Flat (open-width) rolls are a single layer of woven fabric wound on a tube. Tubular rolls are a continuous tube from a circular loom, wound as a flattened hose. Both can be PP woven. They are not interchangeable on the converter’s line.
What changes in production
| Point | Flat / open width | Tubular |
|---|---|---|
| Loom output | Often slit or woven to a finished open width | Comes as a tube; lay-flat width is half the circumference |
| Typical next step | Cutting sheets, covers, wrapping, lamination | Cutting bag lengths, liners, some covers without a side seam |
| Side seam | Not a tube; edges are selvedge or cut | No longitudinal sew if you keep the tube |
| Width language | “2.0 m open width” | “70 cm lay-flat” or “140 cm circumference equivalent” |
| Lamination | Common for tarp-style rolls | Possible, but confirm if the tube or a slit-open sheet is laminated |
If you quote “2 meter roll” without saying flat or tubular, factories will guess. Guessing shows up as wrong bag size or wasted tarp yield.
Choose tubular when
- You make woven bags, FIBC-related tubes, or liners and want no long side seam.
- Lay-flat width matches your bag width.
- Printing and cutting are set up for tubular fabric.
Choose flat when
- You convert tarpaulin, ground cover, wrapping or sheet covers.
- PE lamination and open-width welding/sewing are the process.
- Roll width must match a cutting table or laminator, not a bag width.
Most tarpaulin conversion programs on this site are flat laminated rolls, not bag tubes.
How to write the RFQ
For tubular: lay-flat width, GSM, whether one or both layers are counted in GSM, roll length, color, printing, and whether you need the tube left closed.
For flat: open width, GSM basis, lamination side, roll length, diameter limit, and converting machine width.
Generate a full spec with the quote specification generator.
FAQ
Is tubular cheaper?
Not automatically. Yield, printing, lamination and loading change the real cost. Compare with the same GSM basis and the same delivered width.
Can tubular fabric be slit into flat?
Yes in some plants. Ask before assuming. Slitting adds a process and edge quality checks.