THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNIT & WOVEN FABRICS

Knit & Woven Fabrics

In terms of weaving structure, woven fabrics are crisscrossed, and the warp and weft lines can be seen very clearly, and knitting is connected to each other in the form of loops. Due to structural reasons, woven fabrics are more rigid and stable in structure, and knitted fabrics have better elasticity and better comfort. The style and expressiveness of the two structures are different, so choose according to the style and style of the clothing, it doesn't have good or bad.

Knitted fabrics and woven fabrics have their own unique characteristics in terms of processing technology, fabric structure, fabric characteristics, and finished product uses due to different weaving methods. Here are some comparisons.

1.Basic concept

knit fabric

Knitting refers to the process of using knitting needles to form loops of various raw materials and varieties of yarn, and then connecting them into knit fabrics through strings. It can be done transversely or longitudinally, transverse weaving is called weft knit fabric, and longitudinal weaving is called warp knit fabric.

The loop is the smallest basic unit of knitted fabric, and the loop is composed of the loop stem and the extension line in a space curve.

Woven Fabrics:

Woven is a fabric made of two or more sets of mutually perpendicular yarns interwoven at a 90-degree angle for warp and weft. The longitudinal yarns are called warp yarns, and the horizontal yarns are called weft yarns.

Each intersection point between warp and weft is called a weave point and is the smallest basic unit of a woven fabric.

2. Fabric weave properties

Knit fabrics

Because the coils are formed by bending yarns in space, and each coil is composed of one yarn, when the knitted fabric is subjected to external tension, such as longitudinal stretching, the bending of the coils changes, and the height of the coils also increases. The width of the loop is reduced. If the tension is transversely stretched, the situation is the opposite. The height and width of the loop can obviously be converted to each other under different tension conditions, so the knitted fabric has great extensibility.

It can extend in all directions and has good elasticity. Because the knitted fabric is formed by hole-shaped coils, it has greater air permeability and feels soft.

Woven Fabric:

Because the place where the warp and weft are intertwined is somewhat curved, and the moraine is bent in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the fabric, the degree of bending is related to the mutual tension between the warp and weft, and the stiffness of the yarn. When the woven fabric is subjected to external tension, such as longitudinal direction. When stretching, the tension of the warp increases, the bending decreases, and the bending of the weft increases, such as longitudinal stretching, until the warp is completely straightened, and the fabric shrinks laterally. When the woven fabric is stretched laterally by external tension, the tension of the weft yarn increases, the bending decreases, and the warp yarn bending increases, such as the lateral stretching continues until the weft yarn is completely straightened, and the fabric shrinks longitudinally. The warp and weft yarns do not change, unlike knitted fabrics.

The warp and weft extension and shrinkage of woven fabrics have little relationship, and do not change, so the fabrics are generally tighter and stiffer.

3.COMPARISON

Fiber Count

Knits are made of one continuous thread . Woven fabrics are made of two or more sets of individual strands

Stretch

Knit: Yes Woven: No

Fabric Types

Knit: mesh, toweling , felt , fleece and so on

Woven: linen , denim , twill, chiffon , canvas, corduroy,and so on

Fabric properties

Abrasion resistance - knitted fabrics < woven fabrics

Breathability - Knitted > Woven

Anti-pilling - knitted fabrics < woven fabrics

Dimensional stability - knitted fabrics < woven fabrics

Washability

Shrink is a problem for knit fabrics

Woven fabric does not have a problem with washing

Features

Knit fabrics are preferred for comfort , warmth and wrinkle resistance

Woven fabrics have fast colors and are more durable than knit fabrics

Machinery

Knit fabric : made on a knitting machine

Woven fabric : made on a huge loom

4. Applications

Knit fabrics ：T-shirts, knit sweaters, sports sweaters, sweatpants, etc.

Woven fabrics: Shirts, suits, down jackets, jeans.

I hope the above brief introduction can help you understand the difference between knit fabrics and woven fabrics, so as to better help you choose fabrics.