Why can fabric class higher than yarn?

Fabric rolls can hold more air per pound than boxed yarn or compressed bales, so they measure lower density. The NMFC item decides whether density applies.

Do you ship finished garments?

This service covers textile raw materials such as fabric, yarn and fiber. Finished garments are outside its scope.

Can rolls longer than a pallet ship LTL?

Send the roll length and weight. Carriers apply their own rules to long freight, and we confirm handling before booking.

How do I prevent crushed roll ends?

Support the ends with caps or cradles, wrap the rolls and mark the pallet do not stack if the rolls cannot carry weight.

Textile Roll Goods Freight

At a glance

Fabric rolls weigh little for the space they fill, so a roll pallet classed on the density scale lands in a higher class than a denser pallet of the same weight.
Roll ends crush under forklift tines or a stacked load, so rolls ship on end supports or cradles, wrapped against dirt and moisture.
Fiber bales and yarn cones pack denser than fabric rolls, so each product on a mixed load needs its own dimensions and weight.

How is textile roll goods freight classed?

Textile roll goods freight is classed by the NMFC item for the material, and many fabric and yarn items use the 13-tier density scale from NMFTA Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025. Other items keep a commodity class, so check the item before you rely on density. Class feeds the price together with the lane, weight, accessorials and fuel.

A fabric roll wraps a lot of air around its core, which drives the density down and the class up. The density scale and worked example on this page show the calculation for a pallet of fabric rolls.

Freight class by density (lb per cubic foot)

0 to 1 lb/ft³Class 400
1 to 2 lb/ft³Class 300
2 to 4 lb/ft³Class 250
4 to 6 lb/ft³Class 175
6 to 8 lb/ft³Class 125 example below
8 to 10 lb/ft³Class 100
10 to 12 lb/ft³Class 92.5
12 to 15 lb/ft³Class 85
15 to 22.5 lb/ft³Class 70
22.5 to 30 lb/ft³Class 65
30 to 35 lb/ft³Class 60
35 to 50 lb/ft³Class 55
50 or more lb/ft³Class 50

Denser freight lands in a lower class, the basis for a lower rate. Source: NMFTA Docket 2025-1, 13-tier density scale, effective July 19, 2025. The scale applies to items the NMFC classes by density; some items keep a commodity class, so confirm the NMFC item for your product.

Worked example: a pallet of fabric rolls

Measure the loaded pallet, pallet included: 60 × 40 × 48 inches = 115,200 cubic inches.
Convert to cubic feet: 115,200 ÷ 1,728 = 66.7 cubic feet.
Divide the weight by the cubic feet: 520 lb ÷ 66.7 = 7.8 lb per cubic foot.
Read the class off the density scale: 7.8 lb per cubic foot falls in class 125.

Run your own pallet through the freight class calculator, or read how freight class works.

Illustrative numbers, not a quote or a class ruling. Class depends on the NMFC item for the product; the scale is NMFTA Docket 2025-1, 13-tier density scale, effective July 19, 2025.

How should fabric rolls be palletized?

Fabric rolls should lie flat in one direction, nested and wrapped, or stand on end on a pallet sized to the roll diameter. Rolls that hang past the pallet edge take forklift and dock damage at the ends.

Rolls longer than a pallet need a custom skid or a cradle that supports the full length. Send the roll length along with the pallet footprint, because carriers handle freight that overhangs a standard pallet under their own rules.

How do you protect rolls from moisture and crushed ends?

Poly wrap over each roll or the whole pallet keeps out dock moisture and trailer condensation, which can stain fabric and swell cardboard cores. Mark the pallet do not stack when the roll ends cannot carry weight.

Crushed roll ends ruin the outer layers of cloth and can make a roll unusable on a cutting table. End caps or corner boards spread the load, and the receiver should note visible damage on the delivery receipt before signing.

Which service fits: LTL, volume LTL, partial or full truckload?

Standard LTL fits most palletized shipments that can share a trailer; volume LTL, partial truckload and full truckload fit larger loads or loads that need their own truck. Price the same shipment details across the four services, and confirm the points in the table before you book.

Service	Fits	Confirm before booking
Standard LTL	Palletized freight that shares a trailer and moves through carrier terminals	NMFC item and class, pickup and delivery accessorials, delivery appointment
Volume LTL	Larger LTL shipments quoted as a one-off price for that shipment	Quote terms, space the freight takes, whether it still moves through terminals
Partial truckload	Shipments that share a truck with a few others	Whether the freight stays on one trailer, any planned transfers, transit estimate
Full truckload	Freight that fills a trailer, reaches its weight limit, or needs its own truck	Trailer type, loading and unloading time, appointments at both ends

What moves between mills, converters and cut-and-sew plants?

Greige goods, finished fabric, yarn cones and fiber bales move between mills, dyehouses, converters and cut-and-sew plants. Each stop has its own receiving setup, so confirm dock height and forklift access at both ends.

Yarn cones ship boxed on pallets, and fiber bales ship compressed and strapped. Send each product's dimensions and weight on a mixed load, since a bale and a roll pallet can land in different classes.

What do you send for a textile raw materials freight quote?

A textile raw materials freight quote needs the 8 details below. Complete details let the carrier rate the shipment once, without a reweigh or reclass after pickup.

Material: fabric rolls, yarn cones or fiber bales
Roll length, diameter and core size
Pallet or skid dimensions with the pallet included
Gross weight of each pallet or bale
Whether pallets can be stacked
Moisture protection used, such as poly wrap
Pickup and delivery sites: mill, converter, dyehouse or cut-and-sew plant
NMFC item numbers, if you know them

What do the freight terms on this page mean?

Greige goods: Woven or knitted fabric straight from the loom or knitting machine, before dyeing or finishing.
Converter: A company that buys greige goods and has them dyed, printed or finished for sale.
Roll core: The cardboard or plastic tube a fabric roll is wound on.
Density: Gross weight in pounds divided by cubic feet, with the pallet included in the measurements.

Textile roll goods freight