Knit Fabric Applications: Beyond Just Clothing

Transforming thread into fabric requires several stages and measures. Knitting is one of them. Knit fabrics consist of horizontal parallel courses of yarn joined by interlocking loops. Knit fabric, whether hand-made or machine-made, forms a new stitch and look. 

The use and application of knit fabric is not limited to industrial uses only.  The most versatile applications include home furnishing, accessories, clothing, baby items, and accessories. In this article, knit fabric and its applications will be discussed, representing the fabric as more than just a piece of cloth. 

What is Knit Fabric?

Knit fabric refers to well-constructed elastic and porous fabric. It is created by interlocking yarns using needles. The fabric is quick to make and easy to produce, and it is also less expensive. 

Knit fabrics are lightweight and comfortable to wear while traveling. They require little care and low maintenance. Besides, knit fabrics tend to resist wrinkles, which boosts their popularity. The main application area of knit fabrics is active clothing, as these fabrics have an elastic nature. 

What is Knit Fabric made of?

Knit fabric is made of cotton material in most cases. It is made by looping threads using a needle and connecting the loops to create fabric.

In everyday clothing, the fabric is a common one. Although there are two types of knit fabrics- weft and warp knit, both types involve interwoven yarn with slightly different features. 

Knit fabric offers several features, for instance, breathability, durability, stretchability, and softness. The fabric can be made of natural fibers, for instance, cotton, wool, silk, and synthetic fibers, for instance, polyester, nylon, acrylic, and spandex. In some cases, knit fabric comes in blends, for instance, cotton-polyester, wool-acrylic, and nylon-spandex.

Manufacturing Process

Knit fabrics, which are well-produced, can be made of several varieties of yarn. These varieties include cotton, silk, and viscose. Some other varieties are spandex and polyester. In an overall sense, there are three main steps in producing the knits. These steps are the following:

Step 1: Fibers getting spun into the yarn: Fiber bales get cleaned up at first. The step also includes the separation of the fiber. At this point, knit fabrics may get blended up with different staple fibers as well. Then, these fibers go through a carding machine to get processed. This machine organizes the fibers into a fin web of thin strands. A comb-like refined tool refines these finer strands to convert them into a longer yarn. The objective is to enhance the strength with additional twists. Then, these yarns get drawn into a spinning frame with a series of rotations at higher speeds. 

Step 2: Setting up the knitting machine: Selecting the knitting machine is the second phase of the manufacturing process. In this stage, flat and tabular kinds of knitted fabrics are produced. There are different parameters for selecting a suitable knitting machine, including machine, gauge, capability, and others.

Step 3: Setting up the specific designs for Knitting the yarn: After the selection of the machine, it is time to set up or implement specific designs. 

Knit Fabric Types

There are two types of knit. One is warp knitting and weft knitting. In the warp knitting technique of knit, multiple yarns are introduced vertically.

They are introduced into the machinery to form rows. In the weft knitting, the knitting fabric emerges horizontally through the interlocking loops of yarn. 

The two broad categories of knits are weft and warp. They are:

• Weft Stitching: When the knitting process includes a piece of cloth with rows of stitches and it goes from left to right, the entire process denotes the weft knitting type. Weft knitting patterns can be both machine and hand made. Weft stitching is primarily available in single and double knits. 
• Warp Knitting: A vertical loop that interlocks down the length of the cloth produces fabrics of warp knitting style. Warp knit cloth is primarily machine-made. It has two significant parts named Raschel and Tricot.

Properties of Knit Fabric

Fabric Name	Knit Fabric
Manufacturing Materials	Cotton, Wool, Silk, Polyester, Nylon, Acrylic, and Spandex
Fabric Durability	Excellent
Fabric Breathability	Great Breathability
Stretchability	Easily Stretched
Fabric Shine	Moderate: Can retain its color and shape
Fabric Drape Ability	Excellent Drape Ability
Heat Retention Ability	Good
Prone to Bubbling	Yes
Water-Resistant Ability	Low
Washing Temperature	Cold Temperature Wash
Application	Apparel, Upholstery

Characteristics of Knit Fabric

Knit fabric has some unique features that make it stand out among other contemporary fabrics. For instance:

• Stretch: Knit fabrics offer natural stretchability as the fabric has a looped construction. They come in an open design with a flexible thread structure in an interlocked form. With the addition of spandex and elastane, the knit fabric gets enhanced a bit.
• Softness: Knit fabrics consist of some yarns. These yarns are made from cotton, wool, and silk. Also, the yarns offer a soft feel. Synthetic fabric addition increases the durability of the fabric. Also, it makes them suitable for activewear to heavy-use garments. 
• Breathability: Knit fabrics, which are made from cotton fibers, tend to be breathable. This fabric is much more breathable compared to other fabrics. It is because of the open and looped structure of the thread. Besides, the fabric is comfortable and form-fitting. Also, knit is a clothing that drapes the body well. 

• Wrinkleproof: Knit fabric has excellent wrinkle resistance. The fabric hardly holds a crease, making it a wrinkleproof fabric for clothing. It is one of their physical properties that makes the fabric return to its basic form after getting released. Hence, knit also allows you to enjoy no-iron clothing as a wear option.
• Easy Care: Knit fabric is generally washable. The fabric wears out quickly. The construction of fabric plays a vital role in taking care of this fabric more comfortably. The high elastic feature with no dimensional stability is one of the features of knit. 

Knit Fabric Applications

Depending on various applications, knit fabrics offer flexibility, comfort, and stretchability. There are some areas of application, for instance:

Apparel: The apparel section of knit fabric covers casual wear, activewear, winter wear, innerwear, and sleepwear.

Casual Wear: T-shirts, Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Dresses

Sportswear: Leggings, Cycling gear.

Innerwear: Briefs, Camisoles.

Winter Wear: Sweaters, Scarves, and Cardigans

Sleepwear: Pajamas, Loungewear

Accessories: Hats, Socks, Scarves, Gloves

Home Textiles: Blankets, Cushion covers, Knit throws

Technical Textiles: Bandages, Compression Wear, Seat Covers, Automotive Interior

Footwear: Shoes, Sneakers.

Children’s Clothing: Baby Blankets, Stretchy Outfits. 

FAQs (Application Related)

Conclusion

In everyday clothing, the application of knit fabrics goes far beyond just a piece of clothing. Knit fabric showcases its versatility in many fields.  Although knit fabric has wide popularity in terms of providing comfort and stretch, these fabrics play an essential role in technical textiles. The ability of the fabric to offer flexibility, breathability, and durability makes the fabric ideal for use. The different uses of knit fabrics are high-performance gear, medical textiles, and industrial uses.