Knitwear
Clothes made from interlocking loops of yarn or thread, from fine jersey tops to chunky sweaters.
What does Knitwear mean?
Knitwear is clothing made from knitted fabric. The loops allow many knits to stretch and recover, though the feel depends on yarn, stitch and construction. The word is sometimes used narrowly for sweaters and cardigans, while knitted fabric also appears in T-shirts, dresses and socks. Reading the fiber label tells you what the yarn is made of; 'knit' tells you how the fabric is formed.
What it looks like in real life
A ribbed cardigan stretches comfortably over a shirt, then settles back when you take it off. You can wear it buttoned as a top or open as a layer. A fine jersey tee is also knitted, even though it looks and behaves differently from that cardigan.
What people often get wrong
Knitwear is not automatically wool, warm or handmade. Cotton and synthetic yarns can be knitted too, and machine knitting is common. A woven shirt may look soft but its threads cross over and under one another rather than making a field of interlocking loops.
How to use the idea
Check how a knit stretches, whether the cuffs recover and what its care label recommends. Fold heavier pieces if hanging would distort them. When building an outfit, try one knit against a crisper woven layer for contrast using clothes you own.