Custom Yarn & Material Solutions for Knitwear Brands: OEM/ODM Fiber Selection Guide

Why Material Selection Matters in Custom Knitwear

Material selection affects nearly every aspect of performance:

• Softness & comfort

• Warmth & insulation

• Surface appearance (clean vs hairy)

• Shape retention & elasticity

• Shrinkage behavior

• Pilling grade

• Durability in washing

• Sustainability value

• Cost per garment

A well-chosen yarn makes a design look premium.
A poor yarn choice leads to:

• heavy pilling

• color fading

• panel distortion

• inconsistent shrinkage

• garment deformation

• warranty claims

This is why professional OEM/ODM factories always start the development process with a yarn proposal matched to design intent, market positioning, and brand budget.

Natural Fibers for Custom Knitwear

Natural fibers deliver excellent comfort, breathability, and premium hand-feel.

Merino Wool

A top choice for mid-to-high-end brands.

Benefits:

• Soft and fine (17–21 microns)

• Excellent temperature regulation

• High resilience

• Natural deodorizing properties

• Works well in 12GG–16GG

Ideal For:

• luxury essentials

• men’s office knitwear

• sports merino base layers

• premium winter sweaters

OEM Use Cases:

• merino wool sweater manufacturer

• fine gauge merino knitwear factory

Cashmere

The pinnacle of luxury knitwear.

Benefits:

• 14–16 micron fiber fineness

• Ultra-soft

• Lightweight insulation

• Refined appearance

Challenges:

• Requires soft linking tension

• Susceptible to uneven dye uptake

• Higher shrinkage if not pre-washed

OEM Use Cases:

• cashmere knitwear manufacturer

• luxury cashmere sweater OEM

• recycled cashmere sourcing

Cotton & Organic Cotton

A versatile material for warm-weather knitwear.

Strengths:

• Breathable and skin-friendly

• Affordable compared to wool

• Machine washable

• Hypoallergenic

• Excellent for 7GG–12GG

Limitations:

• Lower elasticity

• Risk of twisting (skew)

• Heavier in fine gauges

OEM Use Cases:

• cotton sweater manufacturer

• organic cotton knitwear factory

Alpaca / Mohair

Niche luxury fibers with strong visual character.

Benefits:

• Excellent loft

• Natural hairiness

• Great insulation

• Distinct fashion-forward look

OEM Applications:

• alpaca sweater supplier

• mohair sweater manufacturer

Synthetic & Performance Fibers

Synthetic fibers offer consistency, durability, and cost stability.

Acrylic

Most widely used synthetic sweater fiber.

Strengths:

• Cost-effective

• Colorfast

• Soft hand-feel

• Great for school uniforms

• Low pilling grades available

Ideal For:

• commercial sweaters

• uniform knitwear

• entry-level price points

Nylon

Commonly used as a blending fiber.

Benefits:

• Excellent strength

• Adds durability

• Reduces breakage in production

• Improves rib recovery

OEM Applications:

• nylon blend knitwear manufacturer

• reinforced trims and cuffs

Polyester

Used for performance or cost-saving.

Strengths:

• High durability

• Moisture-wicking (when engineered)

• Colorfast

• Recycled options available

OEM Considerations:

• use for uniforms, sportswear

• avoid in high-luxury lines

Regenerated Fibers (Modal, Tencel, Bamboo)

Popular for their silky feel and sustainability appeal.

Viscose

Very popular in women’s knitwear.

Strengths:

• Smooth, fluid drape

• High color brilliance

• Excellent for fine-gauge knitwear

Challenges:

• Shrinkage and heavy wet weight

• Needs tight tension control

OEM Applications:

• viscose sweater OEM supplier

Modal

A softer, more stable upgrade from general viscose.

Benefits:

• Soft and breathable

• Less shrinkage

• Excellent for 12GG–16GG

Tencel

Sustainable, silky, and strong.

Ideal For:

• women’s luxury knitwear

• light corporate knitwear

• smooth, high-end drape

OEM Keywords:

• tencel sweater manufacturer

Bamboo

Eco-friendly with natural deodorizing functions.

Pros:

• Very soft

• Breathable

• Suitable for loungewear & babywear

Recycled & Sustainable Yarns

Sustainability has become a core commercial requirement.
Factories provide multiple eco-friendly options:

Recycled Polyester (rPET)

Made from recycled bottles.
Used for:

• performance sweaters

• uniform programs

• affordable sustainable lines

Recycled Acrylic

Provides a more eco-friendly alternative to standard acrylics.

