Naturally colored cotton fabric and yarn, from the mill up
If you are a brand, a knitter or a garment factory that wants the fibre rather than the finished brief, this is the page. Jersey, interlock, rib and fleece in undyed brown and green — plus ring-spun yarn on cone.
| Quality | Weight | Composition | Width | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single jersey | 160 / 180 gsm | 100% NCC or 60/40 NCC/cotton | 175 cm | Briefs, tees, camisoles |
| Interlock | 190 / 220 gsm | 100% NCC or 60/40 | 175 cm | Babywear, heavier tees |
| 1×1 rib | 200 / 240 gsm | 95/5 NCC/elastane | 160 cm | Waistbands, fitted tops |
| Brushed fleece | 280 gsm | 80/20 NCC/cotton | 180 cm | Sleepwear, loungewear |
| Yarn (ring spun) | Ne 20s / 30s / 40s | 100% NCC or 60/40 | cone | Knitting, weaving, hand-knit |
Every quality is knitted from the same undyed fibre — the shade comes from the boll, not from a dye bath, so there is no dye lot to match and no effluent to treat. What replaces dye-lot consistency is harvest consistency, which is why we hold shade cards per crop year.
What the numbers look like
| Property | Typical result | Test method |
|---|---|---|
| Shade | Camel, coyote brown, dark brown, sage, olive | Visual, crop-year card |
| Colourfastness to washing | Grade 3–4 (brown), 3 (green) | ISO 105-C06 |
| Colourfastness to light | Grade 3–4 | ISO 105-B02 |
| Shrinkage, 3 washes 30°C | ≤5% length, ≤4% width | ISO 6330 |
| pH | 6.0–7.5 | ISO 3071 |
| Formaldehyde | Not detected (<16 mg/kg) | ISO 14184-1 |
| Azo dyes | Not detected | EN 14362-1 |
Grades 3–4 on wash fastness is the honest ceiling for pigment that lives inside the fibre. If your spec requires grade 4–5, you need dyed cotton and we will say so rather than accept the order and fail the test.
Blends and why they exist
Short staple is the one real weakness of naturally colored cotton — modern brown varieties are far better than the 1990s material, but none spin like a premium white cotton alone. Practical mill practice:
- 60/40 or 70/30 with white cotton — the workhorse. Keeps the shade, restores strength, lowest cost.
- With lyocell or modal — drape and coolness for underwear; the shade reads softer.
- 3–5% elastane — recovery for waistbands and fitted briefs.
We will knit to your composition, but we will also tell you when a composition will not hold up in wear — that conversation is cheaper before the order than after.
Sampling and paperwork
A4 hanger samples ship in 3–5 days by DHL; a 5 kg roll of bulk-quality fabric in 10–14 days. Each sample carries the quality name, weight, composition, width, shade card reference and the crop year, so your pattern room knows exactly what it is working with.
For orders we issue a dyeing declaration (no dye, no bleach, no optical brightener), a shrinkage report, and OCS/GOTS transaction certificates only where the underlying fibre is genuinely certified. If you need the finished garment rather than the roll, that is our OEM line; if you need the fibre story for your product page, read what naturally colored cotton actually is.
Fabric and yarn: direct answers
What is the minimum fabric order?
200 kg per quality and shade for stock qualities (single jersey, interlock, 1x1 rib), 500 kg for fleece or a custom blend. Shade variation between lots of the same quality is ±1 on the grey scale because it depends on the harvest.
Can you supply yarn instead of fabric?
Yes — ring-spun Ne 20s, 30s and 40s, 100% naturally colored or 60/40 with white cotton, on cones. Minimum 300 kg per count. Counts above 40s are possible but the fibre staple makes them weak; we will tell you if it will not knit well.
Is the fabric pre-shrunk?
It is finished and compacted. Expect 5% length and 4% width shrinkage after three home washes at 30°C; we can supply a pre-shrunk finish to under 3% for a small cost premium.
Which certifications come with the fabric?
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 class I on request, and OCS or GOTS chain-of-custody transaction certificates when the lot is genuinely organic — which most colored cotton is not. We will never issue an organic certificate for fibre that is not certified organic.
How long does a fabric order take?
Stock qualities: 12–18 days ex-mill. Custom knit or blend: 25–35 days. A4 hanger samples are 3–5 days, lab dips are not applicable since there is nothing to dip.
Ask for the fabric pack
Shade card, 5 kg roll options and the test report for the quality you are considering.