Knitwear Glossary
Definitions of common knitwear manufacturing terms for fashion buyers and sourcing professionals.
- AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit)
- International quality standard (ISO 2859) used in garment inspection. AQL 2.5 means accepting up to 5 defective units per 315-piece batch. <a href='/en/blog/aql-25-quality-standard/'>Read our guide</a>.
- BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative)
- A social auditing system covering fair wages, working conditions, child labor, and environmental protection. Levels A through E, with A being best.
- Cashmere
- Luxury fiber sourced from cashmere goats, prized for its softness and warmth. Inner Mongolian cashmere is considered the gold standard. Quality determined by fiber diameter (under 15.5 micron for Grade A) and length.
- Cardigan
- An open-front knitted garment, typically buttoned or zipped. Available in styles: button-front, open-front, longline, chunky knit, and cardigan jacket.
- Gauge (GG)
- The number of needles per inch on a knitting machine. <strong>3GG-5GG</strong>: chunky knits, fast production, heavy fabric. <strong>7GG-9GG</strong>: mid-weight, versatile, most common for sweaters. <strong>12GG-14GG</strong>: fine knit, lightweight, suitable for knit tops. <a href='/en/blog/knitwear-gauges-explained/'>Full gauge guide</a>.
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)
- Certification for organic fiber products, covering the entire textile supply chain from harvesting to labeling.
- GRS (Global Recycled Standard)
- Certification for products containing recycled materials, tracking the recycled content from source to final product.
- HowTo
- Schema.org markup type used for step-by-step guides. Helps AI search engines surface instructional content. Our guides on <a href='/en/blog/find-reliable-knitwear-manufacturer-china/'>finding a manufacturer</a> and <a href='/en/blog/how-to-vet-knitwear-factory/'>vetting a factory</a> use HowTo schema.
- MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
- The smallest quantity a manufacturer will produce per design. Industry standard is 500-1000 pieces; JIERQI offers 100-piece MOQ. <a href='/en/blog/what-moq-means-knitwear/'>Learn more about MOQ</a>.
- ODM (Original Design Manufacturing)
- A production model where the factory's design team helps develop your collection based on your inspiration, mood boards, or reference images. Best for emerging brands without in-house design teams.
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing)
- A production model where you provide the complete design and specifications, and the factory produces exactly what you request. Full creative control, requires in-house design expertise.
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100
- The most widely recognized textile safety certification. Tests for over 100 harmful substances including formaldehyde, heavy metals, pesticides, and colorfastness. Required for European market compliance. Verify certificates at <a href='https://www.oeko-tex.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>www.oeko-tex.com</a>.
- Pre-Shipment Inspection
- Quality check performed on finished garments before shipping. Can be AQL random sampling (statistical) or 100% visual inspection (every piece checked). <a href='/en/blog/100-pre-shipment-inspection/'>Read our inspection guide</a>.
- Sampling
- The process of creating a prototype garment to validate design, fit, and quality before bulk production. Typically takes 7-10 days. <a href='/en/blog/complete-guide-knitwear-sampling/'>Full sampling guide</a>.
- Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange)
- A platform for managing ethical supply chain data. SMETA audits cover labor standards, health & safety, environment, and business ethics.
- Shantou
- Major knitwear manufacturing hub in Guangdong, China. Home to hundreds of specialized factories with 700+ computerized knitting machines (Shima Seiki, Stoll, Cixing), covering 3GG to 14GG. Known for fast sampling and competitive pricing.
- Tech Pack
- Technical specification document for garment production. Includes flat sketch, measurements, yarn specifications, stitch details, color references (PANTONE codes), and trim details.
- SEO for Knitwear
- Search Engine Optimization specifically for apparel/manufacturing websites. Key tactics: FAQ schema, HowTo schema, structured data markup, internal linking between related guides, and AI-friendly content formatting.