Quality control of mattress fabrics: weight, composition, shrinkage

Even the most beautiful mattress fabric can let you down in production: the fabric shifts on the quilting machine, a cover shrinks after the first wash, and after six months of use the surface starts pilling. That is why incoming quality control is not a formality but a way to protect your cost price and brand reputation. Let's look at which mattress fabric parameters to check when accepting a delivery, how to do it in-house and which documents to request from the supplier.

Why incoming inspection pays off

Mattress fabric is one of the most expensive items in a mattress's cost structure after the spring unit and fillings. A defect discovered on a finished product costs many times more than one found on the roll: on top of the fabric itself you lose sewing labour, fillings, tape and packaging.

Typical problems caught by incoming inspection:

• weight lower than stated — the fabric is lighter than in the specification;
• shade variation within a batch or between rolls;
• excessive shrinkage, which makes covers the wrong size;
• fabric defects: snags, pattern skips, stains, uneven selvedge;
• incorrect roll width, which breaks the cutting layout.

Weight: the key indicator

Fabric weight (g/m²) is the mass of one square metre of fabric. Typical values are 250–450 g/m² for mattress knit, from around 100–130 g/m² upwards for jacquard, and about 70 g/m² for lightweight tricot. Weight is directly linked to durability, the “substantial” feel of the fabric and its behaviour on the quilting machine.

How to check weight in-house

• Cut a sample of exactly 10×10 cm from the roll (or a 100 cm² circle with a dedicated sample cutter).
• Weigh the sample on laboratory or jewellery scales accurate to 0.01 g.
• Multiply the mass by 100 to get the weight in g/m².
• Take 3–5 samples from different places on the roll (start, middle, edge) and compare the results.

The permitted tolerance is usually stated in the specification — agree it with the supplier in advance. If the weight is consistently lower than stated, you have grounds for a claim.

Composition: what lies behind the numbers

The fabric card states fibre composition, for example 100% PES (polyester) or 30% COT / 70% PES (cotton/polyester). Composition affects moisture absorption, softness, behaviour in the wash and price.

• 100% polyester — stable dimensions, vivid colours, low shrinkage, affordable price.
• Cotton blends — softer to the touch and more absorbent, but shrinkage may be higher.
• Viscose, bamboo, Tencel — premium hand feel and a “cooling” effect; they need careful handling.

Exact composition can only be determined in a laboratory. On the shop floor you can run a simple yarn burn test: polyester melts into a hard bead, while cotton burns and leaves soft ash. This does not replace a lab analysis, but it helps spot an obvious mismatch.

Shrinkage and dimensional stability

Shrinkage is the change in fabric dimensions after washing or heat-and-moisture treatment. For zip-off covers it is critical: even 3–5% shrinkage turns a 160×200 cover into one that no longer fits the mattress.

A simple shrinkage test

• Mark a 50×50 cm square on the sample with a permanent marker.
• Wash the sample on the programme you will recommend to customers (for example 40 °C).
• Dry it without tension and measure the sides of the square lengthwise and widthwise.
• Calculate shrinkage: (original size − size after washing) / original size × 100%.

If the model has a washable cover, build the test result into your patterns. For fixed covers and quilted fabrics, stability under heat treatment matters more — check it on your own press or thermal quilting equipment.

Appearance, width and behaviour in production

Visual inspection

Inspect the roll on an inspection table in good light. Look for snags, holes, stains, pattern skips and skewed designs. For jacquard mattress fabric, the crispness of the weave matters; for digitally printed mattress knit, look for even colour and no banding.

Shade

Compare rolls from one batch with each other and with the approved master sample in daylight. Shade variation is especially visible on plain and light fabrics, and where panel fabric meets border fabrics.

Roll width

Measure the usable width in several places. The standard for mattress fabrics is around 210–220 cm, but even a 2–3 cm deviation can change the cutting layout.

Trial quilting and sewing

The best test is a production test. Quilt a trial length with your filling, cut and sew a test cover. You will see how the fabric behaves under the needle, whether the knit stretches and whether the filling shows through.

Documents and agreements with the supplier

• A specification for each item: composition, weight, width, tolerances.
• A master sample or reference cutting against which later deliveries are checked.
• A batch number on every roll for traceability.
• An acceptance and claims procedure: inspection deadlines, how defects are recorded and how replacement works.
• Test reports — if you need them for a tender or for certifying your products, request them in advance; ask a manager which documents are available for a specific item.

If you are still choosing a fabric type, start with our guide “How to choose mattress fabric”, and to compare two popular options, read “Double jacquard or knit”.

Batch acceptance checklist

• Check article number, batch and quantity against the delivery note.
• Measure weight on 3–5 samples.
• Measure roll width at several points.
• Inspect visually on an inspection table.
• Compare the shade with the master sample.
• Run a shrinkage test for fabrics intended for removable covers.
• Do trial quilting and sew a test product.

AIES supplies wholesale mattress fabrics to manufacturers across Kazakhstan and Central Asia: jacquard, double jacquard, knit, tricot, Aquastop and quilted fabrics, with composition, weight and width listed on each product card. Contact us to request samples for testing on your equipment and an up-to-date price list.