Direct answerChoose by artwork, quantity and fabric, not by preference. Screen printing is the cheapest per unit at volume and gives the most opaque, durable result on bold graphics. DTG is best for small runs and photographic detail on cotton, but ink cost per unit stays high. DTF handles fine full-colour work on cotton blends and synthetics, with a slightly raised film hand-feel. At VANRD the m...

Direct answerA repeatable vintage effect is a documented recipe plus a sealed standard. Write down the enzyme or stone dosage, cycle time, temperature, liquor ratio and drying route; approve a physical standard under D65 light; then hold each bulk lot to a stated colour tolerance and retain a swatch from every lot. Without that paper trail, “vintage” drifts between production runs and the reorder...

Direct answerThey are three different processes. Enzyme wash uses cellulase to break down surface fibres — softness and a slight fade, low risk. Acid wash uses chlorine-loaded pumice to strip indigo unevenly, producing the marbled contrast look, and it is the harshest of the three. Vintage wash is not a chemical but a recipe: enzyme plus stone or bleach steps tuned to a specific shade and hand-fe...

Direct answerShrinkage is reduced in three places, not one. Buy fabric that has been compacted or pre-shrunk, measure the real shrinkage with a wash test on the actual bulk fabric, and build the allowance into the pattern and grade. Untreated cotton knit can lose 3–5% in length on the first wash; compacted cotton with a controlled finishing route typically holds to 1–3%. At VANRD the wash test is...

Direct answerFabric decides whether an oversized garment reads as structured or slouchy. A 450 GSM loopback keeps a boxy, off-body line; a 280 GSM terry falls close to the body and loses the shoulder. For a structured oversized brief, specify 400–500 GSM French terry or double-face, cut the pattern for the measured shrinkage, and lock the fabric before grading — changing fabric after fit approval...

Direct answerYes — most factories can source against a physical swatch. There are three routes: stock fabric already in the mill's range (fastest, cheapest), an existing mill quality re-dyed to your shade (needs a lab dip and a dye-lot minimum), or a custom knit and dye run when the construction itself is unusual. At VANRD we quote the route before sampling, because the route decides both the MOQ...

Direct answerNeither is better in the abstract. 100% cotton delivers the hand-feel, dye depth and “premium” language most streetwear brands sell — at a higher cost and roughly 3–5% shrinkage unless it is pre-shrunk. An 80/20 cotton-polyester fleece shrinks less, keeps its shape through washing, resists pilling and hits a lower unit price — which is why it dominates volume hoodie programmes. At VA...

Direct answerFrench terry and brushed fleece are cousins, not opposites. French terry keeps the inside loops intact: breathable, structured, better print surface, lower pilling. Brushed fleece is French terry that has been sanded on the inside to raise a nap: warmer and softer at the same weight, but the brushed fibres pill and the garment relaxes with wear. On VANRD hoodie programmes, structured...

Direct answerFor a premium heavyweight hoodie, target 400–450 GSM in brushed fleece, or 400+ GSM in French terry if you want structure without heat. 320–380 GSM is the volume standard rather than a premium weight, and above roughly 500 GSM you are building outerwear with a hood, not a hoodie. At VANRD we develop these weights as a single recorded specification, so the first run and the reorder fe...

Direct answerNo — GSM measures weight, not quality. A tightly knitted 320 GSM fleece from combed, long-staple yarn will pill less, hold its shape longer and feel better than a loosely built 400 GSM made from short-staple cotton. Weight is a design decision about drape and warmth; quality is decided by fibre length, yarn count, knitting tension, dyeing and finishing. At VANRD we specify all five o...