What Is Woven Fabric, and How Is It Different from Knit?
Woven fabric is made by interlacing two sets of yarn at right angles on a loom. The lengthwise yarns are called the warp and the crosswise yarns are called the weft. Because the yarns cross rather than loop, woven fabric is stable, firm and usually has little stretch unless elastane is added. Shirts, chinos, jeans, jackets and most trousers are cut from woven fabric.
Knit fabric is built differently. A knitting machine forms a continuous yarn into interlocking loops, and each loop hangs from the one before it. Loops can open and close, so knit fabric stretches and recovers naturally. T-shirts, hoodies, joggers, polo shirts and leggings are knit garments. Everything else in this guide follows from that one difference: crossing yarns give stability, and linked loops give stretch.
Both families can use the same fibres, including cotton, polyester and viscose, so structure and fibre are separate decisions. A cotton woven and a cotton knit feel and behave very differently, and the sections below show where.
How Woven Fabric Is Made: Warp, Weft and Selvedge
On a loom the warp yarns are held under tension in parallel, and the weft yarn is passed across them, over some warp yarns and under others, row after row. The pattern of over and under is the weave. Each finished edge where the weft turns back is called the selvedge, a self-finishing edge that does not fray. Denim buyers meet the term most often, and our guide to selvedge denim explains why it matters there.
The direction of the yarns is called the grain. The lengthwise grain, along the warp, is the most stable direction. The crosswise grain, along the weft, has a little more give. The diagonal at 45 degrees to both is the bias, where woven fabric stretches and drapes most. Pattern makers use this on purpose: cutting on the bias gives a fluid, clinging drape, while cutting on the straight grain keeps a trouser leg or shirt front from twisting.
Because woven fabric frays at every cut edge, woven garments need seam finishes such as overlocked edges, French seams or bound seams. Knit fabric generally curls rather than frays, which changes the finishing method. That is one reason construction costs and sewing skills differ between the two families.
The Three Base Weaves
Nearly every woven cloth is a plain weave, a twill or a satin, or a variation of one of them. The weave sets the surface, the drape and the strength, so it is worth recognising the three before you read a fabric specification.
The three base weaves compared
| Weave | How yarns interlace | Look and feel | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain weave | Weft goes over one warp yarn, under the next, alternating each row | Flat, balanced, crisp surface; no diagonal line | Poplin shirting, canvas, voile, muslin |
| Twill weave | Weft passes over two or more warp yarns, stepping one yarn sideways each row | Visible diagonal line; softer drape and better wrinkle recovery than plain weave | Denim, chinos, drill, gabardine |
| Satin weave | Long floats of warp or weft yarn sit on the surface with few interlacings | Smooth, lustrous face; slippery and more prone to snagging | Linings, evening wear, pyjamas |
General descriptions of the three base weaves. Many fabrics use variations such as rib, basket, herringbone or sateen.
For deeper reading on each, see our guides to poplin, twill and canvas. Denim itself is a twill, as the guide to denim weave types shows.
How Knit Fabric Is Made: Weft Knit and Warp Knit
Knit fabric comes in two families that behave quite differently. In weft knitting, one yarn runs across the fabric forming a row of loops, then the next row hooks into the previous one. Rows are called courses and the columns of loops are called wales. Circular knitting machines make tubes of weft knit that are cut open or sewn as a tube, and this is how single jersey, rib, interlock, French terry and fleece are produced.
In warp knitting, many yarns run lengthwise and loop with their neighbours at once. Warp knit is more stable and does not ladder or run easily, and it is used for mesh, lace, power net and some linings. Most of the clothes a casualwear brand develops are weft knits. Our guides to jersey fabric and sweatshirt and knit fabric types cover the main constructions.
Knit fabric has its own direction too. Wales run lengthwise and courses run across, and a tube of jersey often twists or spirals if it is cut off grain, an issue that can show up as side seams drifting after washing. Factories handle this with careful relaxing, cutting and compacting.
