A specification usually reaches an importer second-hand: a size list from a customer, a competitor’s sample measured with a tape, or a sheet inherited from a previous supplier. It rarely lines up exactly with the cuts an Indian mill runs as standard, and that gap is where quotations get slow or, worse, where a substitution happens quietly and shows up on delivery.
The tables below map what buyers send against what the corridors run. Where they differ, the honest answer is usually a centimetre or two — worth knowing before you commit to a size on a retail label.
Towels
| Item | Commonly requested | Standard cuts we run | GSM ladder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath towel | 70 × 130 cm · 70 × 140 cm · 30 × 60 in | 70 × 140 cm · 30 × 60 in (standard) · 27 × 54 in (US hotel) | 430 – 650 GSM |
| Bath sheet | 90 × 150 cm · 100 × 150 cm | 35 × 70 in (≈ 90 × 178 cm) · 100 × 150 cm oversize | 500 – 650 GSM |
| Hand towel | 50 × 90 cm · 50 × 100 cm | 40 × 60 cm · 50 × 80 cm · 50 × 100 cm | 430 – 650 GSM |
| Face cloth / washcloth | 30 × 30 cm | 30 × 30 cm — exact match | 430 – 650 GSM |
| Pool / beach towel | 70 × 140 cm · 90 × 180 cm | 70 × 140 cm · 90 × 180 cm — exact match | 450 – 550 GSM |
The one that catches people out is the bath towel. UK retail sheets frequently say 70 × 130 cm; the standard hospitality cut is 70 × 140 cm. Ten centimetres is visible side by side on a shelf but invisible in use — worth a conversation before it becomes a custom cut.
Bath mats
| Commonly requested | Standard cuts we run | GSM ladder |
|---|---|---|
| 50 × 80 cm | 50 × 80 cm — exact match | 700 – 1200 GSM |
| 60 × 90 cm | 60 × 90 cm — exact match | 700 – 1200 GSM |
Bed linen
Bed linen is where UK and Indian conventions diverge most, because UK mattress sizes are their own standard. Our bed programmes run at 200 – 400 TC in percale and sateen out of the Panipat corridor, with fitted-sheet depth specified per programme rather than assumed — send the mattress depth with the size.
- Send the mattress dimensions, not just the name. “King” means different things in the UK, the US and the EU.
- State the fitted-sheet depth. Deep pockets are a specification, not a default, and are the most common cause of a rejected first delivery.
- Say whether duvet covers need a closure — envelope flap, Oxford border or button — and the pillowcase style to match.
Exact, nearest, or custom
| Route | When it applies | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Exact match | Your size is already a standard cut in the corridor. | Standard programme minimum |
| Nearest match | Your size is within a centimetre or two of a standard cut, and the difference is not contractual. | Standard programme minimum |
| Custom cut | The dimension is printed on a label, fixed by a brand standard, or must match existing stock. | From 1,000 pieces |
| Custom shade | Any colour outside the stock range, Pantone-locked at sample stage. | From 500 pieces per shade |
| Custom thread count | Bed linen outside the 200 – 400 TC ladder. | From 1,000 pieces |
What to send with a spec sheet
- Dimensions with the unit stated, and whether they are finished or pre-wash
- GSM or thread count, or the sample you are matching to
- Composition — 100% cotton, cotton-rich, or a blend
- Border and hem style, and whether a logo is woven or embroidered
- Colour reference, ideally a Pantone number
- Packing: polybag, barcode, pieces per carton
- Quantity per line, and whether lines can share a container
Weight bands by product and tier are set out in the GSM standard guide, and the cost side of the decision is in the UK landed cost guide.
Spec questions we are asked
- My customer's spec is in centimetres and yours is in inches. Does that matter?
- Only in presentation. Indian mills cut to both and most programmes are quoted in whichever unit the buyer sends. What matters is whether the actual dimension exists as a standard cut in the corridor. A 70 × 140 cm bath towel is a standard cut; a 70 × 130 cm is two centimetres short of one and becomes a nearest match or a custom cut.
- What does 'nearest match' actually mean?
- It means we quote the closest standard cut and state plainly what differs, rather than substituting quietly. Usually that is a centimetre or two on a dimension, or one step on the GSM ladder. You decide whether the difference matters for your customer. If it does, a custom cut is available from 1,000 pieces.
- When is a custom cut worth paying for?
- When the size is contractual — a retail pack that states the dimension on the label, a hotel brand standard, or a replacement run that has to match stock already on the shelf. When the size is simply what a previous supplier happened to run, the nearest standard cut is usually cheaper and faster, and nobody downstream notices.
- Can different sizes share one dye lot?
- Yes, and for a matched set they should. Bath, hand and face towels can be produced in one dye lot so the shades sit together on a shelf or in a bathroom. Buyer-spec colour is locked to Pantone at sample stage and reorders match the master shade card batch-on-batch.
Holding a spec you need matched?
Send your spec sheet. Quote within one business day.
Exact where the cut exists, nearest match where it does not — with the difference stated, never substituted quietly.