The fastest way to lose control of a production conversation is to nod at a term you don’t actually know. This 88-term glossary covers the vocabulary you’ll meet in quotes, tech packs, sampling and QC reports — defined the way a factory actually uses them, with links to deeper guides where one exists.
A
Activewear
The umbrella category for garments engineered for training and movement — leggings, sports bras, tops, sets — built on stretch fabrics and performance construction, as distinct from casual athleisure that borrows the look without the engineering.
Antimicrobial finish
A treatment that inhibits bacterial growth on fabric to control odour. A testable claim (quantitative bacterial-reduction methods), not an adjective — see which claims you can print.
AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit)
The statistical sampling standard used at final inspection: it defines how many defective pieces are tolerable in a random sample before the batch fails. Activewear commonly runs AQL 2.5 for major defects — our own finished-goods standard. See our AQL inspection guide.
Azo dyes
A family of synthetic dyes, a small subset of which can release restricted aromatic amines. EU and other markets regulate them; screening is part of restricted-substances testing. See restricted substances screening.
B
Bonded seam
A seam joined with adhesive film or ultrasonic welding instead of thread — flat, smooth, and common in premium bras and leggings. Requires different QC checks than stitched seams.
Breathability
How readily a fabric lets air and moisture vapour pass through. Driven by knit openness and fibre choice; related to but distinct from moisture-wicking, which moves liquid sweat.
Bulk production
The main production run, as opposed to sampling. The phrase “sample ≠ bulk” exists because bulk is sewn by many operators from multiple fabric rolls — see why bulk differs from your approved sample.
C
Care label
The sewn-in label carrying fibre content and washing instructions. Legally regulated per market (FTC rules in the US, EU labeling in Europe). See care label compliance.
Chargeable weight
The weight freight is billed on — the greater of actual and volumetric weight. Packing density decides it. See chargeable weight in activewear freight.
Circular knit
Fabric knitted in a tube on a rotating machine — the family that includes both cut-and-sew jersey yardage and true seamless garments. See seamless manufacturing.
CMT (Cut, Make, Trim)
A pricing model where the buyer supplies fabric and the factory charges only for cutting, sewing and finishing. The opposite of FOB/full-package, where the factory sources everything.
Colorblock
A design built from panels in contrasting colours. Manufacturing risk lives at the seam junctions — see designs factories push back on.
Colorfastness
How well a dyed fabric resists losing colour to washing, rubbing (crocking), light or perspiration — measured on a 1–5 grey-scale rating in standard tests. See colorfastness and the dye house.
Compression
Fit intent engineered for firm, continuous pressure: higher elastane, denser knit, heavier fabric — typically the 280–320 g/m² end in leggings. Not the same as “one size down.” See compression wear manufacturing.
Cut-and-sew
Conventional construction: fabric is knitted as yardage, cut into pattern pieces, then sewn. The alternative is seamless knitting. See seamless vs cut-and-sew.
D
Deadstock
Leftover fabric from cancelled or completed orders, sold at a discount. Cheap and sometimes sustainable-adjacent, but unrepeatable: when the roll is gone, your colourway is gone.
Drop shipping
A retail model where a third party holds and ships inventory per order. The opposite end of the commitment spectrum from private label manufacturing — lower control, lower margin, no product differentiation. See the private-label stock model.
DTC (Direct-to-Consumer)
Selling from your brand’s own store or site without retail intermediaries — the dominant model among the founders we manufacture for, and the reason return rates and fit discipline matter so much.
DWR (Durable Water Repellent)
A finish that makes water bead on the fabric surface. Degrades with washing and harsh detergents; relevant to outerwear claims.
Dye lot
Fabric dyed in one vat at one time. Different lots of the “same” colour can differ visibly — the root of most reorder colour complaints. See reordering a second production run.
E
Ease
The room a pattern adds over body measurements. Negative ease (garment smaller than body) is standard in leggings and bras — it’s what makes stretch garments fit.
