Fabric is one of the essentials for us, which offers comfort and utility in countless forms. Not only do we rely on fabrics for clothing but we have even made it necessary for our homes, from bedding to decor purposes. However, most people are unaware that fabrics are of various types based on their method of creation, like knitting, weaving, crocheting, and more. Whether they consist of natural or artificial yarn, woven and knit fabrics are the two most common types, and people confuse these two terms mostly. This brings up the query about knit vs woven, the detail difference.
Knit fabrics are made by interlocking loops of one set of yarn, making them stretchable and ideal for comfortable clothing like t-shirts and leggings. Woven fabrics, created by weaving two sets of yarn in a crisscross pattern, are less stretchy but more durable, commonly used for button-up shirts, trousers, and formal wear.
Every person needs to know the difference between knit and woven fabrics when selecting material for clothing or home textiles. Each type of fabric offers unique characteristics that influence comfort, durability, and suitability for various applications. Let's discuss in detail the basics of knit and woven fabrics, their differences, and why knit fabrics are often preferred for items like blanakets and apparel.
What Is a Knit Fabric?
Knit fabric is a flexible and stretchable material that results from the interloping of a single yarn. With the help of long needles, a yarn is interlocked to form a series of interconnected loops. You can see two patterns in knit fabric:
● Weft knitting: Loops of a single yarn run horizontally means back and forth across the fabric.
○ For example: t-shirts, socks, cardigans, and leggings
● Warp knitting: Loops of a single yarn run vertically means up and down along the length of the fabric.
○ For example, sportswear and upholstery
Characteristics of Knit Fabric
● Stretchable & Flexible Fabric: Knit fabrics have a looped structure, which offers incredible stretch and elastic ability to the fabric. In addition to flexibility, the knit fabric is unstructured, so it will conform to all shapes as it is stretchable in both width and length. It is perfect for zipperless, form-fitting clothing.
● Resistance to Wrinkles: The best quality of knit fabric is its wrinkle-resistant nature. As the fabric is elastic, it resists wrinkling and maintains a neat appearance. To check this quality, you can crumple a knit fabric into a ball in your hand. You will see that it will spring back to its original shape once you release it.
● Softness: Knit fabric is always comfortable to wear because of its soft texture. However, in the case of tight-knit fabric, you will feel a smooth appearance, while in looser-knit fabric, you will feel a slightly ridged or bumpy appearance to the touch because of ribbing.
● Breathability: Knit fabric has a porous nature, which allows proper air circulation. This makes the knit fabric clothing comfortable for various climates.
● Easy Maintenance: Knit fabric is easy to maintain as it doesn't need any special care. You can wash such fabric in a machine without stress instead of hand washing them. Moreover, its wrinkle-resistant nature eliminates the need to iron it.
Negative Points
Despite all these benefits, we found 2 negative points of knit over woven fabric. These are:
● Less Durable: Knit fabric is less durable and starts stretching out over time due to prolonged or repeated wearing. However, this happens mostly when you wear the material tightly, and it remains in a stretched position for hours, such as in form-fitting clothing. In the case of loose clothing, like blankets and other relaxed garments, the chances get lower.
● Sewing is difficult: Sewing a knit fabric is hard due to its stretchiness ability. So, it’s best to buy knitted garments and textiles from brands that focus on quality while choosing yarn and knitting instead of sewing yourself.
Knit Fabric Examples
|
Type of Knit Fabric |
Key Characteristics |
Common Uses |
|
Jersey Knit |
Soft, stretchy, single rib-knit on the front |
T-shirts, dresses, activewear |
|
Purl Knit |
The bumpy texture on both sides |
Sweaters, scarves, baby clothes |
|
Rib-Knit |
Tight, stretchy vertical columns of knit and purl stitches |
Cuffs, collars, socks, sweaters |
|
French Terry Knit |
Plush piles on one side. While loops on the other |
Hoodies, sweatshirts, robes |
|
Double Knit |
Two smooth sides |
Dresses, skirts, jackets |
|
Fleece Knit |
Brushed for a soft, fuzzy feel |
Sweaters, blankets, sportswear |
|
Cable Knit |
Raised patterns resembling cables |
Sweaters, cardigans, accessories |
|
Interlock Knit |
Smooth texture on both sides |
Baby clothes, leggings, T-shirts |
|
Jacquard Knit |
Complex patterns created by Jacquard knitting machines |
Dresses, upholstery, sweaters |
|
Ponte Knit |
Extra stretchy, smooth double-knit |
Office wear, pants, dresses |
|
Raschel Knit |
Vertical loops on the front, horizontal floats on the back |
Lace, nets, outerwear, linings |
|
Tricot Knit |
The zigzag texture on the front, smooth back |
sportswear, linings |
|
Velour Knit |
Soft, plush texture with cut loops |
Tracksuits, upholstery, loungewear |
What Is a Woven Fabric?
Woven fabric is a firm and stable fabric produced by interlacing two sets of threads or yarns together. The woven fabric consists of two patterns: warp and weft. The weft threads run horizontally, while the warp threads run vertically. These yarns are interlaced together on a loom to form the fabric. If you closely check it, it looks like a checkerboard with threads interlacing at right angles, passing under and over each other. The pattern looks exactly like the one in a woven basket. Woven fabric is mostly used for the production of structured clothing like coats, blazers, and upholstery.
Characteristics of Woven Fabric
● Structured: Woven fabric is a structured fabric as the clothing remains in its shape. It's a rigid piece that is not stretchable unless blended with elastic fibers.
● Durable: When it comes to durability, woven fabric has a better shelf life. It's because of the tight interlacing of yarns that makes woven fabrics strong and long-lasting. So, even after repeat washes, the fabric retains its shape and is also resistant to pilling.
