Count the cardigan opening in the material plan
A ribbed cardigan marker must account for two fronts, a back, sleeves and the chosen front-band construction, plus any cuffs or pockets actually specified. Do not base the estimate on a closed sweater marker and assume the opening adds no material. A folded extension on each front and a separately cut band create different pattern pieces. Ask the pattern maker to identify the exact version being costed. The buyer needs a consumption estimate for the approved construction, not a convenient number attached to the garment name before its closure has been resolved.
Use the weight and finish that will be sampled
The 2x2 RB-302 record offers 220, 240, 260, 280 and 300 g/m² in 95% cotton and 5% elastane with an enzyme and compacted finish. FR-401, the fine-rib comparison, lists 230, 250, 270, 290 and 310 g/m² in the same blend with a silicone and compacted finish. Request the particular offered option rather than comparing an unspecified range. A difference between the sewn samples cannot automatically be assigned to rib arrangement when weight and finish differ too. Keep those variables visible in the costing worksheet.
Show theoretical metres without promising garment yield
For a hypothetical open-width material at 260 g/m² and 1.45 metres usable width, a linear metre weighs 377 grams. One kilogram therefore corresponds to about 2.65 theoretical metres before allowances. If the same illustrative GSM were supplied at 1.60 metres usable width, a metre would weigh 416 grams and a kilogram would represent about 2.40 metres. These widths are not offers for RB-302 or FR-401. The calculation explains the unit conversion only; the cardigan count still depends on how its actual pieces fit in a permitted marker.
Protect the front-band orientation in the marker
A long narrow band can look easy to fit into spare space, but its permitted direction must come from the approved assembly. Tell the cutter whether the band is cut with or separately from the fronts and how its rib lines should appear. Include any matching restrictions between the two sides of the opening. A rotated piece is not a valid saving if it changes the intended extension or visual line. Ask for the marker reference and the list of direction constraints so later efficiency comparisons use equivalent rules.
Separate relaxed, hung and worn dimensions
Specify the material state used for width measurement and obtain the supplier's stated usable finished width and format. Do not substitute the width of a manually extended cutting. For the garment, distinguish the relaxed body length, the hung sample observation and the length seen on the wearer. CottonWorks describes the relationship between extension direction and basic rib appearance; it does not provide the dimensional behaviour of these catalogue articles. The pattern team must decide how the observed sample informs the pattern before the cutter recalculates consumption.
CottonWorks: Single & Double Knits — Ribs and Rib Gaiting — Basic rib structure changes with extension direction. No article-specific relaxed width, hung length, usable width, yield or recovery is established. The numerical conversions are explicitly hypothetical original arithmetic.
Cost optional features as explicit versions
If the commercial plan includes both pocketed and pocket-free cardigans, ask the maker to show their separate pattern and consumption assumptions. The same applies to a longer band, deeper cuff or different sleeve length. Include component supply separately where support material or another fabric is purchased outside the body quantity. Keep any agreed dimensional allowance distinct from marker loss and purchasing allowances. Do not use a single unexplained percentage to conceal several decisions; a clear estimate lets the buyer see which change would alter the fabric order.
Compare offers at the approved construction level
Put article, finish, precise GSM, usable width, supply format, size ratio, marker reference and consumption beside the quoted price basis. Add the band and support route so a low body-fabric price cannot hide a more expensive complete assembly. Ask the commercial team to confirm minimums, quantities and timing for the actual programme. Revisit the comparison after a fitting changes the opening or body length. A useful offer sheet shows the assumptions that make a cost plausible and identifies which ones are still provisional before a purchase is accepted.
Technical background and scope
This is a structured editorial draft. Garment-specific development advice is paired with existing catalogue records; compatibility must be established by sampling. AL KUMAŞ supplies fabric. Cutting, sewing and finished-garment production are separate unless explicitly agreed.