If you work in uniforms, shirting, or pocketing, you’ve almost certainly handled polyester grey fabric—even if the label didn’t spell it out. In mills, we call it “grey” (or “greige”) because it’s loomstate: woven, unfinished, and ready for whatever finishing route you need. To be honest, it’s the quiet hero behind a lot of reliable apparel programs.
From a mill in Zhaoyuan Road, Zhao County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, this 100% polyester poplin sits in that sweet spot for consistent, scalable basics. Many customers say it punches above its weight in uniform pocketing and linings, and I’d agree.
| Spec | Detail (≈ real-world use may vary) |
|---|---|
| Name | 100% Polyester Grey Fabric (Poplin) |
| Composition | 100% Polyester |
| Yarn Count | 45s |
| Density | 110 × 76 |
| Width | 63" |
| Weight | 100 gsm |
| Finish | Grey (loomstate, unfinished) |
| Usage | Pocketing, Lining, Shirting, Uniform |
| Origin | Zhaoyuan Rd, Zhao County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China |
Quick overview of the mill route—because details matter:
Typical lab snapshots (indicative): tensile (ASTM D5034) warp ≈ 420–520 N, weft ≈ 300–380 N; tear (ASTM D1424) warp ≈ 12–16 N, weft ≈ 10–14 N; dimensional change (AATCC 135) ≤ 2%; pilling (ISO 12945-2) grade 4; colorfastness after dyeing (ISO 105-C06) ≈ 4, rubbing (ISO 105-X12) dry 4 / wet 3–4. Service life for uniforms: around 80–120 wash cycles depending on finish and usage.
Advantages: cost stability, scalable weaving capacity, and—surprisingly—reliable roll-to-roll shade control once dyed. A purchasing manager told me, “we switched to polyester grey fabric for pocketing and stopped firefighting returns.” Anecdotal, sure, but heard often.
| Vendor | Strengths | Lead Time | MOQ | Certs | Price Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill A (Hebei) | Poplin focus, steady shading | 2–4 wks | ≈ 3,000 m | ISO 9001, OEKO-TEX on request | $ |
| Mill B (Zhejiang) | Fast dye/print partners | 3–5 wks | ≈ 5,000 m | ISO 14001 | $$ |
| Mill C (Vietnam) | Duty advantage for some lanes | 4–6 wks | ≈ 8,000 m | WRAP (downstream) | $$ |
1) Southeast Asian uniform maker shifted pocketing to polyester grey fabric, cut rejects by ≈ 18% and shaved 6 days off dye-house cycles. 2) A EU shirting brand used the 100 gsm base and a soft-finish recipe; returns fell below 0.6% season-over-season. Not miraculous—just good inputs and consistent weaving.
Recycled content (GRS) is creeping into polyester grey fabric programs; digital printing on polyester is maturing; and mills are leaning into ZDHC MRSL-aligned chemistries. Actually exciting, especially for brands juggling LCA targets.
Standards and references