● Easy to Sew: Due to its less stretchy nature, woven fabric is best and easy to sew, preventing gathers and puckers.
● Variation: You will get various weaving patterns in woven items. Different textures and appearances are available in twill weave, satin weave, and plain weave.
Negative Points
Despite all these benefits, we found 3 negative points of woven over knit fabric. These are:
● Wrinkled and creased: Due to its non-stretch nature, the woven fabric holds creases and wrinkles. It will not come to its previous position after putting any kind of stress on it. To keep the clothing smooth and pristine, you have to iron it frequently.
● Coarse: Woven fabric is not soft as its strands make it a little bit coarse to the touch.
● Expensive: Some believe that weaving garments is a time-intensive process so it's more expensive than knit items.
Woven Fabrics Examples:
|
Type of Woven Fabric |
Key Characteristics |
Common Uses |
|
Corduroy |
Twill weave, durable and cozy |
Pants, jackets, upholstery |
|
Denim |
Twill weave. Undyed weft threads and dyed indigo warp threads |
Jeans, jackets, overalls |
|
Flannel |
Loosely woven twill or plain fabric brushed for softness |
Shirts, pajamas, blankets |
|
Chiffon |
Thin, airy, sheer, plain weave fabric |
Evening gowns, scarves, blouses |
|
Muslin |
Loosely-woven cotton fabric, plain weave technique |
Fashion prototypes, upholstery, curtains |
|
Buckram |
Stiff, coarse plain weave fabric |
Inside baseball caps, bookbinding |
|
Cheesecloth |
Loosely woven plain fabric |
Cheese-making, straining liquids, crafts |
|
Poplin |
Plain weave with fine warp yarns and coarser weft yarns, lightweight and airy |
Dresses, shirts, upholstery |
|
Chambray |
Plain weave fabric with indigo-dyed warp threads and undyed weft threads |
Shirts, summer dresses, accessories |
|
Velvet |
Sheared warp threads. Soft texture |
Evening wear, upholstery, accessories |
|
Taffeta |
Stiff, structured plain weave fabric with twisted threads |
Evening gowns, linings, costumes |
|
Organza |
Lightweight, sheer plain weave fabric |
Bridal wear, costumes, decorative items |
|
Georgette |
Crinkled finish due to tightly twisted s-twist and z-twist yarns |
Dresses, sarees, blouses |
|
Cambric |
Woven plain weave fabric. |
Handkerchiefs, lightweight shirts |
Knit Vs Woven Fabric: A Comparison Table
Getting proper information about woven vs knit fabrics is important for choosing the right material for specific applications.
|
Characteristic |
Knit Fabrics |
Woven Fabrics |
|
Construction Method |
Single yarn |
Multiple yarns |
|
Stretch and Flexibility |
Highly stretchable, offering flexibility and comfort. |
Lack inherent stretch |
|
Texture |
Soft and smooth |
Mostly coarse |
|
Durability |
Less durable |
More durable |
|
Pilling |
More prone to pilling |
Less prone to pilling |
|
Wrinkle Resistance |
Resist wrinkling |
More susceptible to wrinkling |
|
Ironing |
No Need |
Needs Frequent ironing |
|
Breathability |
More breathable |
Less breathable in tighter weaves |
|
Edge Behavior |
Raw edges require no finishing. |
Raw edges require finishing. |
|
Weight |
Often lighter |
Range from lightweight to heavy |
|
Applications |
Ideal for t-shirts, sweaters, & blankets |
Dress shirts, trousers, and jackets |
Knitted vs Woven Fabric: Advantages of Knit Fabrics Over Woven Fabrics
What fabric you should choose depends upon your needs and preferences. However, several factors may lead to a preference for knits. Let's see the advantages of knit fabric over woven fabric in detail, especially in items like knitted blankets and casual wear.
Comfort and Softness:
Knit fabrics are inherently soft and gentle against the skin due to single yarn interlocking as compared to woven fabric. This makes the fabric ideal for blankets and loungewear.
Flexibility:
Knit fabric is elastic and flexible as compared to woven fabric. Thus, it offers ease of movement, which enhances comfort in clothing items like activewear. The flexibility of the material allows it to adapt to the shape of your body. In contrast, woven fabrics typically don’t stretch unless they include synthetic fibers like nylon. Woven fabrics can be folded or creased, making it easy to create pleats and shapes.
Stretchable
The knit garments are stretchable, so you can easily pull them up over your waist or over your head. It will neither destroy the fabric nor feel harsh to your skin. While in woven garments, you need some type of closure like zips or buttons to get in and out safely.
Fray Resistant:
Knit fabrics don't fray; on the other hand, woven does. Due to its fray-resistant nature, the raw edges of knitted clothes don't need finishing like overlock stitches.
Wrinkle Resistance:
Stretchable quality makes knit fabric wrinkle-resistant. Moreover, its ability to return to its original shape after being crushed reduces the need for ironing. This makes this fabric a perfect item for everyday use.
Breathability:
Knit fabric also helps in temperature regulation and comfort by allowing air circulation due to its open structure.
Conclusion
Knit vs woven fabric is a must thing to learn for everyone to better understand garments and textiles. Knit and woven are both types of fabrics, but knit is best for garments where you need a soft appearance, comfort, flexibility, stretchiness, and breathability. Woven is a long-lasting fabric but lacks stretchiness and flexibility.
Whether it's a flexible sweater or a casual t-shirt, knits and wovens both have their place. However, when it comes to home textiles like blankets or comfortable wear, knit fabrics often prove to be the superior choice.
