# How to Choose Fabric for Custom Streetwear Clothing Source: https://rightgateglobal.com/blog/how-to-choose-fabric-custom-streetwear Published 2026-11-08 A fabric selection process that connects the swatch to your intended garment, decoration and final product checks. Fabric selection begins with the garment's intended use. A material suitable for a fluid T-shirt is not automatically suitable for a structured jacket or a matching tracksuit. Describe how the product should fit, feel and be worn before comparing material proposals. ## Write the product requirements first Identify the silhouette, intended layer, climate and customer expectations. Note whether the design needs a soft drape, a particular surface texture or room for movement. These are directions to assess on physical material, not properties established by a fabric name alone. List the decoration and construction details that matter. A large print, gathered waist, padded panel or several pocket layers can create different questions for the sample. Include them when discussing fabric so the material is reviewed in its actual role. ## Record composition and construction Ask for fiber composition and the material's knit or woven construction. Names such as fleece, terry and jersey describe categories with many possible variations. Keep the supplier's material reference and proposed finish with the swatch. If the proposal includes stretch, discuss how movement and recovery will be checked for your garment. Do not assume a composition figure alone explains the complete wearing behavior. A physical swatch and development sample provide different kinds of evidence and both can be useful. ## Compare weight without using it as a ranking GSM is a fabric weight specification. Compare it alongside texture, drape, coverage and construction. A heavier option may fit your design direction, but should still be reviewed for comfort and finish at joined or folded areas. When comparing materials, note every difference. If two proposals vary in both composition and weight, do not attribute the entire difference in feel to GSM. Keep enough detail to identify which material was ultimately accepted. ## Approve color on the actual surface Provide a clear color reference and ask how it will be matched or reviewed. Digital images are useful for discussion, but do not replace physical shade approval where color is important. Compare materials that must match, such as body fabric and rib, together under consistent light. For a matching collection, list every component that shares the reference. Different surfaces may look different even when aimed at the same color. Decide what relationship is acceptable for your design rather than leaving that judgment until the finished set arrives. ## Include finishing in the material identity Washing, brushing and other finishing details belong in the specification. Ask whether the swatch and sample represent the proposed final condition. If a finish is still provisional, identify what remains to be reviewed. Discuss care requirements and any verification you need. If a washing review is agreed, define the method and the garment points checked before and after. Do not infer shrinkage, colorfastness or other performance merely from composition or weight. ## Check availability and substitution rules Ask whether the selected material is available for the intended quantity and schedule. Confirm the minimum quantity basis for stock and custom options. If a particular color or trim needs a separate purchase, have that scope identified in the quotation. Agree how a proposed substitution will be presented. Useful information includes the new material reference, differences from the approved version and any sample review needed. A change described only as equivalent does not explain its effect on your product. ## Keep a fabric approval card Record: - Material reference and composition. - Construction, weight and finishing. - Approved swatch and color reference. - Garments that use the material. - Decoration or care checks required. - Availability assumptions in the quotation. - Approval date and any open questions. ## Make a comparison sheet for the swatches Give each proposed material a reference code and record composition, weight, construction, finish and colour. Add a note describing the intended garment. Without those identifiers, two similar swatches can become difficult to distinguish once the discussion moves to a revised sample. Compare the references under the same practical conditions. Handle them, look at their drape and inspect the surfaces you expect to be visible or worn against the body. If they differ in several specifications, identify those differences rather than attributing every observation to one property. Explain which parts of the brief are fixed and which are open. You might require a particular colour relationship but want proposals for weight or inside finish. A supplier can respond more usefully when the material question is separate from an already approved design decision. ## Review material changes on the complete garment Suppose the first hoodie sample uses a loopback material and a later option has a brushed inside finish. Compare the actual fabrics and ask what else differs about them. The inside appearance does not establish that composition, weight and construction are otherwise identical. Review the proposed change with the hood, rib and decoration. Material selection can affect how those details look on the pattern, so an earlier component approval may need another review. Keep the selected material and sample versions linked. For pants or outerwear, inspect the material around pockets, openings and movement areas. A flat swatch cannot show every construction consequence. Where a functional evaluation is required, define its method and acceptance criteria separately rather than inferring performance from a fabric name. ## Record the care and decoration requirements Tell the supplier which print, embroidery or finish is proposed and ask for its suitability to be reviewed on the selected material. Approve the actual application when it is important to the garment. A plain fabric approval does not establish the result of every decoration method. If washing or another agreed care review is needed, keep its observations with the material reference and measurement chart. Identify what changed and which sample was checked. Finish with a material schedule that distinguishes approved entries from proposed alternatives. It should support the sample and quotation, while leaving availability, minimum quantities and commercial details to direct confirmation for the particular order. Use that card with the garment's measurements and construction sheet. Read the [cut and sew manufacturing guide](/custom-cut-and-sew-manufacturing), then [request a quote](/request-a-quote) describing the material characteristics and product use you want to discuss.