What Are Garment Trims? Buttons, Zippers, Labels, Interlining and Elastic

What are garment trims? Six groups

MEB's cutting module lists auxiliary materials as “lining, interlining, thread, buttons, zippers, etc.” beyond the fabric (our translation). The same module warns that an interlining or lining that does not suit the fabric can harm the quality, use and appearance of the garment (MEB, Cutting, 2011, p. 3). In the Tekstil Rehberi supplier directory, sewing thread is one of the trims sub-sectors, while lining is listed under fabrics. Sewing thread is also an auxiliary material in MEB's definition, but it is not treated as a separate group in the six groups below.

Closures: buttons, snaps, clasps and zippers

Buttons and other closures

Button size is given in ligne (L). According to a retail supply chart, 40 ligne equal one inch, so 1 ligne is about 0.635 mm (Wawak, size chart). On that basis an 18 L button is about 11.4 mm and a 24 L button about 15.2 mm. Retail tables round their values, so a difference close to 1 mm can appear: the same table lists 18 L as 11 mm and 24 L as 5/8 inch. That is why the order should give the millimeter size as well.

Two common button types follow from the way they are attached: the flat (sew-through) button, sewn on with thread through its holes, and the shank button, which has a hollow protrusion on the back. Common materials are plastic, seashell (mother-of-pearl), metal and wood (Wikipedia, Button); the Tekstil Rehberi directory separates buttons into polyester, metal, mother-of-pearl and wood. In a quote, state ligne and millimeters, the number of holes or the shank type, thickness, material, color and surface finish. Sew the sample onto the fabric and wash it; check the buttonhole length against the button's diameter and thickness by actually buttoning.

Snaps, rivets and clasps are specified the same way, and metal parts that touch the skin also need the nickel requirement (see the test table below). On children's garments, a button that does not come off and small-part safety come first. In common quality-control defect lists, a trim that fails a small-part test counts as a critical defect (AQL inspection); decide with a test laboratory which standard applies to your destination market.

Zippers

Three decisions set a zipper: tooth type (metal, coil, molded plastic or invisible), end construction (closed-end, where a bottom stop joins the two tapes, or open-end, where the two halves separate) and size number. A size number is not equal to a millimeter value, so write the tooth width in millimeters when you order. Types, size tables, length measurement and a quotation line are in the zipper types and sizes guide.

Labels: brand, content and care

A label carries the brand and the required information. Three types stand out: the woven label, mostly used as the main brand label; the printed label, for text-heavy information such as care, content and size; and the hang tag, which carries store and tracking information. The label supplier mostly prints the text you give it, so the accuracy of the content is your responsibility.

Fiber content labeling is set separately in the EU and in Turkey:

• EU. Fiber composition labeling is based on Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011. According to the EU's official portal Your Europe, a product with at least 80% textile fibers must carry a label that shows the fibers in descending order of percentage, using the names in Annex I of the Regulation. The label must be firmly attached and translated into the official languages of the member states where the product is sold to consumers. If care information is given, it must be clearly separate from the composition. According to the European Commission's FAQ document on the Regulation, there is no harmonized EU rule on telling consumers how to wash or care for a textile product.
• Turkey. The Turkish Regulation on Textile Fiber Names and the Labeling and Marking of the Fiber Composition of Textile Products was issued by the Ministry of Customs and Trade (as it was then called) and published in the Official Gazette of April 25, 2015, no. 29337. It requires textile products placed on the market to be labeled or marked with their fiber composition (Article 15). Products with at least 80% textile fibers by weight are covered (Article 2), and labeling is also made in Turkish (Article 17/3). This matters if you also sell in Turkey.

These points are valid as of the date of this guide (October 2026); the texts can change. Check the current version at the source and, if needed, ask a regulatory specialist. The international system for care symbols is ISO 3758 (current edition 2023). For the full list of mandatory information, whether a care label is required and how the rules differ by market (EU, UK, US and Turkey), see clothing label requirements and care symbols.

Do not move to bulk printing without a written approval of the print proof: a wrong symbol or missing information can mean removing labels after shipment. Test that a printed label stays legible after washing.

Interlining: shape and strength

MEB's cutting module defines interlining (Turkish: tela) as an intermediate fabric added to the main fabric, by sewing or bonding, so that the garment keeps a clean, regular shape. According to the module, interlining is used most in collars, pockets, cuffs, sleeve openings and facings (Turkish: mostra); it strengthens the fabric, keeps the form of the garment, prevents stretching and makes sewing easier (MEB, Cutting, p. 4). Interlining can be fusible or sew-in; fusible interlining is bonded with heat and pressure in a fusing press.

Interlining must suit the fabric. In MEB's example, using woven fusible interlining on a thin silk fabric is the wrong choice; the right one is silk interlining. If the fabric and the interlining shrink differently, waviness and puckering can occur in the seam area or on the surface (Ankara University, “Tela nedir?” lecture note). So wash and measure the interlined sample; you can find the shrinkage percentage with the shrinkage calculator. Bond strength is measured with methods such as DIN 54310 and ASTM D2724; the buyer's specification decides which one is used.

Elastic, tape, bias binding and cord

This group works where the garment is stretched and washed most: waist, cuffs, hem and edge finishing. The Turkish dictionary TDK defines biye (bias binding) as a thin strip, generally of the garment's own fabric or of another fabric, run around the collar, sleeve or hem (our translation). For elastic and tape, the definition includes the construction (woven, knitted or braided), width (mm), fiber content, expected stretch and recovery, color and unit (meter or spool).