Woven vs Knit: Property-by-Property Comparison
The table summarises how the two families usually behave. These are general tendencies; yarn, weight, finishing and elastane content can shift any single row, so use it as a prompt for questions to your factory rather than as a specification.
Woven fabric vs knit fabric at a glance
| Property | Woven fabric | Knit fabric |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | Little in the straight grain; more on the bias; stretch needs elastane or a stretch yarn | Stretches in both directions through the loops; usually recovers well |
| Drape | Ranges from crisp (poplin, canvas) to fluid (viscose twill), depending on yarn and weave | Generally soft and clinging; weight and structure decide how much |
| Wrinkling | Cotton wovens crease easily unless finished or blended | Creases less visibly and recovers from folds more easily |
| Edge behaviour | Frays at cut edges, so seams must be finished | Curls at cut edges; does not fray in the same way |
| Sewing | Usually lockstitch and overlock; stable and easy to cut cleanly | Needs stretch stitches such as overlock and coverstitch; fabric can distort under the presser foot |
| Shrinkage | Generally lower, mainly in length and width after pre-treatment | Often higher and more variable, including twist and length change |
| Fit and ease | Needs built-in ease because the fabric gives little | Can be cut closer to the body because the fabric moves with it |
| Typical garments | Shirts, chinos, jeans, jackets, shorts, dresses | T-shirts, polos, hoodies, joggers, sweatshirts, leggings |
General tendencies only. Elastane, finishing and construction details change real-world behaviour.
The most useful single takeaway is that a woven garment gets its fit from the pattern, with darts, seams and ease, while a knit garment gets part of its fit from the fabric itself.
Indicative Ratings: How the Two Families Feel and Perform
The chart turns the same characteristics into a simple five-point scale, with a third column for stretch woven, a hybrid that borrows from both. It is a quick visual guide, not a test result.
Woven, knit and stretch woven compared
1 dot = low, 5 dots = high
| Woven | Knit | Stretch woven | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stretch and give | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Dimensional stability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Crease resistance | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Crisp, structured shape | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Ease of sewing | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Comfort without tailoring | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
Indicative ratings based on typical fabric/process characteristics, not laboratory results.
Stretch woven earns middling scores almost everywhere, which is exactly its purpose: it is a compromise for people who want woven structure with some comfort.
Pattern Making, Grading and Seams: What Changes
Choosing woven fabric or knit fabric changes the pattern, not only the cloth. A pattern drafted for knit stretch cannot simply be cut in woven, because the wearer will not be able to move or even get the garment on. The reverse mistake, cutting a woven block in jersey, gives a garment that hangs loose and distorts. Patterns are developed for a specific structure and, ideally, tested on the actual fabric. Our guide to sewing patterns vs industrial garment patterns explains how factory patterns are built.
Grading is affected too. Woven garments are graded with fixed measurements and ease at the chest, hip and sleeve, whereas knit garments can use smaller size steps because the fabric forgives. Seams differ as well: woven side seams are often plain or felled seams with a finished edge, while knit seams use overlock and coverstitch that stretch with the cloth. See hem types, seams and finishes for the options.
How the choice flows into development
- 1Pick the structureDecide woven, knit or hybrid from the garment and how it should feel and fit.
- 2Choose fibre and weightSpecify composition and GSM so quotes compare like for like.
- 3Draft the patternBuild ease and seam allowances for that structure, not a borrowed block.
- 4Select seams and finishesMatch stitch type and edge finish to fray or curl behaviour.
- 5Sample and testFit the sample in the real fabric and check shrinkage after washing.
Skipping step one is the most expensive mistake, because every later step depends on it.
Hybrids: Stretch Woven, Knit Denim and Everything in Between
The two families are not sealed boxes. Stretch woven fabric contains a small share of elastane, often core-spun inside the weft yarn, which gives a woven cloth comfort stretch while it keeps the look and stability of the weave. Stretch denim is the best known case, and our stretch denim vs rigid denim guide and the overview of spandex, elastane and Lycra go into detail on how the stretch is built in.
