Colourfastness in Jersey Fabric — Wholesale Requirements

Colourfastness and washfastness are not just technical parameters — they are directly measurable quality requirements that determine whether a jersey fabric lives up to its promise after repeated washing. For fabric shops, clothing manufacturers, and buyers, it is about claims, returns, and trust from your customers. Knowing the requirements allows you to ask the right questions to your supplier — and avoid problems further down the value chain.

What Does Colourfastness Mean in Practice?

Colourfastness is measured according to ISO standards and is typically indicated on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is best. In the textile industry, several types of colourfastness are distinguished:

• Washfastness: The colour holds during washing at 40 or 60 degrees without fading or bleeding
• Rubbing fastness: The colour does not transfer during dry or wet rubbing — especially relevant for dark and intense colours
• Light and perspiration fastness: The colour remains stable under UV exposure and contact with sweat
• Colour bleeding: Fabrics with strong colours must not release colour to adjacent materials during washing

For children’s wear and workwear, the requirements are often stricter than for casualwear because these categories are washed frequently and at high temperatures. This is important to keep in mind when assembling your assortment or planning your production.

Digital Print — Special Requirements for Colour Stability

Digital print imposes specific requirements on finishing and ink type because the colour is not woven into the fibres but printed on the surface. At Jydsk Stoflager, our digital print jersey is produced with reactive ink that is fixed directly into the cotton fibres during the process. This provides a colourfastness comparable to conventionally dyed fabric — not the thin, paper-like imprint seen in low-quality prints.

Our digital prints are also AI-designed and manually refined in Photoshop. This means precise colour control already in the design phase, reducing the risk of unexpected colour shades in production. Consistent colour reproduction from roll to roll is not a promise — it is a prerequisite for your production to run without deviations.

Have you ever received two rolls with the same article number but visibly different colour shades? This is a classic problem with digital print from suppliers without strict quality control. You avoid this when working with stock fabric that is inspected and ready for dispatch.

Solid Colour Jersey — What Does It Require from Raw Materials?

Colourfastness does not start at the printing stage — it starts with the yarn quality and dyeing process. For solid colour jersey, the yarn is dyed before knitting, and the quality of the dyeing process determines how stable the colour is over time. Low-quality yarn absorbs dye unevenly, and the result becomes visible after the third or fourth wash.

When purchasing solid colour jersey for production, you should ensure:

• That the supplier can document washfastness at a minimum of 40 degrees
• That there is a consistent colour tone within and across rolls from the same purchase
• That fabrics with dark or saturated colours have been tested for rubbing fastness
• That certificates accompany the fabric — GOTS or Oeko-Tex 100 are both indicators of controlled production processes

The majority of our solid colour jersey is GOTS-certified, and other variants are certified under Oeko-Tex 100. The certificates cover not only fibre quality and chemical use — they also impose requirements on the dyeing process, which is a direct quality guarantee for colourfastness.

GOTS and Oeko-Tex 100 — What Do the Certificates Say About Colourfastness?

GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) prohibits a wide range of dyes and auxiliary chemicals that could otherwise compromise both colourfastness and consumer safety. This means that GOTS-certified fabrics are by definition produced with approved dyes that are documented as stable. For your production or assortment, this provides a credible documentation chain — especially if your customers demand sustainable certification.

Oeko-Tex 100 primarily focuses on chemical safety and limits for harmful substances, including certain AZO dyes, formaldehyde, and heavy metals. A fabric with Oeko-Tex 100 is tested for harmful residues, but the certificate does not impose the same process requirements as GOTS. Both certificates are relevant — GOTS is stronger regarding sustainability, while Oeko-Tex 100 is more widely used and recognized throughout the industry.

At Jydsk Stoflager, you can find both certificate types depending on the fabric type. Our digital print jersey is primarily GOTS-certified — a clear advantage if your production must document sustainable material use to end customers or retailers.

Practical Advice for Your Purchasing

Colourfastness is difficult to assess on a piece of raw fabric — it requires testing. Here is what you should do as a professional buyer:

• Always prewash samples at 40 degrees and evaluate colour release and dimensional stability before placing a larger order
• Compare rolls from the same delivery in daylight — deviations in colour shade are best detected side by side
• Request certificates and check that they are current — a GOTS certificate from 2019 is not necessarily valid today
• Note batch numbers when reordering so you can trace any deviations back to production
• Test rubbing fastness for dark colours — especially black, navy blue, and bordeaux are vulnerable

A minimum order of 10 meters applies at Jydsk Stoflager regardless of fabric type. This gives you the opportunity to test a fabric thoroughly in production before committing to larger quantities.

Colourfastness as a Competitive Parameter

In a market where your customers expect a garment to look new after 30 washes, colourfastness is not a technical detail — it is a competitive parameter. Fabric shops that can document quality, and clothing manufacturers who minimize claims, win customers’ trust and repeat orders.

Our jersey fabric is stock fabric, ready for dispatch with delivery in 1–3 business days to all of Europe. You do not have to wait for purchases from distant markets with uncertain documentation — we have certificates, specifications, and fabric in stock.

See our full range of jersey fabric and order wholesale directly — or contact us for prices on larger quantities and fixed cooperation agreements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an acceptable washfastness score for clothing production?
In the industry, a score of 4–5 on the ISO scale is considered acceptable for conventional use. For children’s wear and workwear, you should require a minimum of 4 on all parameters.

Can digital print jersey be machine washed?
Yes — digital print jersey with reactive ink can be machine washed at 40 degrees. Always wash inside out to protect the prints and extend durability.

What is the difference between GOTS and Oeko-Tex 100 regarding colours?
GOTS prohibits a wide range of conventional dyes and requires environmentally approved alternatives throughout the production chain. Oeko-Tex 100 tests the finished product for limits of harmful substances, including certain dyes. Both certificates are relevant — GOTS is more in-depth regarding the production process.