Knitted Fabrics

Knitted fabrics are made from a single yarn or a set of yarns. In making cloth, a knitting machine forms loops in the yarn and links them to one another by means of needles. The finished fabric consists of crosswise rows of loops, called  courses, and lengthwise rows of loops, called wales. This looped structure makes knitted fabrics more elastic than woven cloth. Garment manufacturers use knitted fabrics in producing comfortable, lightweight clothing that resists wrinkling.

Other fabrics include tufted fabrics, nets and laces, braids, and felt. None of these fabrics is woven or knitted. However, the textile industry produces another class of fabrics specifically called nonwoven fabrics.