ECONYL
A branded regenerated nylon made from waste like fishing nets. Like all recycled-content claims, it travels on supply-chain paperwork, not the brochure. See recycled fabrics: rPET and Econyl.
Elastane (spandex, Lycra®)
The stretch fibre blended into activewear, usually 8–30%. Sensitive to chlorine bleach and high heat — the main reason leggings lose their stretch. See why leggings lose their stretch.
Embroidery
Logo application by stitched thread — durable and premium-reading on heavier fabrics, but it perforates stretch fabric, so placement and backing on leggings need engineering judgment.
F
Fit sample
The sampling round that validates fit on a body or form, after the proto. Approve fit before size set — see sample types explained.
Flatlock
A seam type where two fabric edges butt together under a flat stitch — no bulk against the skin, the signature seam of performance leggings. See flatlock vs overlock.
FOB (Free On Board)
An Incoterm: the factory’s price covers goods delivered onto the vessel at the origin port; freight and import costs from there are the buyer’s. See FOB vs CIF vs DDP.
Four-way stretch
Fabric that stretches and recovers in both directions (length and width). Standard for leggings; two-way stretch fabrics stretch in one direction only.
G
Garment dye
Dyeing the finished sewn garment instead of the fabric. Gives a lived-in look with softer hand, at the cost of tighter shrinkage control and shade consistency between pieces.
Grading
Scaling a base-size pattern across the size range. Not linear maths — each size needs proportionally correct adjustments, especially beyond XL. See size grading XXS–4XL.
Greige
Fabric straight off the knitting machine, before dyeing and finishing. Testing greige tells you little about the finished garment — claims must be substantiated on finished fabric.
GRS (Global Recycled Standard)
A chain-of-custody certification for recycled content. The scope certificate is held by the mill or dye-house that processes the material; a brand’s claim travels only via transaction certificates that follow the actual order. See scope vs transaction certificates.
GSM (grams per square metre)
Fabric weight — the single most quoted fabric spec. Legging fabrics commonly run 220–320 g/m²; compression styles sit at the upper end. See the legging fabric weight guide.
Use the GSM Selector to turn that definition into a starting weight band for a specific product and use.
Gusset
The diamond- or triangle-shaped panel sewn into the crotch of leggings for anatomy, mobility and modesty.
H
Hand feel (hand)
The tactile quality of a fabric — softness, smoothness, weight in the hand. Subjective but consistent within a lot; drifts between dye lots and finishing runs.
Hangtag
The removable branded tag attached at retail. Part of the packaging spec that should be approved before bulk. See private label packaging.
Heat transfer
Logo or label applied with heat and pressure instead of sewing or printing. Peeling transfers are a classic qc failure — see why heat transfer labels peel.
High-waist
A rise that sits at or above the navel — the default in performance leggings because the wider waistband anchors better through movement. Rise length interacts with the waistband’s elastic strategy.
I
Inseam
The seam (and its measurement) from crotch to hem on the inside of the leg — the length spec buyers argue about most on leggings.
Interlock
A double-knit structure with a smooth face on both sides — stable, opaque, slightly heavier than jersey. See rib, jersey and interlock structures.
J
Jersey
The basic single-knit structure: flat face, looped back, good drape. The default T-shirt and lightweight legging knit.
L
Lab dip
A small fabric swatch dyed to match your target colour, submitted for approval before bulk dyeing. Approve lab dips under the light source your market uses. See Pantone colour matching.
Laser cut
Cutting edges with a laser that seals synthetic fibres as it cuts — enabling clean raw-edge hems and perforation patterns without sewing.
Lead time
Calendar time from order confirmation to goods ready. Split it: sampling, fabric, production, finishing, QC — a single number hides where delays live. Seasonal peaks matter — see Chinese New Year lead times.
Logo placement
Where and how consistently a logo sits across the production run. Samples are positioned by hand; bulk uses templates that drift — stack 10 pieces and compare. See the pre-shipment check.
