Sportswear Manufacturing Glossary: Terms Every Buyer Should Know

A

AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit)

AQL is the maximum proportion of defective pieces a buyer will accept in a sampled lot, drawn from the ISO 2859-1 sampling tables. Apparel buyers commonly specify AQL 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor ones; ZipaSports runs in-line and final quality control on every order.

Appliqué

Appliqué is a cut fabric shape, usually twill lettering or a crest, sewn onto the garment with a zig-zag or satin stitch. It is the standard method for raised numbers and wordmarks on baseball, basketball and American football jerseys; see tackle twill and appliqué.

All-over print

An all-over print covers the whole garment panel edge to edge rather than one placement area on the chest or back. On polyester it is produced by dye sublimation: the design is printed onto paper and pressed into the cut panels before sewing, so the pattern runs through seams and hems without a break.

Athleisure

Athleisure is activewear cut to be worn outside training: joggers, hoodies, leggings, cropped tops and polos in fabrics that stretch and wick. For a factory the difference from teamwear is the finish level: woven labels, hang tags and branded polybags are available as private-label options; see private label sportswear.

B

Base layer

A base layer is the garment worn next to the skin under a jersey, gi or jacket, cut close-fitting so sweat moves straight into the fabric. ZipaSports makes base layers in polyester-spandex or nylon-spandex 4-way stretch; the compression versions are listed under compression and yoga wear.

Bar-tack

A bar-tack is a short, dense band of zig-zag stitches sewn across a point that takes strain: pocket corners, belt loops, drawcord exits, the lapel and slit ends of a gi jacket. It stops the seam opening under load and is one of the checkpoints in a final inspection.

BSCI

BSCI (amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative) is a social audit of factory working conditions covering wages, hours, safety and the right to organise. ZipaSports in Sialkot, Pakistan is BSCI-audited; certificate copies are available on request, and the full list is on the certifications page.

Bulk production

Bulk production is the main run that starts once the pre-production sample and mockup are approved. At ZipaSports it takes 15–25 business days after design approval, or 7–12 days on the express service at additional cost; each stage is described in the manufacturing process.

C

Care label

A care label is the printed or woven label inside a garment carrying fibre content, wash symbols and country of origin ("Made in Pakistan"). Most retail markets require it by law, and ZipaSports prints or weaves it to your artwork as part of labels, tags and packaging.

Certificate of origin

A certificate of origin is a document, issued through the chamber of commerce, confirming that the goods were manufactured in Pakistan. Customs use it to apply the correct duty rate; ZipaSports prepares it with the commercial invoice and packing list, as set out in the shipping policy.

Colour-fastness

Colour-fastness is a fabric's resistance to losing or transferring colour under washing, rubbing, sweat and light, graded on a 1–5 grey scale where 5 is no change. ZipaSports runs wash-fastness and colour-fastness checks on sublimated fabric.

Compression

Compression garments fit tightly enough to apply light, even pressure to the muscle. They are knitted in nylon-spandex or polyester-spandex at 240–300 GSM with 12–20% elastane, cut to a negative ease so the finished garment is smaller than the body.

Coverstitch

A coverstitch (ISO 4915 class 406 or 602) uses two or three needles on the top face with a looper thread underneath, giving the parallel twin lines you see on a T-shirt hem. It stretches with the fabric without snapping, so it is used on every hem and neck band in knitwear.

Cut-and-sew

Cut-and-sew is the construction method where a garment is assembled from flat panels cut from fabric, as opposed to seamless knitting to shape. It allows each panel to be sublimated or printed individually and covers almost every jersey, short, hoodie and gi ZipaSports produces.

D

Denier (600D / 420D)

Denier is the weight in grams of 9,000 metres of yarn, so a higher number means a thicker, more abrasion-resistant thread. Sports bags use 600D polyester or 420D nylon; both are described with reinforcement options on the 600D polyester and 420D nylon page.

DTF (direct-to-film)

DTF is a transfer process in which the design is printed onto PET film with a white underbase, coated with powdered adhesive and heat-pressed onto the garment. It works on cotton, blends and dark fabrics that sublimation cannot print, which makes it the usual choice for small logo runs; see DTF transfer.

Dye lot / shade band

A dye lot is a batch of fabric dyed in one vessel; the shade band is the accepted range of colour variation between lots. Because two lots are never identical, a full kit should be cut from one lot, and a reorder months later may sit at a slightly different point in the band. This is normal shade tolerance, not a defect.