Going the other way, knit denim and denim-look jersey use a knit structure, usually with an indigo-dyed yarn and a twill-like face, to give the look of denim with the comfort of a tee. Another hybrid is the woven-look knit such as ponte or double knit, which is a stable, heavier knit that behaves a little like a woven. When a reference garment seems to defy the categories, ask the factory exactly how the fabric is constructed, because the answer decides pattern, sewing and shrinkage plans.
Which Structure Suits Which Garment?
Start from the product and the person wearing it. The table shows the usual starting points for common categories, and each row can be varied, for example a woven hoodie-style overshirt or a knit shirt in piqué.
Typical structure choices by garment
| Garment | Usual structure | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirt | Weft knit (single jersey) | Soft, stretchy and easy to wear; see jersey fabric |
| Hoodie or sweatshirt | Weft knit (fleece or French terry) | Warm, soft and forgiving in fit |
| Shirt | Woven (plain weave or twill) | Crisp collar and cuffs, holds a printed or yarn-dyed pattern well |
| Chinos and casual trousers | Woven twill, often with a little elastane | Structure and a clean line with comfort stretch |
| Jeans | Woven denim twill | Strong, durable and shapes to the wearer over time |
| Joggers | Weft knit (fleece or French terry) | Elasticated comfort with soft drape |
| Jacket | Woven (canvas, twill or nylon blends) | Shape, wind resistance and structure |
If you are building a mixed range, remember that pieces in different structures need separate patterns, different thread and needle choices and sometimes different finishing lines, which is worth planning into your development calendar.
Five Mistakes Brands Make with Woven and Knit Fabrics
Most structure problems appear at sampling, and most are avoidable with a clearer brief. These are the mistakes we see most often when a reference garment is passed to a factory.
Common structure mistakes to avoid
- Sending a knit pattern for a woven fabric, or the reverse, without redrafting the block
- Naming only the fibre (for example cotton) and not the structure, weight or finish
- Assuming a woven shirt will stretch like a tee because the reference garment felt soft
- Ignoring shrinkage differences: knit fabric often moves more than woven in the first wash
- Forgetting the fray: woven seam finishes add time and trim, and should be specified
Discuss each point at the start of development to avoid redraft cycles.
Where a reference garment is already in your hands, check the care label and cut open an inconspicuous seam allowance or ask the factory to analyse the fabric. It is a fast way to identify the structure and the content.
How to Specify Woven Fabric or Knit Fabric in a Tech Pack
A tech pack should describe the cloth well enough that two suppliers would quote the same thing. For woven fabric, list the fibre content, the weave (for example plain, twill 3/1, satin), the weight in grams per square metre, the yarn count or fabric construction if known, the width, and the finish such as washed, brushed or garment dyed. For knit fabric, list the fibre content, the knit structure (single jersey, rib, interlock, French terry, fleece), the weight in GSM, the yarn type such as combed or ring-spun, and the finish.
For both, add the performance requirements: shrinkage limits after a stated wash method, colour fastness grades, and pilling grade where relevant. Our tech pack guide shows where this sits in the document, and the fabric GSM guide explains how to choose a weight.
Typical fabric weights by structure and product
Typical grams per square metre
Typical ranges only; they vary by product, factory and market. Woven bars are in indigo, knit bars in the second colour.
Use the ranges as an orientation: a feel that is good for a poplin shirt would be far too light for trousers, and a knit that is good for a tee would be too thin for a hoodie.
How Ruhrose Works Across Woven and Knit
Ruhrose develops both families: knit hoodies, jersey t-shirts, polos and joggers, and woven denim and cotton casualwear, with development and production in Bangladesh and UK buyer support. That means a brand can discuss a hoodie and a matching trouser in one conversation, though each is patterned and sampled in its own structure. Fabric, fit and finish are approved on samples before bulk. For a related read on why those samples matter, see our garment sampling process guide. Highly technical or specialist structures, such as performance knits or tailoring cloths, are outside our core, and we will say so early in the conversation.