M
Marker
The cutting layout that arranges pattern pieces across the fabric width for minimum waste. Marker efficiency quietly drives your fabric consumption and cost.
Mill
The factory that knits (and often dyes) fabric — distinct from the garment factory that cuts and sews it. Mill minimums are the hidden driver behind garment MOQs. See what MOQ is realistic.
Mock-up
A visual simulation of your design on a garment template, used to align on look before pattern or sampling money is spent. A mock-up approves direction; only a sample approves reality.
Try that stage in the Brand Kit Visualizer to compare logo process and placement before sampling.
Moisture-wicking
A fabric’s ability to move liquid sweat across its surface to evaporate. A testable claim (AATCC methods), usually delivered by a finish. See moisture-wicking finishes.
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
The smallest run a factory accepts — quoted per style and per colour, which is the part most quotes omit. Stock-fabric programs run lower: ours starts at 100 sets with colours and sizes mixed. See realistic MOQs in 2026.
The First Order Calculator converts that first-run quantity into a size curve and colour split.
N
NNN agreement
Non-disclosure, non-use, non-circumvention — the China-manufacturing upgrade of an NDA, drafted under Chinese law to be enforceable where the factory’s assets are. See will a manufacturer steal my design.
Nylon (polyamide)
The premium synthetic for leggings: softer hand, higher strength. “Polyamide” on an EU label is the same fibre family as “nylon” on a US one.
O
ODM / OEM
ODM: the factory’s existing designs, branded for you. OEM: your designs, manufactured to your spec. Most brands start ODM and graduate to OEM. See OEM vs ODM quotes.
OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100
A product-safety certification: finished textiles tested against a list of harmful substances. Held at manufacturer/fabric level and renewed annually.
Overlock (serge)
The looped edge-finishing seam. Fast and stretchy, but bulkier than flatlock — seam choice is a comfort decision. See flatlock vs overlock.
P
Pantone (TPG/TCX)
The colour reference system used to communicate colour targets to dye houses. TCX (cotton) references behave differently on synthetics — approve lab dips, not codes. See Pantone matching.
Performance fabric
A broad label for fabrics engineered to a measurable function — wicking, stretch-recovery, UPF, quick-dry. The label is marketing; the function is a test result. See claims and the tests behind them.
Pilling
The little fibre balls that form under abrasion. Predictable from knit structure and yarn choice — see why activewear pills.
Polybag
The individual garment bag. Thickness, print and folding are part of the approved packaging spec — and a surprisingly common source of disputes.
Polyester
The workhorse synthetic: strong, colour-fast, the only fibre sublimation printing works on. Slightly less soft than nylon at equal spec, and the base of most recycled (rPET) programs. See sublimation printing.
PP sample (pre-production)
The final sample sewn in bulk fabric with bulk trims before cutting starts — your last cheap chance to say no. See sample types explained.
Pre-shipment inspection
Final random inspection of packed goods against an AQL standard, before balance payment and shipping. The gate that makes “balance after inspection” mean something.
Private label
Selling products manufactured by a factory under your brand. See the private label catalog model.
Every term here shows up somewhere in the catalogue — useful if you want to see what a gusset or a flatlock seam actually looks like on a finished style.
Proto sample
The first rough sample that proves the concept in fabric. Expect imperfection; it exists to be corrected.
Q
Quick-dry
A drying-rate claim, testable under AATCC methods. Related to, but not the same as, moisture-wicking.
R
Raglan sleeve
A sleeve cut in one piece to the collar with a diagonal seam — no shoulder seam to chafe under straps or bags, which is why training tops favour it.
Recovery
How completely a stretched fabric returns to shape. Stretch without recovery = leggings that bag out. Measured on a bench, not felt by hand. See stretch and recovery testing.
Rib knit
A knit with vertical ridges and high widthwise stretch — waistbands, cuffs, and fashion panels. See knit structures.
