Knit Fabric

Knit fabric is created by interlocking loops of yarn using knitting needles or industrial knitting machines. Unlike woven fabric (which interlaces two sets of yarn at right angles), knit fabric forms interconnected loops, giving it inherent stretch and flexibility. The global knitted fabric market is valued at $32–35 billion (2024–2025), growing at 4.3–7.7% CAGR, projected to reach $47–49 billion by 2030–2033. Asia-Pacific dominates with 45% market share. The $338 billion global athleisure market is the primary growth driver for knit fabrics.

History of knitting:

• 11th century Egypt: Oldest known knitted artifacts — Coptic socks in indigo and white cotton with complex stranded colorwork and shaped toes, suggesting knitting is even older than the archaeological record proves
• 3rd–5th century CE: Romano-Egyptian toe-socks made with nalbinding (forerunner to knitting — single-needle looping technique)
• 1589: William Lee of Calverton, Nottinghamshire invented the stocking frame — the first knitting machine, with 12 needles in wood blocks. Later improved to 20 needles per inch for fine silk. Queen Elizabeth I denied his patent twice; Henry IV of France granted it. This invention was the first major stage in textile mechanization — 200 years before the Industrial Revolution
• 1816: Marc Isambard Brunel invented the circular knitting machine — enabling continuous knitting of seamless fabric tubes. Gained massive adoption during World War I for soldier socks

Two fundamental knit categories:

• Weft knit (most common): One yarn runs horizontally, loops interlock row by row — jersey, rib, interlock, purl, French terry, fleece
• Warp knit: Yarns run vertically in zigzag, forming loops that move diagonally — tricot (largest quantity of warp knit), raschel (lace-like, open construction)

Key knit fabric types with specifications:

• Single jersey: Smooth face, visible loops on back, 120–160 GSM — the world's most-produced garment fabric (2+ billion T-shirts annually)
• Interlock (double jersey): Smooth on both sides, 150–350 GSM, doesn't ravel or curl — polo shirts, baby clothes, quality tees
• Rib knit (1×1, 2×2): Distinct vertical ridges, ~200 GSM, excellent crosswise elasticity (2x width-wise stretch of jersey) — cuffs, necklines, fitted tops
• French terry: Loops on one side, smooth outside, 190–460 GSM — sweatshirts, hoodies, athleisure
• Ponte de Roma: Stable double knit, ~270 GSM, ~25% cross-grain stretch — structured dresses, pants, professional wear
• Scuba knit: Substantial heavyweight, spongy, 4-way stretch — structured fashion, neoprene-look garments
• Tricot (warp knit): Fine vertical wales, soft and drapey, 2–4 yarn guide bars — underwear, lingerie, fine garments
• Raschel (warp knit): Open/coarse construction, 4–70 guide bars, can be engineered for mesh or power stretch — shapewear, outerwear, technical textiles
• Fleece: Weft insertion jersey with sheared/napped piles — hoodies, jackets (see Fleece Fabric entry)

Knit gauge system:

• Gauge: Number of needles per inch on knitting machine bed (typically 2.5–18 npi)
• 3GG: Chunky knitwear (sweaters)
• 7GG: Medium weight (traditional lamb's wool, cashmere)
• 12GG: Fine, lightweight fabrics
• 18–32 gauge: Jersey continuous fabric for T-shirts and activewear

T-shirt production scale:

Over 2 billion T-shirts sold annually worldwide (3.5+ billion produced). Asian producers (Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, India) account for 80%+ of production. China alone exports $9.1 billion in T-shirts (17.2% global share).

Global sourcing by region:

India (Tirupur — "Knit Capital of India"):

• Tirupur, Tamil Nadu: Produces 90% of India's knitted garment exports — 10,000+ manufacturing units, 600,000+ employees
• Cotton jersey, interlock, fleece, piqué, rib knit at massive scale with the world's best price-to-quality ratio
• Rs 13,000 crores (~$1.9B) in apparel exports; equal amount in domestic sales
• Ludhiana, Punjab: 85–90% of India's woolen knitwear demand — acrylic, wool, and winter knits. Rs 14,000 crore knitwear business
• Kolkata: Cotton hosiery and basic knit fabric

Bangladesh (Dhaka — world's largest knit garment exporter by volume):

• FY2024–25 knitwear exports: $21.16 billion (vs $18.19B woven)
• Lowest-cost CMT for basic knit garments (T-shirts, polo shirts)
• Major importer of cotton yarn from India

China (Guangzhou, Shenzhen):

• Synthetic knits, performance fabrics, technical knits
• January–June 2025: ~$38.1 billion in textile/apparel exports
• T-shirt exports: $9.1 billion (17.2% global share)

Vietnam:

• Growing knit manufacturing hub — $8.93B in exports (H1 2025)
• Competitive pricing with improving quality

Turkey:

• Premium knits with EU compliance — cotton jersey, ottoman knit, premium interlock

Quality specifications to master:

• GSM: Critical — specify exact GSM (e.g., 180 GSM for standard T-shirts, 280 GSM for French terry hoodies)
• Gauge: Machine gauge determines fabric fineness — specify 18–32 gauge for jersey, 7–12 for sweater knits
• Fabric width: Tubular knits (open width vs folded) — open width is more efficient for cutting
• Shrinkage: Knits shrink more than wovens (5–10% for cotton) — demand pre-shrunk or bio-washed fabric
• Pilling test: Martindale method — Grade 3+ acceptable for retail, Grade 4+ for premium
• Stretch recovery: Test after 20+ wash cycles — quality knits should retain 90%+ of original dimensions

Knit fabric pricing (sold by weight in India, by yard/meter internationally):

Cotton knits (India — per kg):

• Basic cotton single jersey (160 GSM): ₹180–300/kg
• Combed cotton jersey (180 GSM): ₹280–450/kg
• French terry (280 GSM): ₹350–550/kg
• Interlock (200 GSM): ₹300–500/kg
• Rib knit: ₹250–450/kg
• Organic cotton knit: ₹400–700/kg
• Polyester-cotton blend jersey: ₹200–350/kg

International pricing (per yard):

• Cotton single jersey: $4–8/yard
• Ponte de Roma: $4–8/yard (retail)
• French terry: $6–12/yard
• Scuba knit: $8–15/yard
• Performance knit (poly-spandex): $6–15/yard

Per-meter conversion:

At 180 GSM and 150cm width, 1 meter ≈ 0.27 kg. A basic T-shirt uses approximately 0.25–0.35 kg of fabric.

Cost advantage over wovens:

Knit fabrics produce at 2–16 yards/minute vs 0.5–6 for wovens — faster production = lower cost. Knitting machines run continuously with little waste vs woven looms that require complex warping. This is why knit garments (T-shirts at ₹80–200 wholesale) are significantly cheaper to produce than woven garments (shirts at ₹200–500 wholesale).

Tirupur benchmark:

Tirupur offers the world's best price-to-quality ratio for cotton knits. Average knitted fabric import price globally: $2,176/ton (2024).