Different Types of Knit Fabrics with Images

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Different Types of Knitted Fabrics with Images

What is Knit Fabric in Textile Sector?

Knitted fabrics are used for the manufacture of knit garments such as polo shirts, T-shirts, sweaters, sportswear, swimwear, children’s wear, undergarments, etc. items. Characteristics of knit garments are influenced by the construction, specification, and properties of the knit garments.

Various Types of Knit or Knitted Fabrics Produced in Textile Industry:

Knit fabrics are basically three types. Those are warp knitted fabrics, weft-knitted fabrics, and crochet fabrics. The most common weft knitted fabric structures are briefly discussed in the following with their pictures:

1. Plain or Single Jersey Fabric:

The most simple knit fabric structure is termed plain or single jersey fabric. In this type of fabric structure, all the loops intermesh in the same direction and the fabrics have a different appearance on each side. The side to which the loops appear pulled through is termed as the “Face” or “Technical face”. The side from which the loops appear pushed away is termed as “Back” or “Technical back”.

Single jersey knitted fabric
Fig: Single jersey knitted fabric

2. Rib Fabric:

Rib fabrics are another type of weft-knitted plain fabrics. The rib fabrics are composed of loops formed in opposite directions and when viewed from any side, both face and back loops are prominent. All the loops of any wales are of the same type that is either all back or all face. When the fabric is relaxed, it collapses to a situation of alternate wales touching one another. The wales in between are hidden but show on the reverse side of the fabric.
Rib fabric
Fig: Rib fabric

Rib fabrics are used where portions of grommets are expected to cling to the shape of the human body but capable of stretching when required. The main areas of using rib fabrics are the waistband, cuff, and collar. Extensibility of rib fabric may be up to 120% in the course direction.

3. Purl Fabric:

Purl fabrics is also a weft-knitted fabric. The simplest type of purl fabric consists of courses of face loops alternating with courses of back loops. This is termed as 1*1 purl fabrics. This type of fabric has large vertical extensibility which is largely elastic, depending on the fabric used and the yarn construction. The fabric is bulky and shows excellent thermal insulation properties.

Purl fabric
Fig: Purl fabric
4. Interlock Fabric:
This type of fabric has the technical face of plain fabric on both sides of the fabric. But, its smooth surface cannot be stretched out to reveal the reverse meshed loop wales because the wales on each side are exactly opposite to each other and are locked together. In this type of knit fabric, each interlock pattern row needs two feeder courses, each with a different yarn that knits on separate alternate knitting needles, producing two half-gauge 1*1 rib courses whose sinker loops cross over each other. Thus odd feeder will produce alternate wales of loops on each side and an even feeder will produce the other wales.
Interlock fabric
Fig: Interlock fabric
Interlock fabric relaxes about 30-40% or more when compared with its knitted width. A 30-inch diameter circular knitting machine will produce 94 inches open width fabric after slitting the tubular fabrics. But after finishing the 94 inches grey width will produce 60-66 inches finished with fabric. It is a balanced, smooth, stable structure that lies flat without curling.

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