Clothing Manufacturing Terms: Why the Vocabulary Matters
If you are new to buying garments, the first factory reply can read like a foreign language. Clothing manufacturing terms such as MOQ, FOB, CMT, AQL and lab dip are shorthand for decisions that cost money, so a misunderstood word can mean a misunderstood quote. Learning clothing manufacturing terms is not about sounding like an insider. It is about asking the right question before you commit.
This glossary is organised by the stage of an order rather than alphabetically, because that is how the words arrive in real life. Development terms come first, then fabric and trims, then production and quality, then order and shipping language. Every group has a table for quick scanning and a few paragraphs on the terms that cause the most confusion.
Where a term has its own full guide, we link to it. For example, our guide to what MOQ means in clothing manufacturing covers minimums in much more depth than a glossary line can.
Development and Sampling Terms
Development is the stage where an idea becomes a specification. The clothing manufacturing terms in this group describe the documents and samples that make it happen. They matter because the factory builds exactly what the paperwork and approved sample say, and nothing more.
A tech pack is the document that tells the factory how to make a garment: drawings, measurements, materials, stitching, labels and packing. A sample is a physical garment made to check that specification. Several kinds of sample exist, and each answers a different question, which is why a single word such as sample can hide a lot of cost and time. A pre-production sample, usually shortened to PP sample, is the final check before bulk cutting begins.
Development and sampling terms
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tech pack | The specification document for a garment | It is the factory brief. Gaps become assumptions |
| Proto sample | A first rough sample to check shape and construction | Catches big design problems cheaply |
| Fit sample | A sample made to check measurements on a body | Fit comments feed the next sample |
| PP sample | Pre-production sample made with bulk materials | Your last chance to correct before bulk |
| TOP sample | Top-of-production sample taken from early bulk output | Confirms bulk matches the approved sample |
| Lab dip | A small dyed swatch to match a target colour | Locks colour before dyeing fabric |
| Strike-off | A trial print or pattern on fabric | Checks print colour and placement |
| Grading | Scaling a pattern from one size to the full range | Decides how every size fits |
A general reference. Terms and sample stages vary between factories, so confirm which samples are included in your quote.
You can read how the sample stages fit together in our guide to the garment sampling process.
Fabric and Trim Terms
Fabric language is where many first orders go wrong, and these clothing manufacturing terms are the ones to learn early, because a single word can describe a fibre, a construction or a weight. GSM means grams per square metre and is the usual way to describe how heavy a fabric is. Composition is the fibre content, for example the percentage of cotton and polyester. Hand feel is how the fabric feels to touch, which no measurement fully captures.
Trims are everything on the garment that is not the main fabric: zips, buttons, drawcords, labels, interlining and thread. A bill of materials, shortened to BOM, lists every fabric and trim with quantities per garment, and it is the basis of a sensible cost. A colourway is a colour version of a style. A shade band is the range of colour variation a buyer agrees to accept between dye lots.
Fabric and trim terms
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| GSM | Grams per square metre, a measure of fabric weight | Drives feel, warmth and cost |
| Composition | The fibre content of the fabric | Affects performance, labelling and price |
| Hand feel | How the fabric feels to touch | Needs a physical swatch to judge |
| Rib | Stretchy knit used for cuffs, hems and collars | Recovery affects how the garment ages |
| BOM | Bill of materials listing fabric and trims per garment | The base of every cost sheet |
| Colourway | A colour version of one style | Each can carry its own minimum |
| Shade band | Accepted colour variation between dye lots | Prevents disputes over slight differences |
| Trim | Any non-fabric component such as zips or labels | Often the longest lead item |
A general reference. Always confirm weights, compositions and tolerances in the tech pack and the approved sample.
For weights in practice, see our guide to fabric GSM for t shirts and hoodies, and for the full parts list see the garment bill of materials guide.
Production and Quality Terms
Production-stage clothing manufacturing terms describe how the garment is actually made. CMT stands for cut, make and trim, a service in which the factory cuts and sews fabric and trims that you or an agent supply. Cut and sew is the general method of making garments from cut fabric panels, as opposed to knitting them to shape. A marker is the layout of pattern pieces on a fabric lay, and marker efficiency is how much of the fabric the layout uses.
Quality terms describe how the output is checked. AQL, or acceptable quality limit, is a sampling method for deciding whether a batch passes inspection. A defect is a flaw outside the agreed standard, and defects are normally classed by seriousness. Understanding these words helps you read an inspection report without relying on someone else to translate it.
Production and quality terms
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| CMT | Cut, make and trim service on supplied materials | Different cost structure from full production |
| Cut and sew | Garments made from cut fabric panels | The usual route for tees, hoodies and woven wear |
| Marker | Layout of pattern pieces on the fabric lay | Drives fabric use and waste |
| Line | A group of operators sewing one style in sequence | Sets daily output |
| AQL | Sampling plan used to accept or reject a batch | Defines what pass means in advance |
| Critical, major, minor | Classes of defect by seriousness | Each class has its own limit |
| Inline inspection | A check carried out during production | Finds problems while they can be fixed |
| Final inspection | A check on finished goods before shipment | The last gate before goods leave |
A general reference. Inspection levels and limits are agreed per order, so write them into your purchase order.
Inspection language is explained in more depth in our guides to garment quality control and AQL and the garment production process step by step.
