How to Calculate Fabric Consumption per Garment from the Marker

Fabric consumption per garment is calculated by dividing the marker length by the number of garments it contains: a 7.20 m marker with six t-shirts gives 1.20 m per t-shirt at that fabric width. Without a marker, estimate it by adding up the area of the pattern pieces and dividing by the usable width and by a typical efficiency (70 to 90% depending on the garment). The result is expressed in linear meters or in kilos depending on how you buy the fabric, plus an allowance for flaws, splices and end waste.

Modeltex production guide. Updated on Sep 6, 2026.

The base method: marker length divided by garments

The only exact way to know how much fabric a garment uses is to make a marker: lay out all the pieces of the size range on the real width of the fabric and measure the length they take up. If the marker mixes sizes (for example 1 S, 2 M, 2 L, 1 XL), the result is already the average consumption of the size range, which is the number you use for costing. The figure is valid only for that width: a pants marker made at 1.50 m does not work for a 1.40 m roll; you have to re-mark it, and consumption rises slightly more than the difference in width, because the nesting changes.

With patterns in DXF/AAMA or PDS you can make the marker in any textile CAD (Optitex, Audaces, Gerber, Lectra) and the program returns length, efficiency and consumption in seconds. With patterns in PDF you can make a manual full-scale marker on paper the width of the fabric and measure it: slower, but it gives a real number, not an estimate.

No marker? Estimate from area and efficiency

For a quick quote it is enough to add up the area of all the pieces (in CAD the program shows it; by hand, approximate each piece as a rectangle and deduct a little) and divide it by the usable width and by the expected marker efficiency.

Example: an adult jogger whose pieces add up to 1.60 m², on a roll with 1.60 m of usable width and a typical efficiency of 85%: 1.60 divided by (1.60 times 0.85) gives 1.18 linear meters per garment. If the fabric has a nap or stripes have to be matched, use 75 to 80% and consumption rises to 1.25 or 1.33 m. The estimate is good for budgeting and buying the first lot with a margin; before a large production run, confirm it with a real marker, because a 5% difference is multiplied by every garment.

Meters or kilos: how to convert

Knits (jersey, fleece, rib, pique, modal, spandex jersey, microfiber, suplex, polar fleece) are generally sold by the kilo, and wovens (gabardine, denim, poplin, linen, viscose, crepe, twill, bengaline) by the meter (for reference, 1 m is about 1.09 yd and 1 kg about 2.2 lb). To go from meters to kilos you need the weight (grams per square meter) and the width: kilos per garment is linear meters times width in meters times weight, divided by 1,000. A t-shirt that uses 0.75 m of 24/1 jersey, 1.80 m wide open (0.90 m tubular) and 150 g/m²: 0.75 times 1.80 times 150 is 202 g.

The other way around, meters per kilo is 1,000 divided by (weight times width): that jersey yields about 3.7 m per kilo, and a 300 g/m² fleece at the same width, about 1.85 m. The real weight of a roll can differ from the nominal one (a jersey sold as 150 g/m² can weigh 140 or 165) and in fabric sold by the kilo that changes the yield without showing up in the price: weigh a 1 m length at full width from each lot.

Typical consumption by garment type

Typical averages for adult sizes in a multi-size marker, with plain fabric and without deducting shrinkage. They work for a first quote; your pattern, your size range and your fabric may give more or less.

Children's sizes use considerably less and the range from 2 to 18 is wide: a size 4 t-shirt can take half the fabric of a size 16. For kids' size ranges, calculate the average weighted by the quantity of each size and do not use the middle size.

Short-sleeve t-shirt in jersey (1.80 m open or 0.90 m tubular): 0.65 to 0.80 linear m, about 180 to 240 g with 150 to 160 g/m² jersey.
Polo shirt in pique (1.80 m open): 0.80 to 1.00 m, about 300 to 400 g.
Hoodie in fleece (1.60 to 1.80 m): 1.10 to 1.40 m, about 550 to 750 g with 280 to 320 g/m² fleece, plus the rib for cuffs and waistband.
Jogger in fleece or budget fleece (1.60 to 1.80 m): 1.10 to 1.40 m, about 500 to 700 g plus the rib.
Pants in gabardine or denim (1.50 m): 1.20 to 1.50 m depending on length and size.
Shorts in gabardine or budget fleece (1.50 m): 0.55 to 0.75 m. Long leggings in spandex jersey or suplex (1.50 to 1.60 m): 0.55 to 0.80 m.
Shirt in poplin (1.50 m): 1.30 to 1.70 m.
Straight dress in viscose, crepe or linen (1.40 to 1.50 m): 1.20 to 1.60 m; with flare or a full skirt, 2.50 to 3.50 m.

