FabricIQ
Reading the label…
Engineered Garments
Engineered Garments x Expansion NY - Classic BB Cap - Brown
AccessoriesSKU S25-EXP04-BR-O/S
D
40/100
01Verdict
Safe to wear, but rough on the environment.
Best for Safe to wear; production isn't clean — donate when done.
Material D · 40Health C · 61Eco · 15Label · high
Why this material grade?
This product scored 40/100 on the material-quality rubric (durability, comfort, breathability, warmth, moisture-wicking, care-ease), based on its composition of 100% Acrylic. Sustainability is scored separately as the Eco Rating.
D (40-54): Below-average material composition — weak on durability or comfort.
Below average — consider alternatives
This fabric scores low on quality. It may pill, wear out quickly, or not feel great against skin. And when it does wear out, it'll sit in a landfill for decades. Look for higher-rated options.
Budget pick
$45Below-typical fabric quality, but cheaper than the category median.
$1.13 per quality point Category median: $61 · grade C
Fabric value only — compares material quality to price vs other accessories. Construction, fit, and brand aren't measured.
02Breakdown
Composition
100% Acrylic
Plastic-based — sheds microplastics in wash
Added Apr 7, 2026 · Data last updated Apr 7, 2026
Sustainability is scored separately — see the Eco Rating below.
🚨
Acrylic sheds more microfibers than any other fabric — up to 730,000 per wash. It's the worst offender for microplastic pollution.
🌍
This fabric will take 200+ years to decompose. That means a shirt you buy today will still exist in the year 2226.
🏭
The fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon emissions — more than aviation and shipping combined.
03Network
Cost per wear
rough estimate32¢/wear · 140 expected wears
Strong cost-per-wear
How we got there
Base for Accessories: 200 expected wears.
× 0.70 for Acrylic (low-durability fiber, durability 45).
= 140 expected wears. $45 ÷ 140 ≈ 32¢/wear.
Missing GSM — this is a category-level estimate, not garment-specific. Expect ±30% variance.
Real life is messier than a formula: how often you wash, how you wash, whether you wear it inside-out, dry on low — all of it shifts the number. This is the ceiling under reasonable care.
Care Guide
Decode symbolsWash
warm (40°C)
Bleach
Do not bleach
Dry
flat dry
Iron
Best For
🧥Winter Outerwear
GoodGood warmth (70) for cold weather
Better Alternatives
Higher-rated accessories products — each card shows how much better this alt scores vs your current product.
04Tradeoffs
Health Impact
Microplastic shedding · skin-contact synthetic load · likely chemical treatments
C61/100
Moderate health impact — some synthetic content or possible chemical treatments. Rotate with natural-fiber alternatives where you can.
Microplastics HIGH
730,000 fibers/wash
Skin contact MODERATE
100% synthetic
Chemicals LOW
No flags
100% synthetic (primarily acrylic). High microplastic shedding risk. Every wash releases hundreds of thousands of plastic fibers into waterways.
$45 for a fabric that's 100% synthetic (plastic-based).
Biodegradability
Not BiodegradableMaterials will persist in the environment for decades.
What this score doesn't measure
- ×Fiber grade. Staple length, micronaire, strength. "100% cotton" could be short-staple upland or long-staple Pima — same label, very different fabric.
- ×Yarn processing. Singles count, ply (single vs two-ply), spinning method (open-end vs ring-spun vs compact), mercerization. Invisible from any label.
- ×Knit / weave structure. Single jersey vs interlock, knit tightness. A loose knit pills; a tight knit lasts.
- ×Fabric weight (GSM). One construction signal among several — and high GSM can come from loose cheap yarn just as easily as from fine tight yarn. We have it for blank manufacturers, rarely for retail.
- ×Pre-shrink processing. Sanforized cotton shrinks ~1%; non-sanforized can shrink up to 10%. Not visible from the composition tag.
- ×Construction quality. Stitch density (SPI), seam types, collar geometry, manufacturing tolerances (AQL). These often matter more than the fiber itself.
- ×Specific chemical loads. Health Impact flags "likely PFAS / possible formaldehyde" from composition × category — we don't lab-test individual SKUs.
We rate the fabric, not the garment. Composition is the floor of what you're guaranteed to be getting — most shoppers don't have that.
05Action
