Nowadays, more and more companies and individuals are are seeking accurate garment translation, as translating for such a specialized industry comes with several challenges.
Join Thao & Co. to figure out different ways to translate garment-related documents effectively in this article.
Online tools for English garment translation
Here are 3 effective tools for accurate garment translation.
1. DeepL Translator
DeepL Translator is a highly recommended software thanks to its accuracy and multiple features. What makes the software stand out is its ability to understand the context.
The integrated AI technology allows the tool to differentiate between different terms and phrases used in the garment industry, which helps provide the most natural and highly precise translations.
Currently, DeepL Translator supports more than 30 languages. Moreover, its user-friendly interface is another plus, contributing to its popularity among users.
2. Google Translate
Google Translate, known as one of the most famous translation tools, has its vast database updated frequently.
The tool is integrated with machine learning and AI, allowing it to continuously improve the accuracy of garment industry translations by learning from previous inputs and optimizing new translations over time.

3. Microsoft Translator
Micorsoft Translator is a highly convenient software for translating technical documents in the garment industry. It is seamlessly integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Additionally, it allows users to create custom terminology lists for specialized industries, helping ensure translations are both accurate and context-appropriate.
Should I use Google Translate to translate garment documents?
Whether you should use Google Translate for garment translation depends on your quality requirements. Overall, Google Translate has certain pros and cons:
Pros
- • Huge vocabulary database: Google Translate provides an extensive collection of vocabulary across numerous contexts, which facilitates the garment translation process.
- • Extensive language support: Besides English, the software also supports over 100 other languages.
- • User-friendly interface: Using Google Translate is very simple, even for beginners. The tool is also available on both PC and mobile devices.
- • Diverse document translation: Google Translate can handle garment translations from various formats such as text, images, PDFs, Excel files, etc.
- • Free of charge: Google Translate is completely free to use.
Cons
- • Inconsistent quality: Google Translate cannot guarantee the consistency of complex terminology in garment documents.
- • Lack of context: Google Translate often struggles to understand the documents’ contexts thoroughly, leading to potential misunderstandings.
- • Inaccurate garment terminology: Since Google Translate’s database is not industry-specific, it may fail to provide precise translations for specialized terms, especially in complex fields like the garment industry.
So, to conclude, Google Translate can be useful for translating documents with minimal specialized vocabulary.
However, for documents requiring absolute accuracy such as economic contracts, user manuals, technical documents, etc., it is best to rely on professional translators or trusted translation services.
Common English terminology for the garment industry

