
Very strong, with high tear and abrasion resistance
Lightweight
Smooth feel
Dries quickly
Good stretch recovery
Can be made water-resistant with coatings
Less breathable than natural fibres
Extremely stretchy and snaps back to shape
Used in small percentages blended with other fibres
Improves fit, comfort and movement
Helps garments keep their shape
Never used on its own
Can weaken with high heat or chlorine
Regenerated fibres start as plant cellulose, usually wood pulp, which is then turned back into fibre. They offer a smooth drape and a soft, cool hand feel. Options: Viscose / Rayon, Lyocell, TENCEL™ Lyocell, Modal.
Engineered fibres for durability, stretch, quick drying and shape retention performance and outerwear directions.
Soft
Fluid drape
Breathable feel
Absorbent
Good for printed and resort-style products
Can crease
Smooth and soft
Fluid drape
Breathable
Absorbent and good at managing moisture
Gentle on the skin
Premium appearance
Manages moisture
Soft
Smooth feel
Premium next-to-skin feel
Good drape
TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG. We use the name only when the sourced fibre is verified as TENCEL™; otherwise we specify Lyocell.
Very soft and silky
Smooth drape
Breathable and absorbent
Holds colour well
Can pill over time
These seven knit fabrics sit behind most T-shirt, polo, hoodie and jogger programmes. Here is what each one is, how it feels and where it works best.
A knit fabric made entirely from cotton yarn with no synthetic blended in. Most buyers treat it as the reference point for judging other knitwear, and it stays the go-to choice when natural fibre content is part of the brand story.
Soft, dry and breathable on the skin, with a natural, slightly matte surface instead of a synthetic shine. The hand feel varies a lot with yarn quality and finishing, which is why sampling matters on cotton programmes.
Several GSM options are available, from light jersey for tees up to heavier builds for premium pieces. Weight is confirmed against your tech pack at the sampling stage.
Cotton is a reliable base for screen printing, DTG and embroidery. DTG in particular works best on cotton, and the feel of the print can be controlled through ink and mesh choices.
Premium basics, T-shirts, polos and buyer-specified knitwear where natural content and hand feel drive the decision.
CVC stands for Chief Value Cotton: a blend where cotton is the main fibre, mixed with polyester. It is the practical middle ground between the feel of pure cotton and the durability and price stability of a polyester blend.
Very close to cotton in hand feel, with a slightly smoother surface and better recovery. Most customers cannot tell it apart from cotton by touch, which makes it handy for value-focused ranges.
Several GSM options across jersey, piqué and terry constructions. Weight is confirmed at sampling.
Screen printing works well. For DTG, results depend on the cotton content, so higher cotton ratios perform better. Embroidery is stable on CVC.
Value-focused tees, uniform programmes and repeat production where cost stability and durability matter as much as hand feel.
A knit blend of cotton and polyester in which polyester makes up a bigger share than in CVC. The exact ratio (65/35, 50/50 and so on) is a specification decision that changes the character of the finished garment.
Smoother and lighter than pure cotton, with a bit more sheen and clearly better recovery. It feels more technical and less natural, which suits performance-led and value-led ranges.
Several GSM options. Weight and blend ratio are confirmed together because they affect each other.
Screen printing is the dependable route on higher-polyester blends, using suitable inks to control dye migration. Embroidery is stable. DTG is best judged at sampling.
Everyday basics, uniform and workwear programmes, and performance or value-led ranges where durability and price lead.
Single jersey is a knit structure, not a fibre. It has a smooth face and a looped back, and it is the most widely used construction in T-shirt making. It can be knitted from cotton, CVC or a cotton-polyester blend.
Light, fluid and comfortable, with natural stretch and good drape. Because it is a single layer, it feels lighter and cooler than terry or fleece.
Several GSM options. Lighter weights suit summer and layering ranges, while heavier single jersey gives a more premium tee.
One of the best surfaces in the range for screen printing and DTG, since the smooth face gives clean edges and accurate detail. Embroidery on lighter weights needs proper backing.
T-shirts, light layering pieces, summer ranges and lightweight kidswear.
Piqué is a knit structure with a raised, textured surface created by the knitting pattern itself, not by finishing. That texture gives a polo its recognisable look and its body.
Firmer and more structured than single jersey, with a visible texture and tiny air pockets that help airflow. It holds its shape instead of draping.
Several GSM options across piqué constructions. Weight is confirmed against your reference or tech pack.
Embroidery is the natural decoration method on piqué and performs very well. Screen printing is possible, but fine detail should be reviewed against the fabric texture at sampling.
Polo shirts, smart-casual ranges, corporate and hospitality uniforms, and institutional programmes.
French terry has a smooth knitted outside and an unbrushed, looped inside. Those loops trap a layer of air, which gives warmth without the weight or fully insulated feel of brushed fleece.
Soft and substantial outside, with a distinctive looped texture inside. It is warmer than jersey but clearly more breathable than fleece, which makes it the more versatile of the two sweat fabrics.
Several GSM options, from lighter transitional terry to heavier premium weights. State your target weight in your tech pack.
The smooth outer face takes screen printing, embroidery and puff embroidery well, and it is a strong surface for large placement prints.
Hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers and matching tracksuits, especially for premium and transitional-season ranges.
Fleece starts as a terry construction, and the inner loops are then brushed to raise a soft, dense pile. That brushing is what separates it from French terry and gives it its insulating performance.
Soft and plush inside, warm against the skin, and heavier overall. A customer handling the garment reads it as a winter fabric straight away.
Several GSM options in brushed constructions, usually at the heavier end of the range. Weight is confirmed at sampling.
The smooth outer face takes screen printing and embroidery well. Puff embroidery looks especially good on a heavyweight fleece base.
Winter hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers and tracksuits for cold-weather and premium heavyweight ranges.
These two fabrics account for most hoodie and sweatshirt enquiries, and the difference comes down to one process step: fleece is terry with the inner loops brushed. That single step changes warmth, weight, breathability and cost.
If your collection sells across more than one season or into a mild climate, French terry usually carries the range further. If you are building a winter-led programme or want visible heavyweight substance, fleece is the stronger choice.
A wider map of fabric constructions across knits and wovens, covering shirting, trousers, outerwear, uniforms and workwear.
These materials are sourcing and development directions, not a promise that every fabric is always in stock. Composition, weight, shrinkage, colourfastness and performance are confirmed against the approved specification.
Send Apparel The Hub your tech pack, target weight and target price. We will come back with suitable fabric options and indicative costing against your specification.