Dye sublimation

Dye sublimation prints the design onto transfer paper with disperse-dye ink, then a heat press at around 200 °C turns the dye to gas so it bonds inside the polyester fibre. The print has no surface layer to crack, peel or fade and is the standard method for match jerseys; details at dye sublimation printing.

E

Elastane / spandex / Lycra

Elastane, spandex and Lycra are one fibre under three names: elastane is the generic term in Europe, spandex in North America, and Lycra is a brand name. It is blended at 12–20% into leggings and compression fabric and at lower levels into jersey knits to give stretch and recovery; see nylon-spandex and polyester-spandex.

Embroidery digitising

Digitising converts a logo image into a stitch file that tells the embroidery machine the stitch type, direction, density and sequence for every element. It is done once per logo and reused on every order; a poorly digitised file shows as gaps, puckering or lost detail, which a stitched sew-out on scrap fabric reveals before the embroidery run.

EN ISO 20471

EN ISO 20471 is the European standard for high-visibility clothing, defining minimum areas of fluorescent background fabric and retroreflective tape across three visibility classes. ZipaSports produces hi-vis workwear designed to EN ISO 20471 visibility requirements; fabric detail is on the hi-vis fabric page.

F

Flatlock seam

A flatlock seam (ISO 4915 class 607) butts two panel edges together and covers the join with a flat, six-thread stitch, leaving no ridge on the inside of the garment. It is specified on rash guards, compression tops and cycling wear where a raised seam would rub; see what rash guards are made of.

Fleece (brushed / loopback)

Fleece is a knit with a raised inner face. Brushed fleece has that face teased into soft fibres for warmth; loopback (French terry) leaves the loops uncut for a cooler, flatter fabric. ZipaSports runs cotton-polyester fleece at 280–350 GSM and performance polyester fleece at 240–300 GSM.

Foil print

A foil print bonds a thin metallic film to the fabric through an adhesive layer under the heat press, giving a mirror-bright finish that sublimation cannot produce. It is used on dance and cheer costumes and is listed among the dance costume fabric options.

Free remake guarantee

The free remake guarantee is the ZipaSports policy on defective goods. Quality Guarantee: if any garment arrives with a manufacturing defect, we remake it free of charge — the remake goes into production within 3 days of your report. Send photos and your order reference on WhatsApp or email within 7 days of delivery; we confirm within 24 hours, remake the affected pieces and ship replacements at no charge, or credit the value if you prefer. Full terms: quality guarantee.

G

Gi

A gi is the jacket, trousers and belt worn for BJJ, judo and karate. Jackets are cut from pearl weave or single weave cotton or poly-cotton at 350–550 GSM; trousers from 8–12 oz ripstop or twill. Weave and weight choices are explained in the BJJ gi fabric guide.

GSM (grams per square metre)

GSM is the weight of one square metre of fabric and the single most useful number for comparing sportswear cloth. The standard option ranges ZipaSports offers by garment are:

GRS (Global Recycled Standard)

GRS is a Textile Exchange standard that verifies recycled fibre content and traces it through every processing stage. ZipaSports offers GRS-certified recycled polyester on request, with certificate copies available on request.

Grading

Grading scales a base-size pattern up and down to produce every size in the range while keeping the proportions correct. ZipaSports grades patterns by computer to your size chart, covering adult XS–5XL, women's XS–4XL and youth sizes; see the size chart guide.

H

Hang tag

A hang tag is the printed card attached to the outside of a finished garment with a plastic barb or cord, carrying the brand, size and any retail information. ZipaSports prints hang tags to your artwork and attaches them at packing, as part of labels, tags and packaging.

Heat press

A heat press applies controlled heat and pressure for a set time to bond a print or transfer to fabric. Flatbed presses handle single panels and placements; calender (roller) presses run whole rolls of sublimation paper against fabric at around 200 °C. DTF, vinyl and foil transfers press at lower temperatures set for each material.

Heat transfer vinyl (HTV)

Heat transfer vinyl is coloured film cut to shape on a plotter, weeded of excess material and pressed onto the garment. It gives solid single colours quickly, which suits player names and numbers on small runs; see heat transfer vinyl.

HS code

An HS code is the six-digit Harmonised System number that customs use to classify goods and set the duty rate; chapter 61 covers knitted garments and chapter 62 woven ones. ZipaSports states the code on the commercial invoice; duty by market is covered in the import duties guide.

