Plant fibres
Start with cotton and linen. Review the fibre preparation, yarn construction and proposed swatch.
Understand yarn before you choose.
A practical starting point for knitwear buyers. Learn the material families, understand the specification and turn a yarn reference into a clearer development brief.
Fibre, yarn and knit structure.
They describe different parts of a sweater. Keep them separate when explaining what you want.
- Fibre
- The material the yarn is made from: cotton, wool, viscose or another fibre, alone or in a blend.
- Understand fibre families
- Yarn
- The continuous strand used to make the fabric. Its composition, count, ply and construction belong in the specification.
- Explore yarn construction
- Knit structure
- How the yarn forms the fabric through interlocking loops. Plain knit, rib and cable describe structures or surface effects.
- See stitches and patterns
See yarn choices in the work.
From yarn cones and swatch checks to garment assembly and finishing, these views show different parts of knitwear development.
Editorial stock photographs for visual reference. They are not DALANG factory or product photographs, and do not specify an order.
Find your material family.
Start with a family, then read the individual yarn guide. A fibre name alone does not describe the finished knit.
Animal fibres
Explore wool, cashmere and related materials. Ask which fibre and blend composition is actually being proposed.
Regenerated cellulosics
Viscose, modal and lyocell have their own entries. Compare the proposed yarn and fabric rather than treating the names as interchangeable.
Synthetic fibres
Explore acrylic, polyester and nylon. Relate the yarn specification to the garment's use and agreed assessment.
Blended yarns
A blend combines fibres. Read the complete percentages, then check how the yarn works in the intended knit.
Texture & specialty yarns
Bouclé, chenille and slub describe yarn effects or constructions. They still need a separate fibre composition.
Start with one yarn: cotton.
Use the Cotton Yarn guide to connect the material name with the questions a buyer needs to ask.
- What is the complete composition and yarn count?
- Which preparation and construction are proposed?
- What should you check in the finished swatch?
- Which related cotton routes are worth comparing?
Understand what you are comparing.
Once you have a material direction, use these guides to read the proposal and ask more useful questions.
Yarn count & machine gauge
Read the count unit and ply information, then understand why machine gauge is a separate part of the knitting discussion.
Construction, twist & texture
Separate how the yarn is constructed from what it is made of and from the stitch used in the fabric.
Compare material routes
Explore common yarn comparisons before shortlisting options for a physical swatch review.
Quality & price
Ask which specifications, processing and quotation conditions explain the difference between two proposals.
Common starting questions.
Can I choose a yarn from a photo?
A photo can communicate an appearance direction. Ask for the composition, count and a physical swatch before approving the material for a garment.
Does the same fibre name mean the same sweater?
No. The proposed yarn, knit structure, density and finishing also belong in the discussion. The Cotton Yarn guide shows how to turn the name into a more useful material brief.
Where can I explore the full knowledge library?
The Yarn & Materials Knowledge Center connects the complete yarn library with fibre, construction, count, comparison and selection guides. You can also browse the yarn FAQ.
Further reading: National Cotton Council — fabric construction · Coats — numbering systems