Calculating Commercial Linear Metre Yield across Variable Fabric Cuttable Widths
Cuttable width excludes defective margins, converting linear metres directly to true usable area and determining actionable garment output per bulk lot.
Billable Width
Commercial Dimension
Fabric measurement defines the net usable width of a textile roll that a buyer agrees to pay for during transaction processing. Billable width excludes the selvages and any distorted edges. This dimension determines the yield calculations.
Physical Boundary
Mechanical pins or clips hold the fabric along its outer edges during stenter drying and heat setting, which leaves holes or glue residue on the borders. Consequently, the billable width sits inside these damaged margins, ending where the fully uniform knit or woven structure begins. Processing mills measure this boundary across the roll.
Financial Consequence
Garment factories base their marker planning and consumption calculations on this specific usable dimension rather than the overall physical width of the delivered roll. When a mill delivers fabric that falls below the agreed value, it creates immediate yield shortfalls. The buyer then recalculates the invoice to match the actual usable area.
This adjustment prevents paying for wasted material and ensures correct pricing.
Verification Protocol
Quality assurance inspectors measure this dimension at three random points along the length of a roll during the final audit. These measurements are taken while the textile lies flat and tensionless on an inspection table. If any segment falls below the specified tolerance, the entire roll can be subject to rejection or price adjustment.
Accurate measurement protects the supply chain.