Fabric & decoration
Garment finishing explained: mercerising, washes and performance finishes for knitwear
Garment finishing (wet and dry finishing) changes the fabric itself after knitting and dyeing: its hand feel, lustre, performance or texture. Unlike trims or decoration, most finishing can be felt but not seen, so it is specified by a parameter and proved by a sample, a test report or a hangtag claim rather than a photo. Pre-shrinking is the one finish every knit garment needs.
Key takeaways
- Four kinds of spec: fabric (bought in), trims (attached parts), decoration (added graphics), finishing (the fabric itself changed).
- Finishing is priced per batch, not per piece, so special washes don't suit very small orders.
- It adds about 3–7 days to lead time and can't be rushed the way printing can.
- The finish that matters most on each garment: pre-shrinking on a T-shirt, shedding and pilling control on a hoodie, mercerising on a polo, verifiable performance on a set.
- Most performance finishes can't be photographed. Test reports and hangtags are the proof.
When buyers specify a garment they usually think about fabric, trims and decoration. Finishing is the fourth part, and it is the easiest to forget because you can feel it but usually can’t see it.
This guide covers what finishing is, which finishes suit our four garment lines, and how each one is checked.
Interactive · optional
See which finishes suit a T-shirt, hoodie, polo or set, how each is proved, and what it adds to lead time.
Open the finishing selector →Finishing is a separate kind of spec
| Spec | What it is |
|---|---|
| Fabric | The cloth bought in: fibre, weight, knit structure |
| Trims | Parts attached to the garment: rib, zips, labels |
| Decoration | Graphics added: print, embroidery, badges |
| Finishing | The fabric itself changed: hand feel, lustre, performance, texture |
Three practical differences follow. Finishing is priced per batch, not per piece. A finishing or wash batch has to be filled before it runs, so special washes don’t suit very small orders. It also adds about 3–7 days to lead time, because heat-setting, washing and drying can’t be squeezed the way a print run can. And its value is felt, not seen, so it is sold on a one-line parameter, a hangtag and a test report instead of a photo.
What you can see, and what you can’t
| Finish | Visible evidence |
|---|---|
| Mercerising | Lustre, crisper piqué texture, deeper colour |
| Liquid ammonia | Very smooth, even sheen (needs a comparison to see) |
| Bio-polishing | Clean surface, fewer loose fibres (macro) |
| Brushing / peach finish | Soft, velvety surface |
| Fleece brushing | Depth of the brushed inside |
| Garment / enzyme wash | Uneven colour depth, lighter seams, creases |
| Crinkle, calendering, embossing, burnout | Texture, shine, relief or translucent pattern |
| Coating / laminate | Film on the back, layered cross-section |
| Water repellency (DWR) | Water beading and rolling off |
| Wicking, anti-odour, anti-static, cooling, UPF | None; proved by test report and hangtag |
| Pre-shrinking / heat-setting | None; it is a number, not a look |
T-shirts: pre-shrinking first
| Finish | Purpose | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shrinking / heat-setting | Shrinkage typically 3% or less | Always done; the cheapest finish and the one you can’t skip |
| Silicone softener wash | Smooth hand, better drape | Wash before printing, or the ink cracks |
| Bio-polishing | Fewer loose fibres, less pilling, soft sheen | Some strength loss (around 5–8%); care below 180 GSM |
| Brushing | Soft, warm surface | 220 GSM and up, because thin fabric tears |
| Crinkle | Texture, no-iron look | Can’t combine with all-over print |
| Burnout | Translucent pattern | Poly-cotton blends only |
| Functional (wicking / UV / cooling) | Performance claims | Proved by test report and hangtag |
Buyers won’t pay extra for pre-shrinking, but they will return T-shirts that don’t have it. See why knit garments shrink.
Hoodies: shedding and pilling
| Finish | Purpose | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Fleece brushing | Soft, warm inside | Must pass a tape shedding test |
| Anti-pilling | Pilling grade around 3–4 | Essential on brushed fleece |
| Garment / enzyme stone wash | Vintage look, softer, pre-shrunk | One colour per batch; approve a sample for variation |
| Peach finish | Velvety outer surface | Colour transfer risk with dark contrast panels |
| Embossing | Raised texture or logo | Mould cost, higher minimum |
| Bonded / laminated | Wind-resistant | Stiffer hand |
| Anti-static | Winter selling point | Hangtag claim |
If shedding and pilling fail, every other finish on a hoodie is wasted.
Polos: mercerising
| Finish | Purpose | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Mercerising | Lustre, strength, deeper colour, crisp piqué | Caustic treatment, must be fully neutralised |
| Liquid ammonia | Very smooth, easy-care, soft | Specialist capacity, longer lead time |
| Easy-care | Fewer wrinkles after washing | Formaldehyde must meet REACH limits (75 mg/kg) and the buyer’s RSL |
| Bio-polishing | Cleaner surface | Some strength loss |
| Wicking / anti-odour | Workwear selling point | Hangtag and test report |
| Calendering | Sheen, crisper hand | Overdone, it looks plasticky |
To Western buyers, un-mercerised piqué tends to read as cheap workwear. More on fabric choice in piqué vs jersey polos.
Sets: performance you can verify
| Finish | Purpose | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture-wicking / quick-dry | Essential for sport | Test report and hangtag |
| Anti-static | Needed on polyester | Hangtag claim |
| UPF 50+ | Outdoor selling point | Test report only |
| DWR | Water beads off | Fades after around 20 washes, so say so; for the EU use a PFAS-free DWR (PFHxA restricted since 10 Oct 2026) |
| Cooling | Summer selling point | Tested by Q-max value |
| Brushing / raising | Autumn–winter hand | As for hoodies |
| Laminate | Wind and water resistance | Less breathable |
Buyers of performance sets ask for test reports. Photos and claims don’t count.
Finish by garment at a glance
| Finish | T-shirt | Hoodie | Polo | Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shrinking / heat-setting | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Softener wash | ● | ● | ● | ○ |
| Bio-polishing | ● | ○ | ● | ○ |
| Anti-pilling | ○ | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Mercerising | — | — | ● | — |
| Liquid ammonia | — | — | ○ | — |
| Brushing / fleece | ○ | ● | — | ○ |
| Garment wash | ○ | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Crinkle / emboss | ● | ● | ○ | ○ |
| Burnout | ● | ○ | — | — |
| Coating / laminate | — | ○ | — | ● |
| DWR | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● |
| Functional (wicking / UPF / anti-odour / cooling) | ○ | ○ | ● | ● |
● common · ○ optional · — not used
How to specify finishing
Start with the standard: pre-shrinking and heat-setting on every knit order. Then add the key finish for the garment, which is mercerising for polos and shedding and pilling control for brushed hoodies. Write a parameter, not an adjective. “Shrinkage ≤ 3% after 3 washes” tells the mill what to hit, and “low shrinkage” does not. Say how it will be verified, whether by sample approval, a test report or a hangtag claim. And allow the time, since finishing usually adds 3–7 days and is planned per batch.
Finishing at Jehotex is carried out by our partner dyeing and finishing mills to the specification we agree with you. We manage the spec, approval samples and testing.
Final thoughts
Finishing rarely shows in a product photo, but it shows in returns, reviews and repeat orders. Agree the standard finishes, add the one that matters for your garment, and ask how each claim is proved. If you’d rather not decide, send us the brief and we’ll propose finishing with the quote, or look at the options first.