Fabric Quantity per Garment

How to estimate fabric yardage by garment and size

Here are reference yardages for an average adult (M), figured for a fabric width of 1.40 / 1.50 / 1.60 m: simple dress 1.5 m, pants 1.2–1.5 m, jacket 1.8–2.3 m, straight skirt 1 m, basic T-shirt 0.7–1 m. On top of that, add 10–15% for losses — cutting waste, matching patterns, and the shrinkage natural fabrics take after the first wash. If your fabric is narrower (90 cm), expect the meterage to roughly double. Plaids, stripes and directional prints want 20–30% extra so the pattern lines up. And for G/GG sizes, tack on another 15–20%.

Applications

Independent ateliers and small-batch fashion brands pricing out their pieces, garment factories planning bulk purchases at Brás (SP) or 25 de Março, slow-fashion and capsule wardrobe production, and home sewing too: working out how much fabric to buy at Casa dos Tecidos or the local shop before you start cutting.

FAQ

Why does fabric width matter so much? With wider fabric (1.60 m) you can often lay the whole front and back side by side. At 90 cm there isn't room for that, so the pieces have to stack down the length, and the meters needed double.

Knit or woven, same yardage? Close, but knits tend to use a bit less since they stretch and ask for fewer seam allowances. A woven shirt with sleeves and a yoke usually needs an extra 20 cm.

Always pre-wash before cutting? With cotton, linen and viscose, yes. They shrink 3–7% on the first wash. Polyester and synthetic blends hold their dimensions, so you can skip it.