Finished woven fabric for export is nearly always packed in rolls, typically 50 to 120 metres each, wrapped in polythene and shipped either loose, in cartons or on pallets. Folded packing is used mainly for small pieces and samples, and bales are used for greige fabric going to a dyer or finisher. The right choice depends on who will unpack it and how far it travels.
Packing is not a detail to leave to the mill. A roll that arrives crushed, creased or damp is as much a claim as a shade fault, and the fix is a clear packing clause in the purchase order.
Rolls
Fabric is wound onto a cardboard tube with the face side in, unless you ask otherwise, and the roll is wrapped in polythene film and sometimes an outer layer of woven polypropylene. Each roll carries a label with the article, colour, width, length, roll number and usually the shade group. Roll lengths depend on fabric weight and the winding machine, and heavy denim often comes in shorter rolls than light shirting.
Rolls can be stacked loose in the container, which uses the space well but exposes the ends to crushing, or they can be placed in cartons or on pallets. Pallets suit buyers whose warehouses use forklifts, while loose loading suits buyers in markets where pallets are not standard. Pallets take up container space, so the freight cost per metre is usually a little higher.
Folds and bales
- Folded pieces: fabric folded double and then into a flat stack, used for short lengths, sample yardage and some traditional markets. Folding creates creases that may not press out on some finishes.
- Bales: greige fabric compressed and strapped in hessian or polypropylene, typically used when the fabric will be processed again before use. Bales are cheap to ship but unsuitable for finished goods.
- Cartons: rolls or folded pieces boxed for protection, common for smaller orders and for air freight.
What to put in your packing specification
State the roll length range and the minimum acceptable piece length, the maximum number of joins per roll, tube type, face side in or out, wrapping material, label content and pallet or loose loading. Ask for a packing list that shows the actual length of every roll, not a nominal figure. For sea freight from Mundra, Pipavav or Hazira, ask for desiccant and well-sealed polythene in the monsoon months, when moisture damage claims rise.
If you plan to cut from one shade band at a time, ask that rolls be loaded in shade groups so that your warehouse does not have to re-sort the container.
How we check packing before shipment
We inspect rolls before loading, checking lengths against the packing list, wrapping and labels, and then supervise loading so that rolls are stacked the way you specified. We send photos with the weekly update. If you want help writing a packing clause, we offer a free 20-minute sourcing review.