Warp-knitted fabric compared with other fabrics

Anyone who needs a textile component made usually chooses between four kinds of fabric: woven fabric, ordinary knitted fabric, warp-knitted fabric and nonwovens. They are made in different ways, and that determines how the fabric behaves when it is stretched, cut and sewn. This guide explains the differences, so that you know what to ask for.

Woven fabric

Woven fabric consists of two sets of yarns crossing each other at right angles: the warp along the length and the weft across the width. The fabric is stable in both directions and stretches little, unless it contains elastic fibres. A cut edge can fray and needs to be hemmed or overlocked.

Ordinary knitted fabric (weft-knitted)

Ordinary knitted fabric, as in a T-shirt, is knitted from a yarn that runs back and forth across the width of the fabric and forms loops row by row. The fabric stretches a lot, especially across the width. If a loop breaks, it can ladder, and the edges can curl.

Warp-knitted fabric

Warp-knitted fabric is knitted from a warp, many parallel yarns fed into the machine at the same time that form loops along the length of the fabric. Each yarn interlocks with the yarns next to it, so the fabric is dimensionally stable and does not fray when cut. Depending on the yarn and the construction, warp-knitted fabric can be anything from dense and smooth to as open as a net.

A special kind of warp-knitted fabric is spacer fabric: two fabric faces held apart by yarns in between. The result is an airy, thick fabric with spring.

Nonwovens

A nonwoven is neither woven nor knitted. The fibres are bonded into a sheet with heat, chemicals or needling. It is cheap to produce in large volumes and is often used in filters and disposable products, but it usually withstands less wear than a woven or knitted fabric.

When is warp-knitted fabric the right choice?

Warp-knitted fabric suits applications where the fabric needs to be dimensionally stable yet pliable, where cut edges must not fray, or where the fabric will be coated, quilted or sewn further. At Facilette it goes into upholstery and sound insulation in vehicles, wound dressings and support materials, upholstery fabric, filters and base fabric that another mill coats.

Ask us about your fabric

Do you know what the fabric needs to withstand, but not which kind it should be? Describe the application, and we will make a suggestion. We warp knit in many different yarns, never pure cotton, and can quilt and sew the fabric in the same factory. Send an enquiry or read more about warp knitting at Facilette.