Finishing Specification
Measured mass per square metre governs the trade in woven flax goods leaving Chinese production mills, establishing the precise limit between acceptable weight and contractual shortfall. Finished cloth weight fixes the final density of pure linen after scouring, bleaching and tentering shrink the original grey fabric. Buyers demand strict adherence to contracted grams per square metre, rejecting shipments that drop below agreed tolerances because light fabric alters drape and seam performance during garment assembly.
Mills record this density on the final inspection sheet alongside width and tensile strength before packing bolts for export.
Mass Tolerance
Moisture regain shifts daily readings inside the warehouse, forcing technicians to condition samples in standard atmospheric chambers before weighing small circular cuttings. Finished cloth weight fluctuates according to residual sizing agents and tension applied during final heat setting on stenter frames. Testing protocols require five distinct specimens taken across the width of the bolt to verify uniform filling distribution.
Exceeding contracted limits by more than four percent triggers financial penalties specified in the master supply agreement, whereas falling below the minimum threshold allows immediate rejection of the entire lot by the overseas merchant.
Mill Standard
Internal mill grading differs from buyer acceptance criteria because producers build an operational safety margin into their loom state targets to account for anticipated shrinkage during wet processing. Finished cloth weight remains the final arbiter of commercial compliance despite discrepancies between regional testing laboratories. Export documents bind the seller to the recorded laboratory mass of conditioned samples rather than the estimated dry weight calculated at the spinning stage.
Verified mass protects both parties from disputes regarding moisture content variations during maritime transit.