Hi-vis

Hi-vis clothing uses fluorescent yellow or orange background fabric with bands of retroreflective tape so the wearer is seen in daylight and under headlights. ZipaSports makes hi-vis safety wear designed to EN ISO 20471 visibility requirements.

I – L

Interlock

Interlock is a double-knit fabric made on two needle beds, so both faces show the same smooth stitch and the cloth lies flat without curling at cut edges. ZipaSports knits 100% polyester interlock at 140–180 GSM with a moisture-wicking finish as the standard base for sublimated jerseys; see polyester interlock.

Jacquard

Jacquard is a pattern knitted or woven into the fabric structure itself rather than printed on the surface, so it survives any number of washes. In sportswear it appears as textured panels, tonal stripes and the knitted-in crests and lettering on team socks; see socks and gloves.

Kit (home / away / third)

A kit is a team's matching set of jersey, shorts and socks. The home kit carries the club's primary colours, the away kit a contrasting colourway for fixtures where the home colours clash, and a third kit an alternative for competitions or retail. Ordering all three together lets ZipaSports cut them from one dye lot; see the team kit buying guide.

Lead time

Lead time is the elapsed time from one stage of an order to the next. ZipaSports states each stage separately rather than one combined figure, because approval speed on the buyer's side sets the overall calendar:

A worked calendar from enquiry to delivery is in how long custom sportswear takes.

Leotard

A leotard is a one-piece stretch garment covering the torso, with or without sleeves, worn for dance, gymnastics and cheer. ZipaSports cuts leotards in 4-way stretch lycra/spandex blends at 180–220 GSM with foil, velvet, mesh and sequin options; see leotards and bodysuits.

Lockstitch

A lockstitch (ISO 4915 class 301) interlocks a needle thread with a bobbin thread to make the plain straight seam used on woven fabrics. It has almost no stretch, so it is used for gi construction, twill trousers, bag seams, label attachment and topstitching rather than for stretch knit seams.

M

Marker / lay plan

A marker is the layout of every pattern piece across the width of the fabric, and the lay plan is the number of fabric layers spread under it. A tight marker wastes less cloth per garment; ZipaSports plans markers by computer and cuts them on computer-controlled cutters, as described in the manufacturing process.

Mesh (jersey / pin-dot / power)

Mesh is a knit with open holes for airflow. The three types a buyer will meet are:

Weights and finishes are compared on the polyester mesh page.

MOQ (minimum order quantity)

MOQ is the smallest quantity a factory accepts for one design. The ZipaSports policy is MOQ 20–25 pieces per design, lower on request, and no MOQ limit for sportswear brands and companies; see MOQ explained.

Mockup

A mockup is a digital rendering of the finished garment showing colours, print placements, logos and names on the actual pattern shape. ZipaSports produces a free mockup within 24 hours of receiving a logo, sketch or idea, with unlimited free revisions before approval.

Moisture-wicking

Moisture-wicking fabric moves sweat from the skin to the outer face of the cloth, where it spreads and evaporates. It relies on polyester absorbing very little water plus a wicking finish applied at the mill; see moisture-wicking fabric.

O

ODM (original design manufacturer)

An ODM supplies its own existing garment designs and patterns, which the buyer brands, recolours and adjusts. It is the faster route for a first collection because pattern development is already done; ZipaSports works this way through its free design service: the in-house studio supplies the design and a mockup within 24 hours, and the buyer brands it.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 is a testing scheme that checks textiles for harmful substances at limits set for the article's skin contact and end use. ZipaSports uses OEKO-TEX Standard 100 tested fabrics; certificate copies are available on request and are listed on the certifications page.

OEM (original equipment manufacturer)

An OEM manufactures garments to the buyer's own design, tech pack and specification, so the buyer owns the design and the factory owns the production. The four sourcing models are compared below and in the OEM vs private label vs white label guide.

Overlock

An overlock (ISO 4915 class 504 for the common three-thread version) trims the fabric edge and wraps it in looped thread in one pass, joining knit panels with a seam that stretches. It is the main seam on jerseys, shorts and fleece; flatlock replaces it where a flat inside seam matters.

P (Pantone – piqué)

Pantone matching

Pantone matching means reproducing a colour to a numbered Pantone reference rather than to a screen or a verbal description. ZipaSports matches any Pantone reference for sublimation, thread and trims, and the mockup should carry the code for every colour so the approved shade is on record before cutting.

