Copy the notation before interpreting it
A fabric specification may contain compact groups of numbers, multiplication signs, letters and a slash. Keep the original notation with the supplier reference. Do not immediately turn it into a statement about fineness, density or quality without confirming the units and the convention used.
This guide uses published Hanzhong examples to show where clarification belongs. It does not provide a universal decoder or assign count units that the source has not stated. The purpose is to help the buyer ask a precise question and avoid changing the meaning during a quotation.
Compare three real specification references
- L001 pure linen: 14×14 / 50×50.
- L002 pure linen: 17×21 / 52×53.
- LC005 linen cotton: C60 × L17 / 108×70.
Retain these strings as published when discussing the selected SKU. Ask the supplier which elements refer to the two yarn directions, which units apply and how the density is expressed. If a prefix or suffix is present, ask for its definition rather than assuming it has the same meaning across different suppliers.
The examples also have their own composition, GSM and width. Do not compare only one number while silently treating all other construction and finishing details as equal.
Resolve units before comparing offers
Two quotations can use different count or density conventions. Ask each supplier to state its basis clearly before attempting a conversion or deciding that the larger number describes a finer or better cloth. Request a written clarification if the notation is incomplete or unfamiliar.
Keep a record of the original value, the supplier's explanation and any conversion that is actually agreed. A converted working value should not replace the original source reference without a trace. This article deliberately does not guess whether an unstated count uses a particular numbering system.
Keep construction separate from GSM and width
The construction reference is not the same field as mass per unit area or fabric width. For example, the current L002 page lists 119 GSM and 138 cm beside its construction reference. The historical URL includes 121, but the current published specification is the value to discuss.
Use the width and quantity guide for the separate questions of usable width, quantity units and fabric mass. Neither that calculation nor a construction string establishes final garment consumption or performance.
Ask a concise technical clarification
- Confirm the exact SKU and copy the original yarn/density reference.
- Ask which direction each element describes.
- Ask for the count and density units and any prefix meaning.
- Identify the finish and fabric condition represented by the specification.
- Ask what tolerance or acceptance basis will be recorded for the order.
Then send the selected reference with the intended garment. If two candidates remain, compare physical samples and any required evidence. Numeric notation supports identification; it should not become an unsupported guarantee of softness, durability or opacity.