Here’s a list of common garment English terms that you should know:
+ Fabrics and materials
- • Cotton: The soft, white fluff from a plant spun into threads and made into fabric.
- • Silk: A natural protein fiber produced by silkworms when they spin their cocoons.
- • Wool: The natural fiber obtained from sheep fleece and sometimes from goats (cashmere, mohair) or alpacas.
- • Polyester: A synthetic fiber made from chemical compounds, often derived from petroleum.
- • Linen: A natural fiber that comes from the flax plant.
- • Denim: A sturdy cotton twill fabric.
- • Satin: A specific type of weave with a glossy surface.
- • Nylon: A synthetic fiber made from chemical compounds.
- • Velvet: A fabric with a soft, fuzzy surface, similar to a short carpet.
- • Leather: Animal skin treated and preserved through tanning.
+ Clothing Parts and Accessories
- • Button: A small, usually round, hard object sewn onto clothing.
- • Zipper: A fastener used to join two edges of fabric.
- • Collar: The part of a shirt, jacket, or dress going around your neck.
- • Sleeve: The part of a shirt, sweater, jacket, or dress covering your arm.
- • Hem: The finished bottom edge of a piece of clothing.
- • Pocket: A pouch sewn into or onto a garment.
- • Belt: A strip of material, typically leather or fabric, worn around the waist or hips.
- • Cuff: The finished edge at the end of a sleeve.
- • Lining: An extra fabric layer sewn inside garments like jackets, coats, skirts, or dresses.
- • Seam: The line where two or more pieces of fabric are sewn together.
+ Types of clothes
- • Shirt: A garment worn on the upper body, usually with sleeves and front buttons down the front.
- • Blouse: A softer or more decorative shirt, typically worn by women.
- • T-shirt: A casual type of shirt with short sleeves and a round neckline.
- • Pants/Trousers: A piece of clothing that covers the legs.
- • Shorts: A type of trousers that end above the knee.
- • Skirt: A piece of clothing worn around your waist, hanging down over your legs.
- • Dress: A one-piece garment covering the upper body and extending over part or all of the legs.
- • Suit: A matching set of clothes, usually a jacket and pants (for men) or a jacket and skirt or pants (for women).
- • Jacket: A short outer garment worn on the upper body, typically with sleeves and a front opening fastened by buttons or a zipper.
- • Coat: A long outer garment worn for warmth or weather protection.
+ Garment techniques and procedures
- • Sewing: Joining fabric pieces by stitching with thread.
- • Cutting: Dividing fabric into specific shapes and sizes for garment parts.
- • Pattern: A blueprint or a template used to create clothing pieces.
- • Stitch: A single loop or interlock of thread created when sewing.
- • Hemming: Finishing the raw edge of fabric, usually at the bottom of garments like pants, skirts, or sleeves.
- • Pressing/Ironing: Using a heated iron to remove wrinkles and creases from fabric.
- • Fitting: Trying on a garment to check its size, shape, and overall fit.
- • Tailoring: Altering or customizing a garment to achieve a perfect or more personalized fit for a specific individual.
- • Embroidering: Decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn.
- • Overlocking: A stitching technique that finishes fabric edges cleanly and durably.
+ Other terms
- • Size: A standardized measurement used to categorize clothing based on body dimensions.
- • Measurement: The specific numerical dimensions taken from a garment or a person’s body to ensure proper fit.
- • Fit: The way a garment conforms to or hangs on the body.
- • Alteration: A change or adjustment made to a garment (e.g., shortening, taking in) to improve its fit or style for the wearer.
- • Fabric: Cloth or other material produced by weaving or knitting fibers.
- • Thread: A long, thin strand of fibers spun together for sewing or embroidery.
- • Needle: A slender, pointed tool with an eye (or hole) at one end through which thread is passed, used for sewing, stitching, or embroidery.
- • Mannequin: A life-sized or partial model of the human body used by designers, manufacturers, or retailers.
- • Label: A small material piece with important product information.
- • Garment: Any piece of clothing worn by a person.
Garment english document translation challenges
Translating garment-related documents poses several unique challenges for translators:
- • Heavy workload: Garment-related documents are often extensive and complex, requiring consistent terminology and style throughout the entire translation process.
- • Complex formatting: Due to the specific nature of the field, garment-related documents usually include charts, images, tables, etc. This not only demands specialized garment knowledge but also strong desktop publishing (DTP) skills from translators.
- • Specialized terminology: The specific terminology and standards used in garment manufacturing are not always easy to look up and fully understand quickly. Therefore, translators must possess in-depth knowledge and practical experience in the industry.
- • Constant updates: Fashion is constantly evolving, which means garment translators must be highly adaptable to constantly improve their knowledge and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry.
- • Time pressure: The pressure of tight deadlines is also another major challenge for translators. Translators must develop strong time-management skills to ensure timely delivery without compromising quality or professionalism.
Accurate garment English translation services
If you are looking for a reputable garment English translation service, Thao & Co. is here to help!

We are confident to provide you with multiple benefits:
- ✅ Experienced and professional linguists: Our team of seasoned experts has years of experience in the field, ensuring both accuracy and consistency throughout every project.
- ✅ Streamlined workflow: We guarantee a transparent and efficient translation process, with no hidden fees.
- ✅ Diverse language support: We offer translations in over 50 languages across various fields, including linguistics, garment, legal, education, technical documents, and more.
- ✅ Proprietary platform: Thao & Co.’s proprietary platform ensures utmost confidentiality and seamless progress tracking.
Simply leave your contact information via our Get a Quote form or contact us directly on our website. Thao & Co. will reach out to you promptly with a detailed consultation!
Thao & Co. hopes the above information has provided you with several effective methods for garment English translation. Depending on your needs, you can either use translation softwares or partner with a professional translation service.
If you choose the latter, make sure to select a reputable provider to ensure the highest translation quality. Don’t hesitate to contact Thao & Co. today to receive accurate translations and experience our top-tier services!