Workwear listings are full of fabric shorthand: 190gsm drill, stretch ripstop, pique knit, UPF 50+. Each term tells you something useful about how a garment will feel, wear or perform, once you know what it means. Here's a plain-English glossary, with a real example from our own listings for each term, quoted as it appears.
Weight
- GSM. Grams per square metre, the weight of the fabric. A higher number means a heavier, usually thicker fabric. The Pilbara RM200CF shirt is listed as "Light Weight - 150gsm", while the Ritemate RM1004S cargo shorts are "Regular Weight - 311gsm". Compare GSM between similar fabrics, because a knit and a woven of the same weight can feel quite different. As a rule, lighter fabric is cooler in summer heat, and heavier fabric is warmer and usually wears longer, so match the weight to the climate and the work.
- Ounces. Some brands quote weight in ounces per square yard. One ounce per square yard is about 34 GSM, so the FXD WP-3 pant's "8.8 ounce 295gsm stretch cotton canvas" gives you both.
Woven fabrics
- Twill. A weave that forms fine diagonal lines on the face of the fabric. It's the base of many work shirts and pants. The Pilbara RM200CF is "mercerized, double pre-shrunk, 100% cotton twill". Twill usually drapes more softly than a plain weave of similar weight, which helps on a shirt worn all day.
- Drill. A sturdy cotton twill, long used for workwear and uniforms. The Bisley BS1433 shirt is "100% Cotton Preshrunk Drill 190gsm". At 190gsm it's heavier than the 150gsm RM200CF: tougher, but warmer on a hot day.
- Canvas. A tightly woven plain weave fabric, known for being tough. It suits pants that take knee and pocket wear, but plain canvas is stiff, which is why work pants often add stretch, as on the FXD WP-3 above.
- Ripstop. A weave with heavier threads at regular intervals, forming a small grid. The grid helps stop a small tear from spreading, which is useful where clothing snags, though it limits tears rather than preventing them. Ripstop can be cotton or synthetic; the FXD WS-6 shorts use "255gsm lightweight, durable stretch ripstop".
Knitted fabrics
- Pique. A knit with a fine raised texture, the classic polo fabric. The Aussie Pacific Keira polo has a "Cotton back pique knit". It's a common choice for front counter and team polos. Our team polos guide compares polo styles.
- Birdseye. A knit with a tiny repeating diamond pattern, often in light polyester polos. The Be Seen BSP2016 is "100% Polyester Mini Birdseye Mesh (130GSM)".
- Micro mesh. A fine, open knit, usually polyester, used where airflow matters. The JB's Street Spider Polo 6HSSP is listed as "100% Polyester Micro mesh" at 160gsm. Polyester knits like these dry quickly, which suits hot or active work, though some people prefer the feel of cotton against the skin.
- Tricot. A smooth warp-knitted fabric, common in safety vests. The Bisley BV0341T vest is "100% Polyester Tricot 120gsm". It's a light layer worn over clothing for visibility, not for warmth.
- Brushed fleece. A knit with a brushed, raised inner face that traps warmth. The Bisley BK6723 jumper lists "Low pill brushed fleece with a plush inner". Good for early starts, but it's a layer you'll take off as the day warms up.
Fibres, stretch and finishes
- Poly/cotton. A blend of polyester and cotton. The JB's 210P, a "210gsm pique knit fabric" polo, sums up the usual reasoning: "65% Polyester for durability, 35% Cotton for comfort". The trade-off: a polyester-rich blend can feel warmer than pure cotton in humid heat.
- Elastane (spandex). A stretchy fibre added in small amounts so a garment moves with you. The Bisley BPC6338 pant is "97% Cotton, 3% Spandex Canvas 280gsm". Stretch helps when you kneel, climb or reach. Elastane usually dislikes high heat, so follow the care label.
- Mechanical stretch. Give that comes from the yarn or the weave rather than an elastic fibre. The Syzmik ZP704 women's pant is "100% Square Weave Cotton Ripstop" and lists "Mechanical stretch". You get some give with an all-cotton fabric, though usually less than with elastane.
- Cordura. A brand of hard-wearing nylon fabric, often used as patches on wear points. The same BPC6338 has "Cordura® on high stress areas".
- Pre-shrunk and mercerised. Pre-shrinking reduces how much cotton shrinks in the wash. Mercerising treats cotton to give it more lustre and help it take dye. The Pilbara RM200CF lists both. Pre-shrinking reduces shrinkage rather than removing it, so follow the wash instructions.
Sun and weather
- UPF. Ultraviolet Protection Factor: a rating of how well the fabric blocks UV. Australia has a standard for testing and labelling sun protective clothing, and under it UPF 50 and 50+ are the "excellent protection" ratings, blocking about 98% of UV. The RM1004S shorts list "UPF 50+ Sun Protection - AS 4399:2020". Check the colour, not just the style, because a rating can exclude some colours: the RM200CF and the women's Pilbara RM600BT both exclude Stone, and the women's RM300CF line reads "(Excluding Blush, Mint, Stone)". UPF also only protects the skin a garment covers, so sleeve length matters. Our summer work shirts guide and bucket hats guide cover sun protection in more detail.
- Waterproof rating (mm). The height of a column of water the fabric holds back before water comes through, from a hydrostatic head test. Higher is more water resistant, but brands don't all test the same way. The FXD WF-1 hoodie spells it out: "5000mm water resistant (hydrostatic head test)".
- Seam sealed or taped seams. Stitching makes holes that water can get through, so waterproof garments seal or tape the seams. The Bisley BJ6966T rain jacket lists "All seams are seam sealed".
- Segmented tape. Reflective tape cut into short sections, which suppliers say helps the garment flex and breathe. The FXD LSH-4T has "50mm segmented reflective tape in hoop pattern". For hi vis ratings and colours, see our pink hi vis guide and Bisley taped shirt comparison.
Where these terms come up
You'll see these words throughout our other guides: twill in our Pilbara and Ritemate shirt comparison, twill and drill in our work shorts guide and chef jackets guide, and stretch fabrics in our scrubs guide and women's fit guide. To compare fabrics across styles, browse our shirts and pants. Fabric also affects decoration, which our embroidery or printing guide explains.
Not sure which fabric suits your team? Send us the job, the conditions and your logo through our custom workwear enquiry form and we'll suggest a few options.