What makes consumption vary

Between two workshops producing the same garment with the same pattern, consumption can differ by 10 or 15% because of these factors:

None of them shows up in the pattern: they show up in the fabric and on the cutting table. That is why consumption is confirmed lot by lot and not copied from the previous run without looking at the roll.

Size: each adult size generally adds 3 to 5% more fabric than the previous one; costing at M and producing up to 4XL leaves you short.
Pattern matching: stripes, plaids and prints that match at the seams add 5 to 15%.
Nap and direction: corduroy, velveteen, polar fleece, satin or directional prints force you to mark everything in the same direction; add 3 to 10%.
Shrinkage: cotton jersey and fleece can shrink 3 to 8% in length; if you pre-shrink the fabric the usable width drops, and if you do not, the pattern has to include the shrinkage.
Real usable width: selvedges, marked edges and lots that come 2 or 3 cm narrower than invoiced.
Flaws and splices: fabric flaws, roll ends, the ends of the lay and samples; generally 3 to 8% waste on the fabric purchased.

How to take consumption into costing

The fabric cost per garment is consumption times unit price times (1 plus the waste allowance). With the t-shirt in the example: 0.202 kg times the price per kilo of jersey times 1.05 if you estimate 5% waste, always at replacement price and not at what you paid three months ago. To buy fabric for a production run, multiply the average consumption of the size range by the number of garments and add the waste: buying too much leaves idle stock and buying too little forces a second lot that often arrives from another dye lot with a different shade.

With digital patternmaking all of this is done before you spend a dollar: Modeltex patterns come with the full size range (XS to 4XL in adults, 2 to 18 in kids) and in DXF/AAMA or PDS you make the markers in your CAD to see the real consumption at your width; if you do not have CAD, Modeltex builds the optimized MRK marker for your fabric and the consumption per garment for costing comes from that.

Frequently asked questions

How is the fabric consumption of a garment calculated?

All the pattern pieces are marked on the usable width of the fabric and the marker length is divided by the number of garments it contains: a 7.20 m marker with six t-shirts gives 1.20 m per garment. Without a marker, it is estimated by dividing the area of the pieces by the usable width and by a typical efficiency of 70 to 90%, and adding a 3 to 8% waste allowance.

How much fabric does a t-shirt take?

An adult jersey t-shirt generally takes between 0.65 and 0.80 linear meters at 1.80 m open width (0.90 m tubular), about 180 to 240 g with 150 to 160 g/m² jersey. It goes up with the size, with long sleeves and if the fabric has a directional print. It is approximate: the exact number comes from the marker with your pattern and your fabric.

How much fleece does a hoodie need?

Roughly between 1.10 and 1.40 linear meters at 1.60 or 1.80 m wide, which with 280 to 320 g/m² fleece is about 550 to 750 g per hoodie, plus the rib for cuffs and waistband (around 60 to 100 g). A sweatshirt without a hood or in a small size uses less; sizes 3XL and 4XL, considerably more. Confirm it with a marker of the full size range.

How do I convert fabric consumption from meters to kilos?

Multiply the linear meters by the fabric width in meters and by the weight in g/m², and divide by 1,000: 0.75 m times 1.80 m times 150 g/m² gives 202 g. To find how many meters a kilo yields, divide 1,000 by the weight times the width: a 150 g/m² jersey at 1.80 m yields about 3.7 m per kilo. Use the real weight of the lot, not the nominal one.

How much fabric waste should I allow for?

Generally between 3 and 8% of the fabric purchased, for roll flaws, splices, ends of the lay, samples and width differences; with second-grade fabrics or prints with frequent flaws it can be more. It is added to the consumption when costing the fabric and when calculating how much to buy for a production run.

Does fabric consumption change with the size?

Yes. In adults each size generally adds 3 to 5% more fabric than the previous one, so a 4XL uses considerably more than an XS. To cost a size range, use the average weighted by the number of garments in each size, which comes straight from a multi-size marker; costing with the M and selling the whole range underestimates the fabric.

More guides

Sewing patterns ready for production, with the full size range, in the Modeltex catalog.