SPECIFICATION OF JERSEY FABRIC

 

SPECIFICATION OF JERSEY FABRIC

POSTED ON APRIL 7, 2023

    

BY SYAHIRUDDIN KAMAL

PROPERTIES OF JERSEY FABRIC

Jersey is a soft stretchy, knit fabric that was originally made from wool. Today, jersey is also made from cotton, cotton blends, and synthetic fibers. The right side of jersey knit fabric is smooth with a slight single rib knit, while the backside of jersey is piled with loops. The fabric is usually light-to-medium weight and is used for a variety of clothing and household items.

What Are the Origins of Jersey?

Jersey was first produced in medieval times in Jersey, Channel Islands hence the name. The fabric was considered as only for menswear and was used to make underwear and fisherman’s sweaters.

However, in 1916, Coco Chanel revolutionized the jersey market and introduced the fabric to the women’s fashion industry, making comfortable dresses and coats out of jersey.

What Is Jersey Made From?

Jersey was originally made from wool, but more sophisticated manufacturing techniques led to the use of synthetic fibers and cotton. Cotton jersey brought down the costs of the material, and synthetic fibers made the fabric more durable. Today, most jerseys are made using cotton blended with synthetics.

Characteristics of Jersey

Stretchy : Due to its knitted structure, jersey-knit fabric is a stretch fabric, which makes it a great choice for items that require movement. Spandex can also be incorporated to create stretch jersey.

Soft : Jersey is soft and smooth, providing comfort for the wearer.

Opaque: Jersey fabric is opaque as a result of its knitted composition, which brings the fibers closer together with no way for light to pass through.

Absorbent and breathable : Cotton jersey fabric is king here, as cotton is very absorbent and breathable fiber. Cotton jersey and cotton blends are ideal for clothing that gets daily use, like t-shirts.

Well-structured : Most jersey fabrics have a nice drape, but it does depend on the fiber composition of the fabric. Jerseys using viscose or silk have a much smoother drape than cotton-jersey fabric, which tends to have more structure.

Benefits of Jersey Fabric

Jersey is one of the most popular and versatile fabrics used today. Some of the most popular items made from jersey include:

T-shirts and tank tops: Most t-shirts are made using a knit fabric, like jersey, as the opaque, stretchy, absorbent fabric is great for comfort and practical use.

Sweats: Sweatpants and sweatshirts are made from jersey fabric, as the stretch, softness, and absorbency make it a great fabric for lounging.

Bedsheets: Jersey sheets are very popular thanks to their soft and absorbent nature.

Underwear: Many undergarments are made from jersey fabric, as the stretch and absorbency make the fabric perfect for this use.

Sportswear and athleisure: The stretch and absorbent nature of jersey make it a good fabric for athletic endeavors. However, team uniforms today, which are usually referred to as “jerseys,” are not always made from jersey material—they are named that way because they were often originally made from jersey.