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How Much Fabric Do You Need? A 37-Garment Cutting Chart
Fabric needed per garment at 44 inch width, for 37 garment types across womenswear, menswear, kidswear and home. Includes the extra allowance directional prints need.
The single most common question we get on WhatsApp is some version of "kurti ke liye kitna meter fabric lagega?" — how many metres does this garment take. Getting it wrong is expensive in both directions: order short and you cannot finish the run, order long and you have dead stock in a print you may never repeat.
This is the chart we work from, covering 37 garment types. All quantities assume 44 inch width, which is our standard. At 54 inch, which we supply on request, most garments need roughly 10–15% less.
The quick answer for the most common garments
| Saree blouse | 1.0 m |
|---|---|
| Kids frock | 1.5 m |
| Shirt / skirt | 2.0 – 2.5 m |
| Kurti | 2.5 m |
| Dress / maxi dress / co-ord set | 3.0 – 3.5 m |
| Kaftan | 3.0 – 3.5 m |
The one thing that changes all of these numbers
Whether the print is directional. A scattered floral or an all-over polka dot has no top or bottom, so pattern pieces can be turned either way and you cut to the same yardage as a plain dyed fabric.
A vertical stripe, a dot-stripe, a border print or a one-way motif is different. Every piece must be cut the same way up, stripes need matching at centre-front, side seams and sleeve heads, and you cannot nest pieces to save cloth. Budget roughly 15–20% more. On a 500 metre order that is 75–100 metres — not a rounding error.
Our 2026 polka dot collection contains both: the classic dot designs are non-directional, while the dot-stripe designs are directional and their product pages carry uplifted yardage figures already.
What else moves the number
- Repeat size. A large-scale placement print wastes more in the marker than a small ditsy.
- Size ratio. A run weighted to XL and XXL consumes noticeably more than a sample-size calculation suggests.
- Shrinkage. Always cut after any pre-shrink treatment your process requires, not before.
- Lining. Sheer bases such as chiffon and georgette usually need it — count that separately.
Full chart — 37 garments
Quantities at 44 inch width. Suggested quality is a starting point, not a rule; see our fabric directory to browse each base.
| Category | Garment | Fabric needed | Suggested quality | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's wear | Maxi Dress | 3.0 – 3.5 m | Poly Georgette | add 0.5 m for a tiered or panelled skirt |
| Kaftan | 2.5 – 3.0 m | Poly Chiffon | 3.5 m for floor length | |
| Saree | 5.5 m | Poly Georgette | 6.5 m with matching blouse piece | |
| Saree Blouse | 1.0 m | Poly Japanese Satin | 1.25 m for full sleeves | |
| Salwar Suit (3 pc) | 5.0 – 5.5 m | Poly Muslin | kurta + bottom + dupatta | |
| Kurta Set | 3.5 – 4.0 m | Poly Muslin | add 2.5 m for a dupatta | |
| Kurti | 2.5 m | Poly Crepe | 3.0 m for a long straight cut | |
| Palazzo Suit | 3.5 – 4.0 m | Poly Rayon | palazzo alone 2.5 m | |
| Co-ord Set | 3.0 – 3.5 m | Poly Crepe | top + bottom cut together | |
| Anarkali Suit | 4.5 – 5.0 m | Viscose Georgette | panelled flare needs the extra | |
| Lehenga | 5.0 – 6.0 m | Viscose Georgette | depends on panel count | |
| Sharara / Gharara | 4.5 – 5.0 m | Viscose Georgette | flared leg, add 2.5 m for dupatta | |
| Dupatta | 2.5 m | Viscose Organza | 2.5 m at 54 inch for a fuller drape | |
| Jumpsuit | 3.0 – 3.5 m | Poly Crepe | one-piece cut | |
| Dress | 3.0 – 3.5 m | Poly Georgette | knee to midi length | |
| Blouse / Crop Top | 1.0 m | Cotton Cambric | 1.25 m with sleeves | |
| Skirt | 2.0 – 2.5 m | Viscose Crepe | 3.5 m for a full circle skirt | |
| Shorts | 1.0 – 1.5 m | Cotton Cambric | pair with a matching top | |
| Tunic | 2.0 – 2.5 m | Viscose Rayon | skims rather than clings | |
| Scarf / Stole | 1.0 – 2.0 m | Poly Chiffon | 1 m square, 2 m stole | |
| Men's wear | Men's Shirt | 2.0 – 2.5 m | Cotton Cambric | 2.0 m half sleeve, 2.5 m full |
| Men's Resort Shirt | 2.0 m | Poly Muslin | open-collar printed resort style | |
| Men's Kurta | 2.5 – 3.0 m | Poly Muslin | straight cut, knee length | |
| Kurta Pyjama Set | 4.0 – 4.5 m | Poly Muslin | kurta + pyjama together | |
| Nehru Jacket | 1.5 – 2.0 m | Poly Linen Satin | unlined; add 1.5 m for lining | |
| Bandgala | 2.5 – 3.0 m | Poly Linen Satin | structured, needs body | |
| Sherwani | 3.5 – 4.0 m | Viscose Modal Satin | add lining separately | |
| Pathani Suit | 3.5 – 4.0 m | Poly Rayon | kurta + salwar | |
| Men's Shorts | 1.5 m | Cotton Cambric | knee length | |
| Men's Trousers | 1.5 – 2.0 m | Poly Linen Satin | flat front | |
| Bomber Jacket | 2.0 – 2.5 m | Poly Linen Satin | add 2 m if lining | |
| Kids & home | Kids Frock | 1.5 m | Cotton Cambric | age 4–8 |
| Kids Kurta | 1.5 m | Poly Muslin | age 4–8 | |
| Night / Pyjama Set | 3.0 m | Viscose Rayon | top + bottom | |
| Cushion Cover | 1.0 m | Poly Linen Satin | 1 m yields two 16 inch covers | |
| Curtain Panel | 5.0 – 6.0 m | Poly Linen Satin | per panel, 8 ft drop | |
| Table Runner | 1.0 m | Cotton Cambric | 6 seater |
A practical way to de-risk the order
Because everything we sell is printed to order and available from 1 metre, the cheapest insurance is to buy a metre of the exact base and design first, cut a test garment, and confirm your consumption before committing to bulk. That single metre costs between Rs249 and Rs649 depending on the base. It is the least expensive mistake you will ever avoid.
Need a rate, a sample or a custom development? Message us on WhatsApp with the design code, fabric base, quantity and your city — that is everything we need to quote. Or email info@clothwala.com. See the fabric buying FAQ and the full fabric directory.
