User knowledge – What is a knitted fabric?

Knitted fabrics, also known as warp-knitted fabrics, are textile fabrics produced industrially from thread systems by forming stitches on a knitting machine. They belong to knitwear. A distinction is made between weft knitted fabric and warp knitted fabric. (Official paraphrase for knitted fabric / knitted fabrics according to Wikipedia)

The weft knitted fabric is recognizable by the shape of a textile tube or as a flat cloth (also known as yard goods) and is called circular or flat knitted fabric. The weaving machines create the products from only one yarn thread and weave the thread into a meshed structure. That’s why the weft knitted fabric is confusingly similar to the conventional knitted products.

If a large number of threads is used, then it is called warp knitted fabric. This involves the use of both a separate thread and a movable needle for each stitch. Warp knitted fabric has a distinctive feature: due to the special construction (stitch pattern) it somewhat limits the elasticity and stretchability of these textiles.

One of the most highly regarded “influencers” in my 10+ year textile career just nailed it:

Knitting = crochet  /  Weaving = knitting

Which means: The (warp) knitted fabric is knitted vertically – In the case of woven fabric, the stitches are formed horizontally.