RPET
Recycled polyester, usually from bottles. Claiming it requires chain-of-custody paperwork, not just a mill brochure. See recycled fabrics rPET and Econyl.
S
Seamless
Garments knitted as tubes on circular machines (e.g. Santoni), eliminating side seams. Different MOQ economics — machine setup is per yarn colour. See seamless manufacturing.
Silicone 3D logo
A raised silicone logo applied by heat — dimensional, durable and stretch-tolerant when applied correctly; a peeling edge is an application failure, not a design flaw.
Size set
The sampling round that sews every size to validate the grading, not just the base size. Skipping it is how “the 2XL is just an inflated M” happens.
Squat-proof
Consumer shorthand for opacity under stretch. No certification exists — the defensible version describes an actual test on the actual fabric at defined conditions. See why “certified squat-proof” doesn’t exist.
Stretch percentage
How far a fabric extends under standard force, lengthwise and widthwise. The same pattern in 30% vs 50% stretch fabric produces two different fits. See how to measure stretch and recovery.
Sublimation
Dye printed into polyester at high heat — colour becomes part of the fibre. All-over prints, no hand-feel change; polyester only. See all-over sublimation.
Swatch
A small fabric sample. Free swatches are the cheapest due-diligence tool in sourcing — request them liberally.
T
Tech pack
The technical document that specifies a style: measurements, materials, construction, trims, labels, tolerances. The single biggest determinant of sampling speed. See the tech pack guide.
Tolerance
The agreed acceptable deviation from spec measurements (e.g. ±1 cm on inseam). Without written tolerances, “within tolerance” arguments are unwinnable. See measurement tolerances at inspection.
TOP sample (top of production)
A sample pulled from the actual bulk run, kept as the reference for what shipped. Your evidence baseline for any later dispute.
Torque (spirality)
When a garment’s side seams twist around the body after washing — caused by yarn twist and knit imbalance. See shrinkage and torque testing.
Transaction certificate (TC)
The per-shipment document that carries a chain-of-custody claim (like GRS recycled content) from the mill’s scope certificate through to your actual order. Without a TC trail, the claim doesn’t transfer. See scope vs transaction certificates.
Trims
Everything attached that isn’t fabric: elastics, zippers, drawcords, labels, hooks. Trim supplier minimums are a hidden MOQ driver. See trims and hardware.
U
UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor)
The sun-protection rating of a fabric, lab-tested and labeled under recognised schemes. A claim you substantiate, not assume. See UPF 50+ activewear.
W
Waistband
The most engineered component of a legging — fabric, width and elastic strategy working as one system. See waistband construction.
Warp knit
A knit family (e.g. tricot) where yarns run lengthwise through interlocking loops — stable, run-resistant, common in swimwear linings and some performance fabrics.
Wash test
Standardised laundering cycles used to check colorfastness, shrinkage, torque and print durability before bulk. What survives twenty washes is the product your customer actually owns.
Weft knit
The knit family where yarn runs crosswise — jersey, rib and interlock all belong to it; it’s what most activewear bodies are made of. See knit structures explained.
Woven label
The brand label woven (not printed) for durability — the standard for neck and side-seam branding.
Met a term in a quote that isn’t here? Send it over — we’ll answer it directly and add it to this glossary. Reply within 24 hours on weekdays.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between seamless and cut-and-sew?
Seamless garments are knitted in one piece on circular machines with no side seams. Cut-and-sew garments are made from fabric panels cut and stitched together.
What does GSM mean for activewear fabric?
GSM (Grams per Square Meter) measures fabric weight. Higher GSM means thicker, more substantial fabric. Activewear typically ranges from 200-300 GSM.
What certifications should I look for in an activewear factory?
Key documentation includes OEKO-TEX Standard 100 fabric-level certification, amfori BSCI social compliance audit, GRS scope certificates held at source, and REACH and CPSIA regulatory compliance.
What is a tech pack?
A tech pack is a detailed specification document you provide to a manufacturer containing all design, measurement, fabric, and construction details needed to produce your garment.