Single jersey is one of the most widely used knitted fabrics in clothing production. It is commonly used for T-shirts and other lightweight knitted garments, but its properties can vary significantly depending on fiber composition, yarn, fabric weight, knitting parameters and finishing.
For textile buyers and clothing brands, specifying only "single jersey fabric" is usually not enough when requesting a quotation.
A 140 GSM polyester single jersey and a 240 GSM cotton single jersey are both single jersey fabrics, but they are intended for very different products.
Understanding the basic specifications of single jersey fabric helps buyers communicate more clearly with manufacturers and source material suitable for the intended garment.
Buyers can browse textile companies on TurkishTextile.org to find fabric manufacturers and suppliers.
What Is Single Jersey Fabric?
Single jersey is a weft-knitted fabric generally produced using one set of needles.
Its structure creates two visibly different sides.
The face of the fabric typically shows vertical columns of knit stitches, while the reverse has a different looped appearance.
This distinguishes single jersey from structures such as interlock and rib.
Single jersey is widely used because it can provide a combination of:
- Flexibility
- Comfort
- Relatively lightweight construction
- Good drape
- Efficient garment production
The exact properties depend on the fibers, yarn and manufacturing process used.
Is Single Jersey Knitted or Woven?
Single jersey is a knitted fabric.
This distinction is important because knitted and woven fabrics are constructed differently.
In woven fabrics, yarns are interlaced in two primary directions: warp and weft.
In single jersey, loops of yarn form the fabric structure.
This looped construction contributes to the flexibility associated with jersey fabrics.
For this reason, buyers should not describe single jersey simply as "cotton fabric." The construction is an important part of the specification.
What Is Single Jersey Used For?
Single jersey is commonly used in apparel such as:
- T-shirts
- Tops
- Lightweight dresses
- Children's clothing
- Babywear
- Underwear
- Sleepwear
- Casualwear
Depending on composition and performance requirements, it can also be used for other knitted garments.
The same single jersey construction can be produced in many different weights and compositions, so the intended end product should always be considered before selecting the fabric.
Cotton Single Jersey
Cotton is one of the most common fibers used for single jersey.
For example:
100% cotton single jersey, 180 GSM
could be used for many casual apparel applications.
Cotton single jersey characteristics depend not only on cotton content but also on factors such as:
- Yarn count
- Spinning method
- Fiber quality
- Knitting
- Dyeing
- Finishing
Therefore, two fabrics described as 100% cotton single jersey with the same GSM may still feel and perform differently.
Cotton/Elastane Single Jersey
Elastane can be incorporated into single jersey when additional stretch and recovery are required.
A common specification might be:
95% cotton / 5% elastane single jersey
Compared with a similar 100% cotton fabric, the elastane blend can provide greater stretch and recovery.
This can be useful for more fitted garments.
However, buyers should not evaluate elastane content alone.
The actual stretch characteristics of the finished fabric should be checked because construction and finishing also influence performance.
Polyester and Blended Single Jersey
Single jersey does not have to be cotton.
It can also be produced using fibers and blends such as:
- Polyester
- Viscose
- Cotton/polyester
- Viscose/elastane
- Polyester/elastane
- Other blends
Fiber selection affects characteristics such as:
- Hand feel
- Moisture behavior
- Stretch
- Durability
- Appearance
- Care requirements
- Cost
The appropriate composition depends on the intended garment.
Understanding Single Jersey GSM
GSM means grams per square meter and indicates fabric weight.
Single jersey can be manufactured across a range of weights.
For illustration, buyers may encounter fabrics such as:
140 GSM — relatively lightweight
180 GSM — medium-light apparel weight
220 GSM — heavier and more substantial
240 GSM or above — heavier single jersey constructions
These descriptions are only general indications.
There is no universal GSM that automatically makes a fabric suitable for a particular garment.
A brand developing a T-shirt should consider the desired:
- Weight
- Drape
- Opacity
- Structure
- Season
- Fit
rather than selecting GSM from a number alone.
Why GSM Matters for T-Shirts
Consider two T-shirts made from the same nominal fiber composition.
One uses 150 GSM single jersey.
The other uses 240 GSM single jersey.
The finished garments can feel substantially different.
The lighter fabric may produce a lighter, more fluid garment, while the heavier material can provide a more substantial structure.
This is why a buying request such as:
Looking for 100% cotton single jersey.
is incomplete.
A more useful request would be:
Looking for 100% cotton single jersey, 200–220 GSM, for oversized T-shirt production.
Fabric Width
Width is another important commercial specification.
Single jersey may be supplied in different widths and forms depending on the production process.
Buyers should clarify:
- Open width or tubular
- Total width
- Usable width
For example:
Minimum usable width: 180 cm.
Width affects garment consumption and cutting efficiency.
Two fabrics with identical price per kilogram can produce different garment costs if their usable widths and other characteristics differ.
Open-Width and Tubular Single Jersey
Circular knitting machines can produce fabric in tubular form.
Depending on subsequent processing and customer requirements, fabric may be supplied as a tube or slit and finished in open width.
