gray goods

plural noun

1. a woven fabric as it comes from the loom and before it has been submitted to the finishing process.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gray goods¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

As soon as Zara pulls the trigger on a new design, the gray goods are sent to the finishing shops and turned into products ready to ship – a textbook example of applying “just in time” manufacturing to fashion.

From Forbes

The automated factories constantly create unfinished “gray goods.”

From Forbes

Now, with 120 million yards of gray goods on its hands, U.S.C.C. has had to turn to U.S. textile mills for help.

From Time Magazine Archive

Gray goods prices in New York have risen from 5.4� to 9.3� per yard since last December.

From Time Magazine Archive

Above all, a comfortable dress of some gray goods, which fitted me pretty well.

From Project Gutenberg