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Fabric Shrinkage and Cut Allowance Calculator
Shrinkage is the one error that cannot be corrected later. If you cut panels to the marked size and the fabric shrinks in the wash, the garment is already wrong and there is no second chance. This calculator turns a shrinkage rate into the extra you must buy, separately for length and width, because knits do not shrink equally in both directions.
Fabric Shrinkage and Cut Allowance Calculator
Work out how much extra to buy for shrinkage, by fabric type and direction.
The measurement the finished garment must hit.
Across the panel, before shrinkage.
Each construction has its own length and width shrinkage.
Optional. Override the default rate for this fabric.
Optional. Override the width rate. Knits often differ from length.
Total pieces across all sizes.
Cutting loss on top of shrinkage. Apparel is usually 2 to 5 percent.
Change any field, then press Enter again to recalculate.
Working out the shrinkage allowance
- Reading the shrinkage rate for the construction
- Applying length shrinkage to the cut length
- Applying width shrinkage across the panel
- Adding the cut allowance for cutting loss
- Scaling to the number of pieces required
Press the button to see the figures
Enter a finished length and width above 0.
Cut allowance and metreage to order
Length to cut
—
cm per piece
Width to cut
—
cm per piece
Metres to order
—
for all pieces
Extra for shrinkage
—
percent over net
Shrinkage class
—
low / moderate / high
Net fabric needed
—
m before allowances
—
Why Shrinkage Runs in Two Directions
Most shrinkage advice treats fabric as though it shrinks by one number. Knits do not. A three-thread fleece commonly shrinks 8 percent in length and 5 percent across the width, and the difference is not academic: a side panel cut 52 cm to a 52 cm finished width needs a different cut width than a sleeve cut to the same 52 cm, because the panel is on the cross direction and the sleeve may not be.
The cause is mechanical. Brushing and raising relax the yarn, and yarn relaxation is greater along the courses than across them. Knits also curl more in the direction of greater shrinkage, which is a reliable signal during inspection.
The Formula Is a Division, Not an Addition
This is where most allowance calculations go wrong. If a panel must measure 68 cm after washing and the fabric shrinks 8 percent in length, you cannot cut 68 x 1.08. You need to divide, because the 68 cm is measured after the loss has already happened.
Cutting length = finished length divided by (1 minus shrinkage rate). At 68 cm finished and 8 percent shrinkage that is 73.9 cm, not 73.4 cm. The difference is small in isolation, but it compounds across every panel in the garment and across the full length of a roll, which is where it becomes a real shortage.
Real Shrinkage Rates by Construction
| Construction | Length shrinkage | Width shrinkage | Handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single jersey | 4–5% | 3–4% | Stable, predictable |
| Interlock | 3–4% | 2–3% | Most stable, good for fitted panels |
| Rib | 5–6% | 3–4% | Curls in the length direction |
| Three-thread fleece | 7–9% | 4–6% | High; test before bulk |
| French terry | 6–8% | 3–5% | High; terry loops relax |
| Polar fleece | 8–10% | 5–7% | Highest of the knits here |
| Woven cotton / poplin | 2–3% | 1–2% | Low; mostly finish-related |
| Denim | 2–3% | 0–1% | Negligible across the width |
These are typical ranges for finished fabric, not greige. If your buyer quotes a shrinkage specification, use theirs rather than these — the numbers above tell you what to expect, not what your contract requires.
Test Before You Cut Bulk
Wash testing is inexpensive and it is the only way to know the real rate. The method matters more than people expect: wash a 50 x 50 cm panel of the actual fabric, mark measurements before and after, then dry it the way the finished garment will be dried. Tumble drying shrinks more than line drying, and a fabric tested by line drying and used in a tumbled garment will still come out short.
Test two things, not one. Test the fabric you will actually cut, and test it after the same finish the bulk will get. A pre-washed greige that is finished after cutting behaves differently from fabric finished before cutting, and this is a common source of surprises in knit programmes.
Shrinkage Interacts With Costing
Allowance is not free fabric, it is bought fabric. A 6 percent length and width allowance on a fleece programme is not a rounding error in the metreage — it changes the dye lot size, which is where MOQ bites. If your allowance pushes the order past a dye lot minimum, the extra cost can be several times the fabric value.
Run the allowance figure through the fabric cost per garment calculator to see what it does to the cost line, and check it against the MOQ estimator before you commit, because shrinkage allowance and MOQ interact more often than buyers expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate shrinkage allowance?
Divide, do not multiply. Cutting length equals finished length divided by (1 minus the shrinkage rate). At 68 cm finished and 8 percent shrinkage you cut 73.9 cm. Adding 8 percent instead gives 73.4 cm, which is 5 mm short on every panel.
What is the normal shrinkage for fleece?
Seven to nine percent in length and four to six percent across the width for a three-thread fleece. Polar fleece is higher still. Fleece is the highest-shrinkage knit in normal apparel use, which is why it must be tested rather than assumed.
Does width shrinkage matter as much as length?
Less in magnitude but sometimes more in consequence. Length shrinkage is usually the larger number, but panels cut on the cross direction are affected by width shrinkage and a 3 percent width loss on a 52 cm panel is 1.6 cm, which is visible on a fitted front.
Should I rely on the supplier shrinkage figure?
Use it as the contract specification, and test as well. Supplier figures are typically measured on a specific test method with a specific conditioning period. Your garment will be washed by the customer under conditions that are not identical, so treat the supplier figure as the best available estimate and the wash test as the confirmation.
How much extra should I order for cutting loss?
Two to five percent for apparel, depending on how many sizes and how many panels. More sizes means more marker waste because each size needs its own marker, though a graded marker reduces this considerably. Above 5 percent the cutting room is worth reviewing.
Does this apply to woven fabric too?
Yes, with smaller rates. Woven cotton and poplin typically shrink 2 to 3 percent in length and 1 to 2 percent across, and denim barely at all across the width. The direction of the figures is the same; only the magnitude changes.
Check the weight too: the fabric GSM calculator confirms the finished weight, which is what the shrinkage rate is quoted against.
Price the allowance: the fabric cost per garment calculator shows what the extra metreage costs per piece.
Check the order size: the fabric MOQ estimator shows whether the extra yardage pushes you past a dye lot minimum.