01How jersey is made
Jersey is knitted on a single-bed circular knitting machine from one set of needles. Each needle pulls a loop through the loop below it, so you get rows of V-shaped stitches on the face and half-loops on the back. The fabric comes off the machine as a tube.
Mills then scour, dye (or print) and finish the tube. It may be slit open and stentered to set the width, or kept as a tube for side-seamless tees. Compacting at the end controls shrinkage. Skipping it is a common reason cheap tees shrink or twist after the first wash.
Because it is a single layer, jersey curls at the edges and can develop spirality, where the side seams twist toward the front. Good yarn, correct twist and proper finishing keep this under control.
02Yarn count: what 30s and 40s mean
Tee yarn is quoted in English cotton count (Ne). The number is how many 840-yard hanks weigh one pound, so a higher number means a finer, thinner yarn. "30s single" means 30 Ne, single-ply yarn.
| Yarn | Typical jersey | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| 16s to 20s | Heavyweight and workwear tees, often 200 GSM and up | Thick, sturdy, a bit rougher |
| 24s to 30s | Standard retail and fashion tees, about 150 to 200 GSM | Smooth and soft, the common middle |
| 40s and finer | Fine, light premium tees, about 120 to 160 GSM | Very smooth and silky, more delicate |
03Combed ring spun vs open end
How the yarn is spun matters as much as the count. Carded open-end yarn is fast and cheap to make: fibers are spun with a rotor, which leaves a hairier, rougher yarn. It is common in budget promo tees.
Combed ring spun yarn has had short fibers combed out, then is twisted on a ring frame. It is smoother, stronger at the same count and softer against skin. Compact spinning goes one step further and reduces surface hair, which helps with pilling and print quality. Long staple cottons like Supima and Pima are usually combed and ring or compact spun.
04Pros and cons
- Comfortable, stretchy and breathable for everyday wear
- Smooth face that takes screen prints, DTG and heat transfers well
- Huge range of fibers, weights and colors available from stock
- Cheap and fast to knit compared with woven fabrics
- Works with almost every fiber, from cotton to modal to polyester
- Edges curl, which makes cutting and sewing slower
- Prone to twisting side seams if yarn and finishing are poor
- Thin jersey can look see-through and get small holes
- Cotton jersey shrinks unless compacted or pre-shrunk
- Stretches out at the neck and hem on low-quality fabric
05Typical uses and price
- T-shirts and long sleeves
- Tank tops and dresses
- Underwear and loungewear
- Baby clothes
- Hoodie linings and lightweight layers
- Activewear tees, usually polyester jersey
Price tier: Budget to premium. Carded open-end cotton or polyester jersey is among the cheapest fabrics you can buy. Combed ring spun or compact cotton, long staple cotton and modal blends cost more at the same weight.
06How to spec it with a factory
Jersey looks simple, so it is where factories cut corners. Write out fiber, yarn and weight in the tech pack instead of "100% cotton 180 GSM".
| No. | Field | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fabric composition | Exact percentages, e.g. 100% cotton, 60% cotton 40% polyester, or 95% cotton 5% spandex |
| 02 | Construction | Single jersey; note slub, heather or tubular vs open width if relevant |
| 03 | Yarn | Count and spinning, e.g. 30s combed ring spun or 40s compact |
| 04 | Weight | GSM after finishing, with a tolerance (for example plus or minus 5%) |
| 05 | Shrinkage | Maximum after wash, length and width, with the test method |
| 06 | Spirality | Maximum twist after wash (often expressed as a percentage), with test method |
| 07 | Neck rib | 1x1 rib, with spandex percentage and width |
| 08 | Color | Pantone or lab dip reference; piece dye, garment dye or yarn dye heather |
Certifications and marks
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100
- Tests the finished fabric for harmful substances. Very common for jersey.
- GOTS
- The standard way to back an organic cotton tee claim; the GOTS label needs the full chain certified.
- Supima licensing
- Only if you use Supima cotton and want the name on labels or marketing.
From the factory floor
- Ask for yarn count and spinning method in writing. "Combed cotton" in a quote can still arrive as open-end yarn.
- Wash test samples and measure both shrinkage and side-seam twist before approving bulk.
- Weigh the fabric yourself. Light jersey can come in 10 to 20 GSM under quote and still look fine on day one.
- For printed tees, tell the factory the print method (screen, DTG, DTF) so they finish the fabric to suit it.
07Jersey vs interlock
Interlock is a double knit: two layers of jersey knitted together so both sides look like the face. It is thicker, smoother, does not curl and has less stretch. Jersey is lighter and cheaper. Interlock is common in polos, baby wear and premium tees.
08Jersey vs pique
Pique uses tuck stitches to make a textured, honeycomb-like surface. It is more structured and breathes through its open texture, which is why it is the classic polo fabric. Jersey is flatter and softer and is the classic tee fabric.
09Jersey vs French terry
French terry has a jersey-like face plus an extra loop yarn on the back, so it is much heavier and warmer. It is used for sweats; jersey is used for tees.
10FAQ
Q01What is a good GSM for a t-shirt?
About 150 to 200 GSM covers most retail tees. Under about 150 GSM feels light and drapey; 220 GSM and up feels heavyweight and boxy.
Q02Is jersey cotton?
Jersey is a knit construction, not a fiber. It can be cotton, polyester, modal, viscose or any blend.
Q03What does 30s single jersey mean?
It is single jersey knitted from 30 Ne single-ply yarn. That is a mid-fine yarn common in retail tees; 40s is finer and smoother, 20s is thicker.
Q04Is ring spun cotton better than open end?
For softness and durability, yes. Ring spun yarn is smoother and stronger, while open-end yarn is cheaper and feels rougher.
Q05Why does my t-shirt twist after washing?
That is spirality, caused by yarn twist and fabric not being properly set during finishing. Specify a maximum twist in the tech pack and wash test samples.