Pattern

A pattern is the set of flat paper or digital templates for every piece of a garment: front, back, sleeves, collar, facings. ZipaSports drafts patterns by computer from your measurements or an existing garment, then grades them to the full size range before the marker is made.

Pearl weave

Pearl weave is a tight cotton or poly-cotton weave whose surface shows small rounded knots like rows of pearls. It is the standard modern gi jacket fabric at 350–550 GSM because it resists tearing at a moderate weight and dries faster than heavier weaves; see pearl weave gi fabric.

Piqué

Piqué is a knit with a raised, waffle-like texture that hides sweat and holds a collar's shape, which is why it is the polo shirt standard. ZipaSports offers polyester piqué at 160–200 GSM for sublimated polos and poly-cotton piqué at 200–240 GSM for workwear and golf; see piqué knit.

P (polybag – puff print)

Polybag

A polybag is the clear or printed plastic bag each finished garment is folded into, with a size sticker on the outside, before carton packing. ZipaSports supplies plain or branded polybags and boxes as part of labels, tags and packaging.

Pre-production sample (PP sample)

A pre-production sample is the physical garment made in the final fabric, colours and trims for the buyer to approve before bulk cutting starts. At ZipaSports it takes 5–7 days, is charged at sample cost and the cost is credited against your bulk order; bulk production begins only after it is approved.

Private label

Private label is manufacturing to order under the buyer's own brand, with the buyer's woven neck labels, care labels, hang tags and packaging applied in the factory. ZipaSports runs private-label production in Sialkot, Pakistan from 20–25 pieces per design, with no MOQ limit for sportswear brands.

Puff print

Puff print is screen printing with an additive in the ink that expands under heat, leaving a raised, soft-touch logo standing above the fabric surface. It suits hoodies, tees and streetwear-style team leisurewear; see puff print.

R

Rash guard

A rash guard is a close-fitting stretch top worn for BJJ, MMA, surfing and swimming to stop mat or board abrasion. ZipaSports makes rash guards in polyester-spandex or nylon-spandex at 180–220 GSM with flatlock seams and sublimated all-over prints; see BJJ wear and MMA wear.

Reorder

A reorder is a repeat of an approved design, with or without changes to sizes or names. Because the pattern and print files from the first order already exist, a reorder skips development and goes straight to sampling or bulk. Fabric will come from a new dye lot, so a slight shade difference from the first run is normal.

Retail-ready

Retail-ready means a garment leaves the factory in the condition a shop needs: labelled, hang-tagged, folded, polybagged, size-stickered and packed in cartons with a packing list. ZipaSports does this in-house for brands and distributors so no repacking is needed on arrival.

Rhinestone hotfix

Hotfix rhinestones are crystals with a heat-activated glue on the back, positioned on a transfer sheet and pressed onto the garment in one placement. They are used on dance, cheer and figure-skating costumes; see rhinestone and crystal embellishment.

Ripstop

Ripstop is a woven fabric with a grid of heavier reinforcing yarns every few millimetres that stops a tear spreading beyond one square. ZipaSports uses 8–12 oz ripstop for gi trousers because it is lighter than twill at the same strength; see ripstop and twill.

S (sample – seamless knit)

Sample (at cost, credited)

A sample is a single physical garment made to check fabric, fit and decoration before bulk. ZipaSports produces samples in 5–7 days; they are charged at sample cost and that cost is credited against your bulk order. Physical samples are not free, but the free digital mockup within 24 hours comes first.

Satin

Satin is a weave with long surface floats that give a smooth, glossy face. In sportswear it is polyester satin at 120–160 GSM, used for boxing, muay thai and kickboxing shorts and robes where the shine is part of the look; see polyester satin.

Screen printing

Screen printing pushes ink through a stencilled mesh screen onto the fabric, one screen per colour. It gives dense, opaque colour on cotton, blends and dark fabrics, and its cost per piece falls as quantity rises because the screens are made once; see screen printing and the sublimation vs screen printing comparison.

Seamless knit

Seamless knit garments are produced on circular machines that knit the body as a tube with compression zones, mesh and ribs built into the structure, leaving only small joins at the shoulders or gusset. ZipaSports offers nylon-elastane seamless knit at 180–260 GSM for leggings, bras and tops; see seamless knit.

