Single jersey is the most produced knit fabric in the world. Every t-shirt, most tanks, most base layers, most kids' apparel, all single jersey. Its economics and behaviour are the foundation any streetwear or premium basics brand needs to understand. This page covers what single jersey actually is, the GSM range that matters, why "combed vs carded" is a real decision, and where each weight fits.
What Is Single Jersey?
Single jersey is a weft-knit fabric made on a single set of needles that produce interlocking loops of yarn. The face shows smooth vertical wales; the back shows horizontal courses of loops. It's the simplest knit structure, every t-shirt you've ever worn has this construction unless it was specifically ribbed or interlock.
Because there's only one set of needles at work, single jersey is lightweight, drapey, and slightly stretchy across the width (weft direction). It curls at the edges when relaxed, which is why t-shirt hems are always stitched, taped, or bound. And it takes reactive dye beautifully, which is why cotton t-shirts hold colour so well.
GSM Range That Matters
T-shirt weight is the number that separates a $10 tee from a $50 tee more than any other single spec. Our library:
- 180 GSM, light summer tee. Semi-sheer, cool, best in white and pastel colors. Common in athletic and beach-wear tees.
- 200 GSM, standard t-shirt weight. What most retail tees hit. Balanced hand, prints well, comfortable across seasons.
- 220 GSM, premium retail tee. Adds body without heaviness. The sweet spot for most premium streetwear basics.
- 240 GSM, heavy tee. Structured, boxy, the oversized-tee streetwear signature. Feels expensive.
- 260 GSM, heavyweight premium tee. The category-leading streetwear tee weight. Structured, drapes with intent, holds print detail beautifully.
Combed vs Carded Cotton
Two spinning processes produce very different yarn, and single jersey knitted from each behaves differently at scale.
Carded cotton: raw cotton fibres are carded (aligned roughly parallel using a wire card cloth) and spun into yarn. Cheaper, faster, but includes shorter fibres and micro-imperfections. Fabric feel is acceptable; pilling shows up sooner; consistent lot-to-lot colour can be harder to hold.
Combed cotton: after carding, an additional combing step removes shorter fibres (under about 12mm) and further aligns long fibres in parallel. Yarn is smoother, stronger, more consistent. Fabric is softer to touch, cleaner surface, resists pilling much longer, prints crisper. This is what premium tee brands standardise on. Roughly 15-20% more expensive at yarn level, translating to a small unit-price difference at finished-garment scale.
Our default recommendation for any premium tee is combed ring-spun cotton. For volume basics, carded is the honest lower-price option.
Ring-Spun vs Open-End
A secondary but important spec. Ring-spun yarn is twisted in one continuous process, producing stronger, softer, more uniform yarn. Open-end (rotor-spun) yarn is faster and cheaper but shorter-lived and rougher. Every combed jersey we stock is ring-spun. Open-end shows up mostly in the lowest-cost carded jersey market, we don't recommend it for premium tee applications.
Compositions
- 100% combed ring-spun cotton, the default premium tee base
- 100% carded cotton, economical basics
- Cotton / spandex (95/5 or 97/3), stretch jersey for fitted tees, tanks, women's basics
- Cotton / modal (typically 50/50), softer hand, better drape, more luxurious feel
- Cotton / polyester triblend (50/25/25 with rayon), heather-effect fabric with vintage feel
- Organic combed cotton (OCS-certified), every weight in the library available in organic
- Recycled cotton / recycled polyester blend, RCS-certified sustainable option
Applications
- Short-sleeve tees (crew, v-neck, oversized, boxy)
- Long-sleeve tees and layering pieces
- Tanks and muscle tees
- Base layers (cold-weather thermal jerseys)
- Kids apparel
- Jersey shorts, jersey skirts, lightweight dresses
- Undergarments and lightweight lounge
Frequently Asked Questions
The most fundamental knit fabric, a single set of interlocking loops with a smooth face and slightly ribbed back. It's what a standard t-shirt is made of.
180-260 GSM. 200 is standard retail tee, 220 premium tee, 240-260 heavyweight streetwear tee.
Combed removes short fibres, producing smoother, stronger, softer yarn, the premium choice. Carded is more economical, acceptable for basics, pills sooner.
T-shirts (short/long sleeve/oversized), tanks, base layers, kids apparel, dresses, jersey shorts, undergarments.