Our fabric is spun, knit, and finished by various mills all located within 150 miles of our Asheville, NC headquarters.
SO EVERYTHING IS USA MADE? FROM THE FIBER UP?
Yes, we’re one of the very few who still manufacture almost everything here in the USA, from the fiber up. We have working face to name relationships with all of our production partners from the farmer, to the ginner, to the spinner, to the knitter, to the finisher. We can tour their factories or farms anytime we’d like.
WHERE DOES THE ORGANIC COTTON COME FROM?
Our organic cotton is purchased by the bale directly from the Texas Organic Cotton Growers Co-OP. For more about the Co-Op and the farmers that it is comprised of, please read more about them here.
WHAT MAKES THE COTTON CROP ORGANIC?
Organic status is obtained through a rigorous certification process that farmers must go through. According to GOTS, “Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production. Organic cotton is grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. In addition, federal regulations prohibit the use of genetically engineered seed for organic farming. All cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how the cotton is grown.”
IS THE FABRIC GOTS CERTIFIED?
No. Our organic certification comes from the Texas Department of Agriculture which is regulated and must adhere to the organic standards set forth by the USDA.
WHY AREN’T YOU GOTS CERTIFIED?
As GOTS was created to regulate the textile and apparel industry overseas with little to no governmental or environmental regulations, we are not GOTS certified. Instead, we receive our organic certification by the bale from the Texas Department of Agriculture which is regulated by the USDA and all of the mills that process the organic cotton into fiber, then to fabric, adhere to the regulations set forth by presiding regulatory bodies of the USA, including but not limited to: US Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, OSHA, US Department of Labor, LEED, etc.
CAN YOU PROVIDE ORGANIC CERTIFICATION?
Yes, we can provide you the organic bale certification upon request. Please notify us at the time you place the order so that we’re able to trace the bale used to the lot number of fabric.
WHAT KIND OF DYES DO YOU USE?
We only use low impact, fiber reactive dyes in our fabric that are not harmful to the environment. This means that they our dyes do not contain any heavy metals or toxic substances. All finishing/dyeing occurs in a closed loop system where the water is constantly recycled. Our closed loop dyeing system uses the least amount of water when compared with all other finishing/dyeing processes in the industry. Our cotton absorbs over 75% of the dye which forms a direct link to the cotton fiber resulting in superior colorfastness and minimal run-off. Bleaching is done with peroxide which is derived from apples.
ARE THERE ANY CHEMICALS USED IN THE SPINNING PROCESS?
Beeswax is used as the lubricant in the spinning process.
IS THE FABRIC PRE SHRUNK?
No. All of our fabric is pre-finished but not pre-shrunk. We recommend performing a shrink test on all fabric before making a marker. As fabric shrinkage varies based on style, a general average for shrink on all fabrics is 5-7%. The only exception to this is our Heavyweight Thermal which tends to have shrinkage of 10-15%. We can provide shrinkage results for full rolls; any yardage less will require a customer-ran shrink test. For minimal shrink, wash cold & tumble dry low.
WHAT IS RECYCLED PET?
Recycled PET is Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate.Recycled PET is derived from melting down recycled plastic bottles and spinning the plastic into yarn. Due to the disastrous effect plastic micro fibers are wreaking on our environment and water supply, we have chosen to avoid any type of plastic or PET in our fabrics.
IS MY FABRIC PFD OR PREPARED FOR DYE/PRINTING?
We recommend ordering our Peroxide White (PFD) if you plan on dyeing though technically all of our fabrics are PFD and could be dyed. Peroxide White will yield the best color match.
Unless you have specifically ordered Greige Goods. Unless specified “Greige,”our fabrics have been washed, scoured, or washed-and-scoured before being put on a roll. These fabrics are PFD or “prepared for dye.” Other fabrics, labeled “Greige,” go directly from the loom to the roll without being prepared for dye. If you plan to dye or print on these fabrics you will need to wash and prepare them first. As a general rule, recommend pre-washing and drying your fabric prior to dyeing, printing, or cutting patterns, and using clothing detergent and high-heat drying to ensure that any fabric changes occur before the fabric is used. We recommend machine wash cold & tumble dry low with a phosphate free soap.
WHAT ARE WASHING INSTRUCTIONS?
For maximum longevity, we recommend machine wash cold & tumble dry low with a phosphate free soap.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE FABRIC SPECS?
Fabric specs are located in the product description on both collection and individual product pages per style (towards the bottom underneath the product photo).
WHAT IS THE LINEAR WEIGHT OF YOUR FABRIC?
We use square weight instead of linear; square weight details are located in the product description on both collection and individual product pages per style (towards the bottom underneath the product photo).
WHAT ARE THE PRICES OF YOUR FABRICS?
Cost varies depending on style and colors; natural and peroxide/PFD fabrics are less expensive than colors. We offer tiered pricing, which means that the larger the quantity that you buy, the larger the discount. You can view a consolidated price sheet for our current styles HERE.
WHAT DOES 20/1, 30/1, ETC. MEAN?
20/1 (or 20 Singles) refers to the yarn count of the fabric. This is the unit of measurement that defines the gauge fineness of the thread. The higher the number, the finer the thread which creates a finer, softer fabric with more drape. The terms are used several ways, i.e. 30s, 30/1 and 30 Singles. They all mean the same thing.
WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF 2 x 1 or 1 x 1 WHEN USED IN THE STYLE NAME (EX. 1 x 1 BABY RIB)?
This number signifies the width of the “peaks and valleys” of the knit. This type of knitting allows the garment to have more stretch to it. The higher the peak number, the higher the stretch. For example, 2x1 means the "peaks" are twice as wide as the "valleys".
WHAT DOES TUBULAR MEAN?
Tubular fabrics gets their name from being knit on long cylindrical tubes as opposed to their Open Width counterpart that is knit into flat sheets. Tubes are knitted from cotton and other materials in the needed dimension for the apparel.
CAN YOU MAKE ANY OF YOUR FABRIC TUBULAR OR OPEN WIDTH?
Yes, we can make any of our open width fabric tubular and any of our tubular fabric open width as long as you meet the 4+ roll minimum.
CAN I ORDER A CUSTOM COLOR?
Yes. Custom colors can be ordered in quantities as little as 7 rolls for solids and 14 rolls for stripes. They require a 30% deposit up front. For custom colors, we will need to do lab dips and there will be a $50 lab dip fee assessed for each color. To initiate the process, you must mail a TCX pantone to:
Spiritex Fabric
ATTN: Custom Color
2004 Riverside Dr.
Suite TT
Asheville, NC 28804
Once we obtain the lab dips, we’ll send them back to you for approval before we begin production.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TURN A CUSTOM COLOR?
Generally custom colors can be turned in 8-10 weeks from the date we receive the TCX pantone.
CAN I CREATE MY OWN FABRIC FOR YOU TO MANUFACTURE?
We are always interested in new ideas for organic fabrics to add to our own line. If you’ve used a fabric that was sourced from another supplier and you would like us to create it through our own domestic network or if you have an idea that you want to pull into reality– just ask! (Note: minimums for custom knitdowns will require a 30% deposit up front and will require a 2,000+ yard minimum.)We can do custom blends & weights.
For a speedy proposal, please email sales@spiritex.net with your goals and timelines. Also, mail a small cut of the fabric you wish to create domestically and organically to:
Spiritex Fabric
ATTN: CUSTOM KNITDOWN
2004 Riverside Dr.
Suite TT
Asheville, NC 28804