Knitted Fabric Structures & Knitting Technology Quiz: Interlock, Rib & Fleece

The Science of Knitted Textiles

Knitted fabrics provide natural stretch, porosity, and body-contouring comfort by interlocking loops of yarn (stitches) rather than perpendicular warp-weft crossings. Understanding knit structures is vital for T-shirt, activewear, and winterwear merchandising.

Primary Weft-Knit Structures

• Single Jersey: Knitted on a single set of needles. The face exhibits distinct vertical V-shaped wales, while the back displays horizontal semicircular courses. Tends to curl at cut edges toward the face. Benchmark fabric for basic casual T-shirts (160–200 GSM).
• Rib Knit (1x1 and 2x2): Knitted with two alternating needle beds. Displays identical vertical wales on both face and back. Highly elastic across the width with excellent recovery, making it the standard choice for T-shirt collar bands, cuffs, and fitted tank tops.
• Interlock: A double-knit fabric constructed with two interlocking rib courses. It has identical smooth surfaces on both sides, does not curl at raw edges, is significantly heavier, and resists laddering. Ideal for polo shirts, babywear, and executive tees.
• 3-Thread Fleece (French Terry & Brushed Fleece): Features three yarns: face yarn, tie-in yarn, and heavy backing loop yarn. When the back loops are brushed with wire rollers, it produces plush, napped winter fleece used for sweatshirts and hoodies.
• Lycra Plating: An elastane filament is fed simultaneously alongside cotton yarn into the needle hook so the Lycra remains hidden internally while providing 4-way stretch for leggings.

Check HSN codes for knitted garments (Chapter 61) in the textile HSN & GST finder or compute unit production yields using the fabric margin calculator.