What is pique knit fabric?

What is piqué fabric?

Piqué fabric, also called Marcella, is characterized by its raised texture of consistent geometric patterns throughout the material. It has raised parallel cords and fine ribbing. The shaping pattern can be cord, waffle, honeycomb or birdseye.

Creating the knitted pattern of piqué fabric requires the dobby loom attachment on the circular knitting machine. During the knitting process, extra yarn is used, which is called “stuffer yarn.” The additional usage of yarn gives this fabric its distinctive depth and raised texture.

The fabric’s appearance and smoothness can be more apparent with the looseness or tightness of the knitting. If it’s looser, the cords will be more distinctive, making the holes easier to see. If it’s tighter, it will have a closer, smoother feeling knit with the holes being less visible. The tighter fabric is often called “baby piqué” or “micropiqué”.

Piqué is typically made from cotton. However, it can be made from cotton or cotton blended with synthetic fibers. Each type of material used to make piqué fabric can have beneficial features that impact the weight, elasticity and absorbancy. It can be customized for color and other additional features.

Its original usage was for men’s formal wear. Today, it can be used for a variety of garments. It’s an aesthetically attractive fabric that makes it ideal for professional and formal wear. Though this is the top choice for piqué fabric, it can still be used for athletic and outdoor apparel as well.

Features and advantages

The weight of piqué fabric can vary from light to heavy, depending on the yarn used. No matter the heft, it’s light and soft against the skin. It has a clean, crisp appearance that makes garments aesthetically pleasing.

It’s light, breezy and comfortable qualities make it good for outdoor settings and warm environments. It has excellent absorbency and air permeability. It also eliminates the appearance of sweat while it helps keep the skin cool and dry.

The fabric’s knitting makes it durable and gives it a long lifespan. It’s a low-maintenance fabric that can withstand outdoor elements and wear. The resilient construction of the fabric makes it wrinkle-resistant and less prone to snagging and pilling.

Uses of piqué fabric

Piqué fabric is commonly used for polo shirts and school uniforms. The pattern and texture give garments a sophisticated appearance. This makes it a good choice for work clothing and other professional garments.

Though it’s a popular choice for formal wear, it can be used for sports clothing and warm environment apparel as well. Its durable, breezy characteristics make it ideal for casual and sporty golfing and athletic apparel. Factory workers can also benefit from wearing clothing made of piqué fabric because of its absorbency and air permeability.

Piqué fabric can be used to produce casual wear. Using this fabric, t-shirts are more fashionable with the depth and texture. It's also useful for summer coats and waistcoats. The detailed patterned knit can be used for women’s apparel, such as dresses and skirts.

The qualities of the piqué fabric used in garments depend on the material used and the tightness of the knitting. Whichever is used, the fabric will still retain a strong, durable structure and easy to maintain nature. It can be used in a range of garments as a stylish and functional fabric.