S (single weave – sublimation paper)

Single weave

Single weave is the lighter, smoother gi jacket fabric, sitting at the bottom of the 350–550 GSM range, chosen for hot climates, juniors and competition weigh-ins. It is less tear-resistant than pearl weave at the same weight; the trade-off is set out in the gi fabric guide.

Size chart / size spec

A size chart is the table of finished-garment measurements for every size, and the size spec is the version the factory measures against during inspection. ZipaSports works to your chart or its own, with fully custom charts for men, women and youth; see the size chart guide.

Size grading

Size grading is the increment added at each measurement point between one size and the next, for example the chest growing by a set amount from M to L. It is set once on the base pattern and applied by computer to the whole range.

Softshell

Softshell is a bonded fabric, usually a stretch woven outer laminated to a fleece inner, that blocks wind and light rain while staying flexible. It is specified for training, pit-crew and work jackets; ask for the current softshell options when enquiring.

Spats

Spats are full-length compression leggings worn under shorts or alone for MMA and no-gi grappling. They are cut from the same polyester-spandex or nylon-spandex fabric as rash guards, with flatlock seams and a sublimated print.

Squad list

A squad list is the spreadsheet of player names, numbers and sizes that goes with a team order so each jersey is printed and packed to the right person. Send it with the order once the mockup is approved; see names, numbers and sponsor logos.

Sublimation paper

Sublimation paper is the coated transfer paper the design is printed onto with disperse-dye ink before pressing. It is printed on a large-format printer as a mirror image and then run through the calender or flatbed press against the polyester panels.

T

Tackle twill

Tackle twill is heavy twill fabric with an adhesive backing, cut into letters and numbers, tacked in place with heat and sewn down with a zig-zag stitch. It is the raised-lettering standard for American football, baseball and basketball; see tackle twill and appliqué.

Tech pack

A tech pack is the specification document for one style: flat sketches, measurement chart per size, fabric and GSM, Pantone references, trims, labels, print placements and packing instructions. The clearer the tech pack, the fewer sample rounds; the tech pack guide lists what to include.

Tolerance (±1–1.5 cm)

Tolerance is the permitted deviation between the finished garment and the size spec, ±1–1.5 cm at ZipaSports depending on the measurement point. Under the ZipaSports policy the difference between a defect and a tolerance is:

Quality Guarantee: if any garment arrives with a manufacturing defect, we remake it free of charge — the remake goes into production within 3 days of your report. Full terms are on the quality guarantee and return policy pages.

Tracksuit / presentation wear

Presentation wear is the tracksuit, quarter-zip or jacket a team wears to travel and warm up, usually in polyester interlock or fleece with embroidered crests. ZipaSports produces it in matching colourways to the kit; see tops, jackets and warm-ups for the dance equivalent.

Twill

Twill is a weave with a diagonal rib, made by stepping each weft thread over two or more warp threads. It is dense and hard-wearing, which is why it is used for 8–12 oz gi trousers, work trousers and tackle-twill lettering; see ripstop and twill.

U – Z

Unitard

A unitard is a one-piece stretch garment that covers torso and legs, in effect a leotard extended to the ankle, worn for dance, acro and figure skating. ZipaSports cuts unitards in 4-way stretch lycra/spandex blends at 180–220 GSM; see dance costumes.

UPF (ultraviolet protection factor)

UPF is the general rating of how much ultraviolet radiation a fabric blocks; UPF 50 allows about 2% of UV through. Tightly knitted, darker polyester fabrics rate higher than open, pale ones. A UPF figure is only stated for a ZipaSports garment when the fabric has a laboratory test report; ask when enquiring.

Wash test

A wash test launders a printed or dyed swatch under controlled conditions and grades colour change and staining on the 1–5 grey scale. ZipaSports runs wash-fastness checks on sublimated fabric before the bulk run as part of quality control.

White label

White label is a stock garment design made unchanged and finished with the buyer's label, so several buyers may sell the same style under different brands. It is the quickest and lowest-development route; the differences from private label are compared in the OEM vs private label vs white label guide.

Woven label

A woven label is a brand or size label woven from coloured threads on a loom rather than printed, so the lettering does not wash out. ZipaSports weaves neck labels to your artwork and sews them in with a lockstitch; see labels, tags and packaging.

Youth sizing

Youth sizing is a separate size range for children and juniors, graded on child body proportions rather than scaled down from adult sizes. ZipaSports offers youth and children's sizes across teamwear, gis and dancewear, with fully custom youth charts for academies and schools; see the size chart guide.