Cotton knitwear is very often used for clothing production. In order to choose the right quality material, a trusted manufacturer is necessary – knitwear with similar visual features may differ in quality, as well as important utility parameters. If we need knitwear for clothing production, it is important that it meets our aesthetic requirements. It is therefore good to cooperate with a supplier who not only has a wide range of products, but also offers constantly fashionable standards (basic products), follows seasonal trends and provides products in line with current trends and gives the possibility of personalization – customization of the knitwear, e.g. through an original print. Additionally, it can demonstrate certificates for its products, including the GOTS certificate – Global Organic Textiles Standard , which is a clear signal that a given company focuses not only on maximizing profits, but also takes into account  social and environmental issues.

What is cotton knit fabric?

Cotton knitwear is a type of material that is made using knitting technology, i.e. it is made of interlacing loops, and the raw material composition of such a structure is 100% cotton (or with a small admixture of other fibers, the addition of which is necessary due to good production practice). Such materials are often used to sew popular clothing intended for both the spring-summer and autumn-winter seasons.

Are you looking for good knitwear? Check and see that a manufacturer from Poland will provide you with attractive designs, materials that meet your requirements and are of the right quality. Where does this certainty come from? Polish knitwear is widely exported, mainly to European Union countries, where it has a good brand. It is appreciated for its quality and aesthetic and utility values, as well as transparency, ecology and ethics of production processes. Additionally, for domestic customers, a very important aspect of buying from a Polish manufacturer should be the fact of shortening the supply chain, and consequently, fitting into the fashionable and useful trend of local production.

Advantages of cotton knitwear

Knitwear, compared to fabric made of the same raw material, is always a more flexible material, and therefore provides greater comfort in using clothes made of it. Cotton additionally increases the feeling of comfort thanks to its pleasant touch for human skin, a feeling of softness and good hygienic properties. Cotton knitwear dyes well and is easy to print in smooth structures, which means that many colors and patterns are available in the market offer. Due to its flexibility, great drapability, good biophysical properties, the material is used for sewing dresses, trousers, leggings, blouses, T-shirts, nightwear, casual clothing and many other clothing assortments, especially intended for babies and children.

Although cotton knitwear is particularly recommended for the production of summer clothing, in appropriate structures – e.g. thick knitwear with a loop or fiber pile, often called “sweatshirts” – it is suitable for sewing winter clothing, which will provide users with appropriate thermal and hygienic comfort. This, of course, significantly increases the area of application of cotton knitwear.

What is fabric?

In everyday language, the terms “knit” and “fabric” are used interchangeably. Professionals know, however, that the difference between these two materials is huge. Fabrics are produced on looms, in weaving processes, and are always made of warp and weft threads crossing at right angles. Fabrics made of the same yarns as knits have less elasticity than the latter, are more expensive to produce, and do not provide as much comfort of use as knits. Additionally, they require more complicated processes for constructing clothing forms.

Raw materials for the production of fabrics and knitwear

Both knitwear and fabrics can be produced from the same textile raw materials, which, apart from cotton, include:

• linen – a natural plant fibre particularly suitable for light summer clothing due to its good hygienic properties, e.g. breathability, the ability to absorb sweat, and the high durability of materials made from this raw material;
• silk – a natural fibre obtained from silkworm cocoons; it is considered a very noble and exclusive raw material; in knitted structures, unglued silk is usually used (matte in appearance and very pleasant to the touch, with excellent hygienic properties) or as a raw material left over from the production of smooth silk fabrics, e.g. satins;
• wool – this is a covering – fleece obtained from certain animals: sheep, camels, goats or llamas; as a textile raw material it is characterised by high thermal insulation, while at the same time being breathable and having excellent water absorption (moisture from sweat); it is used to produce a whole range of knitted and woven fabrics;
• viscose – a cheaper, artificial alternative to natural cotton, often an addition to other fibres, e.g. cotton.

The natural and artificial fibers listed above (viscose) are fully biodegradable raw materials. There are also materials available on the market made from synthetic raw materials, including:

• Nylon – is a polyamide fiber with a wide range of applications; in knitted fabrics it is usually intended for structures for the production of sportswear or as an addition to other fibers (e.g. cotton, increasing the strength of such a knitted fabric and reducing its tendency to abrasion);
• polyester – this raw material is used on its own to produce sportswear or mixed with cotton or other fibres to improve, for example, durability, crease resistance, strength of materials made from such a mixture; polyester and polyamide with appropriate fibre structures (channel, multi-lobed and others) are used to produce functional materials with increased usability (e.g. with increased thermal insulation or, on the contrary, well ventilating or wicking away sweat).

These are just some examples of textile raw materials. There are many more on the market.

What is the difference between fabric and knitwear? 

The differences between fabric and knitwear are huge. Fabric, as mentioned earlier, is nothing more than a weave of two sets of threads crossed at a right angle. In knitwear, on the other hand, the threads intertwine in the form of loops. And this is the key difference between these two materials. Fabrics are characterized by the fact that they are stiffer, less flexible than knitwear, and require more complex structural cuts, especially when they are used to make clothes with a line “close to the body”. Knitwear, due to its stretchability and elasticity, works well in the broadly understood clothing industry, especially for the production of everyday clothing, underwear, sportswear, functional clothing, and outdoor clothing. Wherever we need comfort of use, where freedom of movement is required, it is better to use knitwear than fabrics. Knitwear is also irreplaceable in the production of clothing for babies and children. They are also commonly used for decorative and technical products, e.g. mattress covers, furniture covers, sheets, car and furniture upholstery, and in many other products.

Knitted fabrics are called 21st century structures because their production technology is cheaper, less energy-intensive, easier to automate and program, and enables the production of tailored products (ready-made clothing forms) or 3D (e.g. seamless knitted clothing). Knitted fabrics also meet the expectations of the modern clothing consumer – the need to have comfortable, easy-to-maintain clothing. Knitted clothing is often a single-layer structure (without linings), which makes it more susceptible to recycling processes.

When choosing the right material, it is always worth paying attention to its origin, quality, reliability of the raw material composition and locality of production. Remember to buy from trusted suppliers!