Elastic tapes can change length in washing and ironing; wash and press the sample, then measure. Length change is calculated as for fabric: (before − after) ÷ before × 100. Elastic and tape are dyed separately from the fabric, so shade differences can appear; compare the color with the fabric in the same light and get approval in writing.

Cords and drawstrings on children's clothing have a separate rule. The current edition of EN 14682 (2014) sets requirements for cords and drawstrings on children's clothing up to 14 years of age; the requirements vary with age group and the area of the garment. As of this guide's date, the current edition is from 2014; standards can be revised, so ask your test laboratory which requirement applies to your product and market. In common quality-control defect lists, a drawstring over the permitted limit is a critical defect.

Packaging and hangers

Hangers, polybags, cartons, boxes and hang tags are mostly set by the buyer's packing instructions: the product can be folded flat in a polybag, boxed or shipped on a hanger. The bag size follows the folded product, and the carton size follows the number of pieces per carton and the carton layout. Shipping on hangers can take more volume, and the hanger is a separate cost line; make a sample pack with the real product before you fix the sizes.

For sales into the EU, according to the European Commission the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 entered into force on February 11, 2025, and its general date of application is August 12, 2026. As of the date of this guide, confirm its effect on your packaging with your buyer, the current text and, if needed, a regulatory specialist.

How do you write a trims list?

MEB's cutting module wants the model definition form to include samples of main and auxiliary materials next to the parts list; in the trade, the counterpart is the tech pack (Turkish: teknik föy). The trims list is part of the tech pack. Giving the supplier and the workshop the same written description keeps the quotes comparable.

Sourcing trims: who supplies them, when and how?

• Who supplies them? In the contract (fason) model the party placing the order usually supplies the trims; in the full-package model the manufacturer does. Settle this in writing before the order (contract manufacturing guide).
• When are they final? Buyers generally want the pre-production (PP) sample sewn with the real fabric and trims, and bulk production does not start until the sample is approved. Changing a trim afterwards disturbs both the approval and the delivery date (garment manufacturing process).
• Stock or custom production? Ask separately about minimum quantity, lead time and sample terms for stock items and for custom production (color, logo, mold). Find out whether the other party is a manufacturer or a dealer; who can meet a custom-production or technical-change request depends on it. Minimum quantity and lead time differ from company to company, so this guide gives no numbers. To look for manufacturers and wholesalers, see garment trims and accessories suppliers in Turkey.
• Color. Send the fabric swatch or swatch card (Turkish: kartela) to the supplier and get the approval in writing, on the fabric that will be used in production; dye lots of the fabric can differ in shade. Matching the same color on a reorder can be hard, so consider ordering the requirement in one go, with an allowance for spare.
• Receiving. Trims are checked together with the fabric before cutting: the shrinkage of interlining and lining should match the fabric, and the heat resistance of the interlining should be close to the fabric's (MEB, Cutting, p. 8). For the sampling logic of lot acceptance, see the AQL inspection guide above.
• Cost. CBI's apparel cost study suggests adding about 2% waste on trims and packing; this is a starting point, so replace it with your own batch records. For a line-by-line calculation example, see T-shirt production cost.

Testing and compliance: what to ask for

The table collects the regulations and standards mentioned in this guide. Requirements depend on the market and the product; the information is valid as of the date of this guide (October 2026) and should be confirmed against the current texts, your test laboratory and, if needed, a regulatory specialist. For laboratories, see testing laboratories.

For how OEKO-TEX certificates differ from other certificates, see the textile certifications guide.

HS codes and activity codes for trims

When you prepare an invoice, an import or an export document, you need the classification of the trim. The numbers below are international Harmonized System (HS) headings. The Turkish customs tariff number (GTİP) is a longer national subdivision of these; for example, a Turkish revenue-administration ruling lists zipper parts as 9607.20.10.00.00 and 9607.20.90.00.00.

Interlining, polybags, hangers and paper labels are not in the table because their heading changes with the material and construction. Confirm the exact tariff number of your product with your customs broker.

Activity codes (NACE). According to Eurostat's explanatory notes to NACE Rev. 2, manufacture of buttons, snap fasteners and zippers falls under class 32.99 (other manufacturing n.e.c.). Manufacture of narrow woven fabrics, labels and badges, and decorative trimmings such as braids and tassels falls under class 13.96 (other technical and industrial textiles). These are four-digit EU classes; Eurostat says EU statistics have used NACE Rev. 2.1 since 2025. A firm's registered activity code in Turkey is a longer, six-digit national code; check it against the official code list.

Checklist before you buy

1. List: is every trim written in the tech pack with size, material, color and placement?
2. Quote: did all suppliers receive the same written description?
3. Color: was the approval given in writing and on the production fabric?
4. Sample: were the buttons, zippers, interlining, elastic and labels washed and pressed together with the fabric?
5. Tests: are requirements such as nickel, OEKO-TEX, cords on children's clothing and small parts written in the quote and the order confirmation?
6. Label: were fiber composition, care, size and origin information checked on the print proof?
7. Cost and classification: was the waste allowance added, and was the HS code confirmed with a customs broker?