Recycled Wool / Cashmere

Highly desired for sustainability storytelling.
Slightly unpredictable due to fiber variability.

RWS Merino

Responsible Wool Standard certified.

OEKO-TEX Certified Yarns

Guarantees chemical safety.

GRS Certification

(Global Recycled Standard)

OEM Keywords:

• recycled yarn knitwear supplier

• grs recycled sweater supplier

• oeko-tex certified knitwear factory

• sustainable knitwear producer

How OEM Factories Match Yarn to Gauge

Gauge determines the appropriate yarn count and structure.

Chunky Gauge (3GG–5GG)

• Thick wool

• High-bulk acrylic

• Mohair

• Roving yarn

Mid Gauge (7GG–10GG)

• Cotton blends

• Acrylic blends

• Wool/acrylic

• Viscose blends

Fine Gauge (12GG–18GG)

• Extra fine merino

• Cashmere blends

• Viscose/nylon

• Tencel/modal

Incorrect yarn-gauge pairing leads to:

• needle breakage

• dropped stitches

• uneven surface

• shrinking beyond tolerance

Yarn Sourcing & Supply Chain for Brands

Professional OEM/ODM factories maintain long-term partnerships with major yarn mills.

Advantages for Brands

• stable yarn quality

• consistent dye batches

• faster sample production

• reduced MOQ barriers

• access to trend yarn developments

Common Yarn Mills Factories Work With

• Zhongding

• Consinee

• Xinao

• UPW

• Topline

• Novetex

• Longshang (for acrylic)

Color Development (Pantone, Lab Dip, Yarn Dye)

Color accuracy is critical for brand identity.

Steps in Color Development

1. Pantone reference or brand swatch

2. Yarn mill lab dip creation

3. Factory submits for brand approval

4. Bulk dyeing immediately after approval

5. Shade band record established

Factory Best Practice:
Keep approved lab dips on file for re-orders, ensuring long-term consistency.

Fiber Testing & Material Quality Evaluation

OEM factories conduct professional testing to prevent bulk issues.

Key Fiber Tests

• pilling resistance (ISO 12945)

• colorfastness to washing (ISO 105-C06)

• colorfastness to rubbing

• bursting strength

• shrinkage testing

• yarn evenness & twist level

• moisture regain testing

These data guide:

• stitch density

• washing settings

• linking tension

• finishing process

Seasonal Yarn Recommendations for Brands

Autumn/Winter Collections

• wool blends

• merino

• cashmere

• acrylic high-bulk

• alpaca/mohair blends

• recycled wool

Spring/Summer Collections

• cotton

• organic cotton

• viscose

• modal

• bamboo

All-Season Corporate/Uniform

• acrylic/cotton blends

• viscose/nylon

• wool/nylon blends

Cost Breakdown by Fiber Type

Rough hierarchy:

High Cost

• Cashmere

• Extra fine merino

• Alpaca

• Mohair

• Tencel premium blends

Mid Cost

• Wool/acrylic

• Viscose/nylon

• Organic cotton

Low Cost

• Acrylic

• Standard cotton

• Polyester blends

Factories advise brands based on target retail price, order size, and performance needs.

Sustainability Options for Brands

Factories offer green alternatives:

• GRS yarn programs

• natural dye programs

• biodegradable yarns

• low-impact dyeing

• solar-powered finishing

• zero-waste WHOLEGARMENT knitting

• recycled packaging options

These strengthen brand positioning for eco-conscious markets.

MOQ Requirements by Fiber Category

Approximate ranges:

• Acrylic: 1–5kg/color

• Cotton: 5–10kg/color

• Wool: 5–20kg/color

• Merino: 10–30kg/color

• Cashmere: 20–50kg/color

• Recycled fibers: often higher MOQ

• Viscose: small MOQ but slower dyeing

Factories optimize MOQs by:

• sourcing shared dye-lots

• selecting stock-supported yarns

• recommending fibers with low MOQ availability

How Factories Guide Brands Through Material Selection

Professional OEM procedure:

1) Brand Brief

Target retail price, season, gender, silhouette.

2) Yarn Proposal

Factory selects best options for cost/performance.

3) Swatch Samples

2–3 yarn options knitted for touch evaluation.

4) Lab Dip & Color Approval

Ensures correct dye lot.

5) Fitting Sample

Testing shrinkage, drape, surface effect.

6) Bulk Yarn Booking

Ensures re-order consistency.

7) Bulk QC

Verify yarn behaves same as sample yarn.