Woven, knitted and nonwoven fabrics

Woven: interlaced systems

Warp and weft cross one another. Grain direction, weave and yarn density influence stability, fraying, drape and whether a cut piece skews.

Knitted: connected loops

Loops create extensibility and can curl, ladder or recover differently by direction. Record greatest stretch and recovery before choosing seam, hem or support.

Nonwoven: bonded structure

Fibres or filaments are bonded rather than woven or knitted. Behaviour depends strongly on the bonding method and product specification. For every structure, prewash when appropriate, mark grain or stretch direction, and test a complete seam on a scrap.

Try this example

Look closely at a cut scrap: crossing yarn systems suggest woven cloth; connected loops suggest knitting; a bonded web suggests nonwoven construction. Mark 10 cm in two perpendicular directions, extend gently and let go. Compare recovery and edge fraying before choosing a seam or support. Fibre name alone does not identify the structure.

Related lessons and tools

• Choosing interfacing and support materials
• Open tool