Fabric Consumption

Fabric Consumption

Fabric consumption refers to the actual quantity of fabric required to produce one garment, including:

• Fabric used in garment panels
• Fabric lost during spreading and cutting
• Fabric shrinkage and relaxation loss
• Marker inefficiency
• Quality allowance

Consumption is always calculated per piece and then multiplied by order quantity.

 Units Used in Fabric Consumption

Fabric consumption varies by product type and is expressed in:

Knit Garments

• Kilograms per piece (kg/pc)

Woven Garments

• Yards per piece (yd/pc) or Meters per piece (m/pc)

Correct unit selection is mandatory for accurate costing.

Factors Influencing Fabric Consumption

Fabric consumption is influenced by multiple technical and commercial factors.

Fabric‑Related Factors

• GSM (grams per square meter)
• Fabric width
• Shrinkage percentage
• Fabric type (knit, woven, denim)

Garment‑Related Factors

• Style complexity
• Pattern pieces
• Size range and ratio
• Fit type (slim, regular, oversized)

Process‑Related Factors

• Marker efficiency
• Cutting method
• Fabric relaxation
• Shade sorting

Fabric Consumption Calculation for Knit Garments

Basic Formula (Knit)

Fabric Consumption (kg/pc)
= (Garment Area × GSM) ÷ 1000
+ Wastage %

But factories rarely use theoretical area. Actual marker consumption is used.

Example 1: Basic Men’s T‑Shirt

Fabric Details

• Fabric: 100% Cotton Single Jersey
• GSM: 160
• Width: 72”

Marker Consumption

• Net cutting consumption: 0.205 kg/pc

Loss Additions

• Shrinkage & relaxation: 5%
• Process wastage: 2%

Final Consumption
= 0.205 × (1 + 0.07)
= 0.219 kg/pc

✅ Approved Fabric Consumption = 0.219 kg/pc

Example 2: Polo Shirt (With Collar & Placket)

• Body fabric: Pique, 220 GSM
• Body consumption: 0.255 kg
• Rib collar & cuff: 0.035 kg

Total Fabric Consumption

0.255 + 0.035 = 0.290 kg

Plus 6% allowance:

0.290 × 1.06 = 0.308 kg/pc

5. Fabric Consumption Calculation for Woven Garments

Basic Formula (Woven)

Fabric Consumption = Marker Length per Garment × Fabric Width Adjustment+ Wastage %

Marker length is determined by marker planning software or manual marker study.

Example 3: Men’s Casual Woven Shirt

Fabric Details

• Fabric width: 57”
• Marker length per garment: 1.95 yards

Loss Factors

• Fabric cutting loss: 5%
• End loss and defects: 2%

Final Consumption
= 1.95 × 1.07
= 2.09 yards/pc

✅ Approved Fabric Consumption = 2.10 yards per piece

Example 4: Women’s Fashion Dress

• Fabric width: 54”
• Marker length: 2.60 yards
• Print matching & design loss: 10%

2.60 × 1.10 = 2.86 yards/pc

Fashion garments usually allow higher wastage.

Denim Fabric Consumption (Special Case)

Denim requires additional allowances due to washing.

Example 5: Men’s Denim Pant

Fabric Details

• Fabric width: 62”
• Marker length: 1.65 yards

Additional Loss Factors

• Washing shrinkage: 7%
• Shade sorting loss: 3%

Final Consumption
= 1.65 × 1.10
= 1.82 yards/pc

✅ Denim consumption is always higher than normal woven.

7. Marker Efficiency and Its Impact

What Is Marker Efficiency?

Marker efficiency measures how well pattern pieces are arranged to minimize fabric waste.

Marker Efficiency (%) =Garment Area ÷ Marker Area × 100

Higher efficiency = lower fabric consumption.

Efficiency Benchmarks

Low efficiency must be compensated by higher consumption.

Shrinkage and Relaxation Allowance

Fabric shrinkage occurs:

• After washing
• During spreading
• During finishing

Typical Shrinkage Allowances

Ignoring shrinkage causes short shipment and re‑buying.

Size Ratio Impact on Consumption

Consumption increases when:

• Larger sizes dominate the size ratio
• Kids vs adults differ significantly

Factories calculate consumption based on average weighted size, not medium size.

Example

Order size ratio:

• S: 10%
• M: 20%
• L: 40%
• XL: 30%

Consumption is calculated using average size skewed toward L–XL.

10. Fabric Consumption Approval Process

Fabric consumption is approved through:

1. Sample marker
2. Size set marker
3. Bulk marker
4. Buyer confirmation (if required)

Final approved consumption is locked before buying fabric.

 Role of Merchandiser in Fabric Consumption

Merchandisers:

• Review marker reports
• Challenge abnormal consumption
• Negotiate fabric price using consumption data
• Control excess booking

Good merchandisers protect factory margins through fabric discipline.

12. Common Fabric Consumption Mistakes

❌ Using sample consumption for bulk
❌ Ignoring shrinkage report
❌ Oversized wastage allowances
❌ Not updating after fabric width change
❌ Accepting buyer fabric without recalculation

13. Best Practices for Fabric Consumption Control

• Always use actual marker data
• Update consumption after size set approval
• Fix maximum allowable wastage
• Align IE, cutting and merchandising
• Lock consumption before bulk order

Conclusion

Fabric consumption is the financial backbone of garment costing. Accurate calculation requires technical understanding, collaboration between IE and merchandising and strict control during procurement and production.

Factories that master fabric consumption: 

✅ Control cost
✅ Prevent fabric shortage
✅ Protect margins
✅ Improve buyer confidence