An HTS code is the 10-digit number that identifies a product in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. For clothing, the HTS code sets the base duty rate, the quota and statistics category, and often which extra tariffs apply. As a result, two garments that look the same…
Linen fabric is a woven or knitted textile made from flax, a bast fibre taken from the stem of the Linum usitatissimum plant. In practice, linen fabric is cool, strong, and absorbent, but it creases easily and can shrink several percent if it is not pre-washed. That combination makes it…
The inventory turnover ratio measures how many times a business sells and replaces its stock in a year. You calculate it by dividing cost of goods sold by average inventory at cost. For apparel, a higher inventory turnover ratio usually means fresher product, fewer markdowns, and less cash tied up…
An FOB price is the price of goods delivered on board the ship at the port of export. In apparel, an FOB price usually covers the finished, packed garment plus everything needed to get it onto the vessel: materials, making, factory overhead and profit, inland transport to the port, and…
Wholesale pricing is the price a brand charges retailers, distributors, or other businesses that buy its products to resell them. In apparel, a good wholesale price has to do two jobs at once. First, it must cover the brand’s landed cost with enough margin. Second, it must leave the retailer…
Modal fabric is made from a regenerated cellulose fibre, usually spun from beech or other hardwood pulp, that keeps much more of its strength when wet than ordinary viscose. As a result, modal fabric feels soft and smooth like viscose but holds its shape better in the wash. Consequently, it…
Lyocell fabric starts as wood cellulose, which producers dissolve directly in a recyclable organic solvent and spin into fibre. As a result, it shares the softness and breathability of viscose but is stronger, especially when wet, and shrinks less. For apparel brands, lyocell fabric is now a mainstream option for…
Fabric pilling is the formation of small balls of tangled fibre on the surface of a fabric after wear and washing. For a consumer, it makes a new sweater look old. For an apparel brand, however, fabric pilling is a measurable quality property. Labs test it and rate it from…
Viscose fabric is a regenerated cellulose textile made by dissolving wood pulp and spinning it back into fibre. In practice, it gives apparel brands the drape and softness of silk at a fraction of the price, which is why it dominates dresses, blouses, linings, and summer shirting. For a brand,…
Better Cotton is the world’s largest cotton sustainability programme, run by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). It trains and certifies farmers to grow cotton with less water and pesticide use and better working conditions. However, buying Better Cotton has never automatically meant that your garment contains it. For most of…