Order, Cost and Shipping Terms
The last group of clothing manufacturing terms covers money and movement. MOQ is the minimum order quantity a factory will accept, often per style and per colour. FOB, free on board, is a price basis in which the supplier delivers the goods onto the ship at the named port and the buyer pays freight onward. Ex-factory means the goods are ready to collect at the factory gate. Lead time is the time from confirmed order to goods being ready.
Shipping adds its own vocabulary. A bill of lading is the transport document issued for sea freight. A commercial invoice states what was sold and for how much. An HS code is the commodity code used by customs to classify goods. FCL means full container load and LCL means less than container load. The incoterms rules, published by the ICC Incoterms rules, define who pays for and carries the risk at each stage.
Order, cost and shipping terms
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| MOQ | Minimum order quantity | Often applies per style and per colour |
| FOB | Price includes delivery onto the ship at the named port | You pay freight and import costs separately |
| Ex-factory | Goods ready for collection at the factory | Sets the start of your transport responsibility |
| Lead time | Time from confirmed order to goods being ready | Plan around the real figure, not the hopeful one |
| PO | Purchase order, the formal order document | Locks quantities, specification and terms |
| HS code | Customs commodity classification code | Decides duty and paperwork |
| FCL / LCL | Full container load or less than container load | Changes freight cost per carton |
| Bill of lading | Transport document for sea freight | Needed to release the goods |
A general reference. Terms of sale and duty depend on the shipment and the current rules, so check before you commit.
For price bases and freight in practice, read the guide to FOB price in clothing manufacturing and the UK landed cost guide.
How the Terms Group Together
Spreading 32 words across four groups is not a ranking of importance. It shows where the vocabulary lives. The pie below uses the terms covered in this glossary and shows how many fall into each stage. It is simply a count of the entries above, which is why it is a useful reminder that most of the jargon sits in development and production, the stages where decisions are hardest to reverse.
Where the glossary terms sit in the order journey
32 glossary entries
- Development and sampling25%
- Fabric and trims25%
- Production and quality25%
- Order, cost and shipping25%
A count of the 32 entries in the four glossary tables, eight in each group. It is a map of this page, not market data.
The order journey and the words you will meet
- 1BriefTech pack, BOM and target specification
- 2SampleProto, fit, lab dip, PP sample
- 3ProduceCut, sew, finish, inline inspection
- 4CheckAQL, final inspection, defect classes
- 5ShipFOB or other term, bill of lading, HS code
A simplified journey. Real orders loop back, especially between sample and brief.
Terms That Are Often Confused
Some pairs of words sound alike but mean different things, and mixing them up causes real misunderstandings. A quote and a proforma invoice are not the same: a quote is an offer, while a proforma invoice is a document used to request payment or declare value before shipment. Lead time and delivery time are not the same either, because lead time ends when the goods are ready and delivery time ends when they reach you.
Similarly, sample approval is not production approval. Approving a sample tells the factory the garment is acceptable. It does not by itself approve the bulk fabric, the colour dye lot or the finishing, so write each approval separately. Finally, a size chart and a grade rule are linked but different: the chart lists finished measurements, while the grade rule says how much each measurement changes from one size to the next.
Using the right word vs a loose one
Precise wording
- A precise term makes a quote easy to compare
- Everyone knows which sample or approval you mean
- Disputes are easier to resolve because the wording is on record
Loose wording
- A loose word such as sample can hide extra cost
- Confused terms invite wrong assumptions on both sides
- Shorthand may mean different things to different factories
A general comparison. When in doubt, define the term in the purchase order.
A Checklist for Reading a Quote Without Getting Lost
When the first quote arrives, work through it term by term. You do not need to know everything, but you should know which words decide your cost and your risk. The checklist below turns the glossary into questions you can ask.
Questions to ask when a term is unclear
- Does the MOQ apply per style, per colour, per size or per order?
- Is the price FOB, ex-factory or another basis, and at which named port?
- Which samples are included in the price and which are charged separately?
- What is the lead time counted from, and when does it stop?
- Which AQL level and inspection stage will be used?
- Are fabric, trims and packing all included in the stated unit price?
- Who pays for freight, insurance and import costs after the named point?
- Is any approval implied, or is each approval written down separately?
A general list. Add anything specific to your product or channel.
If a factory uses a term you do not recognise, ask them to explain it in an email. That reply becomes part of the record if there is ever a disagreement about what was agreed.
Where the Terms Come From and How to Keep Learning
Many clothing manufacturing terms come from long-standing trade practice rather than from one rulebook, so meanings can shift slightly between regions and factories. Standards bodies such as ISO publish formal definitions for textile testing and size designation, and your own contract can fix any term more precisely. For anything that affects money, trust the contract wording over a glossary.
The fastest way to learn is to read real documents. Take a recent tech pack, quote or purchase order and underline every word on this page. Each time you can explain one of these clothing manufacturing terms in your own words, you reduce the chance of an expensive misunderstanding. Our guide to how to make a clothing tech pack is a good place to see the development words in context.
How Ruhrose Uses Clear Terms With Buyers
Ruhrose develops hoodies, fleece, jersey, denim and woven casualwear with production in Bangladesh and UK buyer support. We explain the wording of every quote, confirm which samples and approvals are included and agree terms in writing before bulk. We do not publish prices or minimums on this page, because they depend on the style. You can find out more about Ruhrose clothing manufacturing on the homepage, and if there is a term in your documents you want explained, send it over and ask.