A plain-language guide to the fabric terms and qualities most asked about by garment exporters, boutiques and apparel brands. Clothwala is a mill-direct wholesale fabric manufacturer (Luthra Exports, est. 1967) supplying these fabrics in bulk across India.

What is georgette fabric?

Georgette is a lightweight, sheer fabric woven from tightly twisted yarns, giving it a fine crinkled texture and soft, flowing drape. It is widely used for sarees, dupattas, lehengas, gowns and dresses. Georgette breathes well, holds digital prints with soft clarity and is available in both solids and prints.

What is crepe fabric?

Crepe is a fabric with a distinctive soft, pebbled (crinkled) surface and a fluid drape that falls gracefully without clinging. Made in poly, moss and silk varieties, it resists creasing and holds print well, making it a staple for kurtis, dresses, sarees, palazzos and co-ord sets.

What is chiffon fabric?

Chiffon is an ultra-sheer, lightweight plain-weave fabric prized for its translucency and weightless float. It is used for dupattas, saree pallus, evening gowns and overlays. Silk chiffon has a softer, more luxurious hand than poly chiffon, and both suit soft, fluid silhouettes.

What is satin fabric?

Satin is a fabric woven in a satin construction that gives a glossy, lustrous face and a smooth matte reverse. Its rich sheen and fluid drape make it ideal for gowns, lehengas, blouses, festive wear and linings. Poly-satin offers the satin look at an accessible price point.

What is muslin (mulmul) fabric?

Muslin, known in India as mulmul, is a soft plain-weave cotton valued for its breathability and gentle, skin-friendly feel. It is ideal for summer kurtis, dupattas, baby wear and nightwear. Muslin is sold by kg-count, where a higher number indicates a denser, fuller fabric.

What is linen fabric?

Linen is a natural fabric spun from flax fibres, valued for its breathability, strength and crisp, slubby texture. It stays cool in heat and develops a relaxed drape over time, making it a favourite for summer shirting, trousers, structured kurtas and resort wear.

What is viscose / rayon fabric?

Viscose (also called rayon) is a soft, breathable fabric made from regenerated cellulose. It drapes fluidly with a silk-like hand and takes dye and print vividly, which makes it popular for kurtis, dresses and everyday womenswear. It is often blended with polyester for added durability.

What is polyester fabric?

Polyester is a durable, wrinkle-resistant and colour-fast synthetic fabric. It is the practical choice for high-volume garment production because it holds digital prints sharply, arrives in stable dye-lots and is consistently priced. It is used for dresses, kurtis, co-ords, linings and everyday fashion.

What is GSM in fabric?

GSM stands for grams per square metre - the standard measure of a fabric's weight and density. A higher GSM means a heavier, thicker fabric; a lower GSM means a lighter, sheerer one. GSM helps buyers match a fabric's weight to the right garment, such as light GSM for summer kurtis and higher GSM for structured wear.

What is MOQ (minimum order quantity) for fabric?

MOQ is the minimum order quantity a supplier will produce or sell per design or colour. At Clothwala, the bulk wholesale MOQ is typically 100-200 metres per design, with 1-5 metre samples available for evaluation and progressive discounts on larger volumes.

What is RFD (Ready For Dyeing) fabric?

RFD stands for Ready For Dyeing - greige (undyed) fabric prepared so that buyers can dye it to their own custom shades. It lets brands colour fabric to order rather than buying pre-dyed stock, giving full control over the colour palette for a collection.

What is digital print fabric?

Digital print fabric is fabric printed using digital inkjet technology, which reproduces intricate, multi-colour and photo-realistic designs with sharp detail and no repeat limits. It allows fast, flexible, low-minimum printing of custom designs on bases like crepe, georgette, satin and poly.

What is denier in fabric?

Denier is a unit measuring the thickness (linear density) of the individual yarns in a fabric. A lower denier means finer, lighter yarns and a more delicate fabric; a higher denier means thicker yarns and a more robust fabric. It is commonly referenced for sheer fabrics like chiffon and georgette.

What is lurex fabric?

Lurex is fabric woven with fine metallic threads that create a shimmering, light-catching effect. It is used in festive and occasion wear such as lehengas, sarees, gowns and party-wear blouses, and is available on bases like chiffon, georgette and satin in gold, silver and toned metallics.