AA Enterprises · Buyer Tools
Fabric Cost per Metre Estimator
Estimate fabric cost per running metre from GSM, width, yarn cost, conversion cost and GST.
Fabric weight/m = GSM × width(m) ÷ 1000 kg. Cost/m = weight/m × (yarn + conversion) × (1 + GST). A rough estimate; actual costs vary with dyeing, finishing and wastage.
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Send your count, blend and quantity and we will come back with firm pricing ex-Delhi and a lead time, within one working day.
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Fabric cost per metre starts from yarn cost per kilogram and works through weight, waste and processing. The chain is: yarn price → grams per metre → weaving or knitting charge → processing → margin.
The step people miss is waste. Yarn consumed is always more than yarn in the cloth, and on woven fabric the gap is significant.
Typical cost build-up
Knitted fabric is more yarn-dominated, which means knitted fabric prices track the cotton market more closely than woven prices do.
| Element | Woven | Knitted |
|---|---|---|
| Yarn | 55 – 65% | 65 – 75% |
| Sizing and warping | 3 – 6% | — |
| Weaving / knitting | 12 – 20% | 8 – 14% |
| Dyeing and finishing | 12 – 20% | 12 – 18% |
| Waste | 5 – 8% | 2 – 4% |
| Margin | 3 – 8% | 3 – 8% |
Worked example
A 180 GSM single jersey at 1.68 m open width is 302 grams per linear metre. At a yarn price of Rs 250 per kg, the yarn content alone is Rs 75.50 per metre.
If yarn is 70 per cent of fabric cost, the finished fabric lands around Rs 108 per metre before margin. Add knitting waste and the working figure is nearer Rs 112.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate fabric cost per metre?
Work out grams per linear metre from GSM and width, multiply by yarn price per kilogram, then add processing, waste and margin.
What share of fabric cost is yarn?
Roughly 55 to 65 per cent for woven fabric and 65 to 75 per cent for knitted, which is why knits track cotton prices more closely.
Why is woven fabric processing more expensive than knitted?
Woven fabric needs warping and sizing before weaving, and generates more waste. Knitting feeds yarn straight from the cone.
Does width affect fabric cost per metre?
Yes, directly. A wider fabric at the same GSM weighs more per linear metre, so it costs more per metre even at the same price per kilogram.
Can you quote fabric as well as yarn?
Yes. Send the construction, GSM, width and finish and we will quote greige or finished fabric per metre.