A specification for bedsheets or curtains is a single document that states what the product is made of, how big it is, how it is stitched, what colour and finish it must have, how it will be tested and how it will be packed, with the approved sample attached as the reference for everything the words cannot describe. It should be short enough that a stitching supervisor can read it and precise enough that a lab can test against it. Most quality disputes come from a point the specification did not cover.
The exporter may offer its own standard spec sheet. Use it as a starting point but make the final document yours, because it will be the reference in any claim.
What every specification should cover
- Fabric construction and GSM: weave type, yarn count, ends and picks per inch, and the finished weight in grams per square metre.
- Thread count and fibre content: thread count for bedding where you market on it, and the fibre composition as a percentage, which must match the label.
- Size with tolerance: finished dimensions after wash in centimetres, with a plus or minus allowance, and for fitted sheets the mattress depth the sheet must fit.
- Hem and stitching details: hem widths, stitches per inch, thread type and colour, mitred corners, elastic type and length, zip type and position, and header tape or eyelet details on curtains.
- Colour standard: a physical colour standard or an approved lab dip for each shade, with the light source for assessment and the tolerance for shade variation.
- Shrinkage limit and fastness: maximum shrinkage after a stated wash, and fastness to washing, rubbing and light at the levels your market expects.
- Labels, packing and carton marking: label content and position, retail pack, cartons, pallet requirements and every marking on the carton.
- Tests required: the list of tests, the ISO or AATCC method for each, who pays for them and at what stage they are run.
- Approved sample: the sealed, signed sample that stands as the reference for hand feel, appearance and anything the specification does not state.
Points specific to bedsheets
State whether sizes are measured before or after washing, because a sheet cut to size before washing will come up short. For fitted sheets, specify the pocket depth, the elastic type and whether it runs all round or only at the corners. For duvet covers, specify the closure, the zip length or the number of buttons, and whether internal ties are required.
If you sell on thread count, define how it is counted, because single-ply and multi-ply yarns give very different numbers for the same fabric. Fibre content on the label must match the test result, so write down the tolerance you will accept.
Points specific to curtains
Curtains need the heading type stated clearly, whether pencil pleat tape, eyelets, tab top or rod pocket, along with the eyelet diameter and material, the tape type, and the drop measured from the top of the heading. Specify the lining fabric and weight, whether the lining is loose or sewn in, and the weight of any blackout or thermal coating. State the side hem and bottom hem widths and whether the bottom hem is weighted.
Light fastness matters more on curtains than on bedding, because they hang in direct sun for years. Ask for a light fastness level appropriate to the fabric and have it tested on the bulk colour.
What Creston & Co does
We help you draft the specification, agree it with the mill and the stitching unit in person, and keep a sealed approved sample on both sides. During production we check measurements, stitching and packing against the document, and we send bulk samples to an NABL-accredited lab for the tests it names. If you have a spec that keeps causing arguments, a free 20-minute sourcing review is a good way to find the gap.