The required form can depend on:
- Garment type
- Cutting equipment
- Printing
- Finishing
- Production process
Buyers should therefore state whether open-width or tubular fabric is required when this matters to their production.
Yarn Count and Single Jersey
The yarn used to knit the fabric influences the final material.
Cotton single jersey can be produced using different yarn counts and spinning methods.
Yarn characteristics can affect:
- Surface appearance
- Fabric weight
- Hand feel
- Hairiness
- Strength
- Knitting performance
For technically defined sourcing projects, buyers may specify both the yarn and the finished fabric requirements.
For example:
100% combed compact cotton, Ne 30/1, single jersey, approximately 180 GSM.
Whether this level of detail is necessary depends on the buyer and product.
Ring Spun, Combed and Compact Yarn
Terms such as ring spun, combed and compact refer to yarn production or preparation rather than the single jersey structure itself.
A buyer may therefore encounter descriptions such as:
Combed ring spun cotton single jersey
or:
Compact cotton single jersey.
These specifications can affect fabric characteristics.
Buyers looking for a particular yarn type should state it clearly rather than assuming that all cotton single jersey is produced from the same yarn.
Fabric Finishing
Finishing processes can significantly influence the final fabric.
Depending on the product, single jersey may undergo processes intended to influence:
- Dimensional stability
- Surface
- Softness
- Width
- Appearance
- Shrinkage
As a result, evaluating greige fabric alone may not tell the buyer exactly how the finished material will behave.
When sourcing fabric for garment production, buyers should evaluate the finished fabric specification.
Shrinkage
Shrinkage is particularly important in knitted apparel.
If fabric dimensions change significantly after washing, finished garment measurements can also change.
Buyers may therefore specify acceptable shrinkage requirements and test the material under relevant washing conditions.
For clothing brands, it is useful to test the actual garment sample as well as the fabric.
Fabric behavior should be understood before bulk production begins.
Spirality
Spirality can occur in knitted fabrics and may become visible in finished garments after production or washing.
For example, the side seams of a T-shirt may appear to rotate rather than remain straight.
Yarn characteristics, knitting and finishing can influence this behavior.
Where dimensional appearance is important, buyers should include relevant quality requirements and evaluate production samples after washing.
Pilling
Pilling refers to small fiber balls that can form on a textile surface through wear and friction.
Pilling performance can depend on several factors, including:
- Fiber
- Yarn
- Fabric construction
- Finishing
- End use
If pilling resistance is important for the product, buyers can establish an appropriate testing requirement rather than judging performance only by visual inspection of a new fabric.
Color Fastness
Dyed single jersey should maintain acceptable color performance under the conditions relevant to the product.
Depending on the application, testing may consider color fastness to:
- Washing
- Rubbing
- Perspiration
- Light
The appropriate requirements depend on the intended garment and market.
A supplier should be given specific performance requirements when these are commercially important.
Fabric Samples
Before ordering bulk fabric, buyers should consider requesting a sample.
A sample can help evaluate:
- Color
- Surface
- Thickness
- Hand feel
- Stretch
- Drape
- Opacity
For clothing production, making a sample garment provides even more useful information.
The fabric can then be evaluated in the form in which the customer will actually use it.
Single Jersey Stock Fabric
Brands and garment manufacturers do not always need custom fabric production.
Single jersey may also be available as ready stock or surplus inventory.
This can be useful when:
- Smaller quantities are required
- Production must begin quickly
- Standard colors are acceptable
- The product is a limited collection
Buyers can browse textile classifieds to discover available textile stocks and commercial offers.
For stock fabric, always confirm the exact available quantity, quality, color lots and whether future repeat orders will be possible.
How to Request a Single Jersey Fabric Quotation
Instead of writing:
Please send price for single jersey.
provide enough information for the supplier to understand the requirement.
For example:
Looking for Cotton Single Jersey Fabric
We are looking for 100% cotton single jersey fabric for T-shirt production. Required weight: 200–220 GSM. Minimum usable width: 180 cm. Colors: black, white and navy. Initial requirement: approximately 1,000 kg per color. Please provide yarn specification, MOQ, available colors, production lead time, certification if available and quotation.
If elastane is required:
We are looking for 95% cotton / 5% elastane single jersey, approximately 180–200 GSM, for fitted women's tops. Please provide usable width, stretch characteristics, MOQ per color, sample availability and price.
Buyers can publish a textile buying request on TurkishTextile.org with their exact fabric specifications.
How to Find Single Jersey Fabric Suppliers
Buyers can browse textile companies to find manufacturers and suppliers operating in fabric and related textile categories.
When comparing suppliers, consider more than price.
Check:
Composition
Fabric construction
GSM
Yarn specification where relevant
Usable width
Color
Finishing
Shrinkage and other required performance characteristics
MOQ
Production capacity
Lead time
Certification where required
The term single jersey identifies the basic knitted structure, but it does not define the complete fabric.
For sourcing purposes, the important question is not simply:
“Do you supply single jersey?”
It is:
“Can you supply the single jersey specification required for this particular product?”