Knitted fabrics are widely used for sewing clothing and other textile products. It is important to choose the right knitted fabric manufacturer to be sure that the material is of high quality and meets our requirements. How to choose knitted fabrics, which, like fabric, are subjected to the processes of making-up (cutting and sewing)?

Below is some information that will help you make appropriate and informed purchases.

What are the characteristics of knitted fabric?

Each knitted fabric consists of interlacing loops according to a specific design (weave), arranged in rows (direction along the width of the material) and columns (running along the length of the structure). Knitted fabric by the meter is a flat textile product, manufactured in a closed form – it is not cut on the edges and open – it is one layer across the width. Such a material is created by an appropriately formed yarn (thread), which affects a number of features of the knitted fabric. Its raw material composition, elasticity, but above all, framing (i.e. a much greater length of thread in the knitted fabric than in the same section of fabric) makes this material very flexible and stretchable in all directions. Knitted fabrics by the meter are great for sewing clothes that provide the user with great comfort and freedom of movement and are relatively easy in maintenance processes. Knitted fabric sold by the meter can be described as a semi-finished textile product. When producing knitted fabric, attention is paid to:

• raw material composition – important, for example, from the point of view of the user’s hygienic comfort, sensory, ecology – biodegradability or recycling;
• type of weave – important due to the aesthetic features of the knitwear – appearance, texture, grip and some of its properties, e.g. elasticity, breathability, thermal insulation;
• properties of the entire structure – the assembly of all the elements of the knitted fabric structure, from the raw material, through the thread structure, weave, finishing (colour, print, finishing) gives the resultant properties of the entire structure.

Knitted fabrics made from basic raw materials (cotton, linen, hemp, viscose, polyamide, polyester) often contain admixtures of elastic fibres (elastane, known under the trade name Lycra) introduced in order to gain new features of the entire structure, e.g. improve elasticity, drape, reduce creasing.

What techniques are used to produce knitwear? 

There are several techniques for making knitwear. Here they are:

• the technique of waving yarn on waving machines – it is rarely used, as it has been replaced by more modern methods; waving machines produce weft knitted fabrics, mainly left-right ones;
• crocheting on crochet machines in a row system – this technique can be used to produce left-right, double-knit, plain and patterned knits; this is the technique most often used by the modern knitting industry;
• crocheting in the column system on warp-knitting machines – they create knitted fabrics from even several dozen threads introduced into the structure in the column direction, i.e. along the length of the knitted fabric.

Knitwear can also be made at home, although of course this method is rarely used in the conditions of functioning on the market and in the fashion industry and is called a handicraft technique.

What properties does knitted fabric have? 

Modern knitted fabrics sold by the meter are increasingly replacing fabrics in various areas, and this is possible thanks to the growing range of products, which is created not only for fashion reasons, but in order to obtain specific, often very advanced, functionalities (dermoactive, interactive and other knitted fabric structures). Knitted fabrics available on the market have different colors, textures, patterns (prints) adapted to current fashion. Why are knitted fabrics so popular? Because it is a very universal material from which many types of clothing can be sewn. Knitted fabrics by the meter give freedom to implement original designs and collections of clothes, which will always be more comfortable to use than similar clothes made of fabric. They also have a less formal character, which fits in perfectly with current fashion trends. Thanks to the structure of the knitted fabrics, they provide great freedom of movement in clothes sewn from them. With simple cuts, thanks to their very good arrangement, you can make clothes with a line “close to the body” from them. Additionally, thanks to the smaller surface area filled with yarn, they provide high ventilation, especially when made of appropriate raw materials or in a loose, openwork structure. At the same time, knitted materials with a loop or fiber cover can be highly thermally insulating, i.e. they provide users with thermal comfort at low temperatures. In response to the question in the heading of this paragraph, we can say that a well- and consciously designed knit can have exactly the features that its user needs.

What else can knitted fabric be used for?

Knitwear is very popular and its application is wide, which is already evident from the previous information. It is a popular material used for sewing T-shirts, underwear, sweatshirts, dresses, skirts, casual pants, sweatpants, leggings, a whole range of sportswear, children’s clothing and other non-clothing textile products, e.g. upholstery or decorative textile elements. Knitted structures also include tights, socks, stockings, but these are produced in the form of fully fashioned products. Knitwear in meters, due to their high comfort of use and good hygienic properties and ease of maintenance, are irreplaceable as materials used for the production of clothing and accessories (blankets, bedding, mattress covers, cot and pram linings) for children and infants and underwear. Knitwear made of natural, organic raw materials with ecological, safe, especially for young users, finishes, often confirmed by appropriate certificates, should prevail here.

Exactly – check if the material is certified!

Not all materials are the same. When choosing a knitwear, you must pay attention to its origin, quality, raw material composition and production method. High-quality materials often have appropriate certificates. It is a bit like with food – some food products have certificates that make it easier for customers to decide to buy them, but it should be remembered that we can also find good food on the market, especially from local, small producers, which is not certified. The same applies to textile materials. Selected certificates (e.g. GOTS, OekoTex) are important because they confirm that a given material is organic or safe for the user (does not contain harmful substances), but the lack of a certificate does not disqualify the knitwear, but requires additional verification of its quality and safety. It should be remembered, however, that certifying products costs money, but the manufacturer’s possession of certificates for selected products indicates the class of the manufacturer, their awareness, ability to comply with and systematically apply specific procedures and standards.

The popular “sweatshirt” – what kind of fabric is it? 

Although the term “sweatshirt” is often used, it is not a precise term. This popular name covers a whole range of knitted fabrics with different raw material compositions (often 100% cotton or rich cotton blends), different basic weaves (often the simplest left-right row interlacing), textures (no pile, loop pile, fiber or mixed pile). Knitted fabrics of this type are often used by people who are just starting their sewing adventure, because they can be used to make many different models of simple, comfortable sports or casual clothing. Additionally, thanks to the properties of the knitwear itself, they do not require complicated construction of clothing forms, because the elastic structure easily adapts to the shape of the body. However, when sewing knitwear, special attention should be paid to the care of cutting out the forms from material that is not stretched and does not have diagonal stitches (this will not result in twisted seams in the product). For sewing, you need to use a chain stitch machine (the seams will “work” with the material) with ball needles (there will be no risk of “slippage”). Sweatshirt fabric has a wide range of applications – it is particularly suitable for informal clothing intended for colder weather (winter sports sweatshirts, outerwear). Thinner fabric is used to sew skirts or trousers for the spring-summer season.

Summary

When choosing a knitted fabric, you should definitely pay attention to its quality and raw material composition. You can verify the quality of the material based on whether it has the appropriate certificates. It is worth reading reviews about the manufacturer before buying. However, it should be remembered that the quality of a product made of knitted fabric is also determined by the packaging process itself – proper cutting and sewing.