What Is Circular Knitting?
Circular knitting machines build fabric as a continuous tube by feeding yarn through a ring of needles arranged around a rotating cylinder. As the cylinder turns, each needle catches yarn and pulls it through the previous loop, row after row, forming interlocked loops called courses (horizontal rows) and wales (vertical columns). Unlike woven fabric, which is made from two perpendicular sets of yarn locked at right angles, knitted fabric is built from a single interlooping structure — which is exactly what gives polyester knits their stretch, drape and breathability.
The tightness of that loop structure is set by the machine’s gauge — the number of needles per inch of cylinder. A finer gauge produces a tighter, smoother fabric suited to lightweight performance tees; a coarser gauge produces a more open, textured fabric suited to fleece and mesh. Gauge, yarn denier and knitting speed together determine the fabric’s final GSM (grams per square metre), which is why GSM is one of the first specs we ask for on every custom build.
Our Knitting Process at SKF Polytex
Every order starts with the yarn selection — denier, filament count, and whether it’s a standard, dyed, or recycled polyester feed. That yarn is loaded onto the circular knitting machine, gauge and cylinder diameter are set to match the requested construction and finished width, and the fabric is knitted in continuous rolls. Each roll is inspected for consistency in loop formation, width and weight before it moves on to dyeing and finishing. Because we control this first step in-house, we can hold tight tolerances on GSM and width — which matters once a fabric is cut into a garment pattern downstream.
The Knit Constructions We Offer
We knit to twelve base constructions, each suited to different end uses. You can specify any of these directly in our Build Your Fabric tool.
Interlock
Two sets of needles knit two layers together into one thicker, reversible fabric with a smooth face on both sides. Excellent shape retention, minimal curling at cut edges.
Jersey
Single-knit construction — the classic T-shirt fabric. Lightweight, stretchy in the width, with a distinct technical back and smooth face.
Terry
Knitted with extra uncut loops on the reverse for a soft, absorbent hand. Common in fleece-weight sportswear and towelling-style apparel.
Pique
A textured, basket-weave-like surface knitted using a tuck stitch. The classic polo shirt fabric — breathable with visible surface texture.
Mesh
An open, ventilated structure with deliberate holes knitted into the pattern. Used wherever airflow matters most — side panels, linings, athletic tops.
Fleece
A brushed, insulating knit with a raised pile on the technical back for warmth without added weight. Popular for hoodies and outerwear.
Jacquard
Pattern is knitted directly into the structure using programmable needle selection, producing texture or two-tone designs without printing.
Ottoman
Defined horizontal ribs give a corded, structured surface with more body than standard rib knit — often used for trims and structured panels.
Rib
Alternating knit and purl columns create a fabric that stretches and recovers well across its width — the standard for cuffs, collars and waistbands.
Double Knit
Two full layers knitted simultaneously into one substantial, stable fabric with almost no stretch distortion and minimal see-through.
Tricot
A fine, warp-style knit construction producing a smooth, run-resistant fabric with good drape, often used as a lining or base layer.
Purl
Alternating knit and purl rows on the same needle bed give a fabric that looks similar on both faces, with excellent width-wise stretch.
The Yarns Behind Every Knit
The construction only tells half the story — the yarn feeding the machine determines hand-feel, durability and stretch. We knit with the following yarn types:
Denier & Filaments
Yarn thickness (denier) and filament count set a fabric’s weight and smoothness — finer filaments knit into a softer, more silk-like face.
Dyed / CDP Yarn
Yarn that’s coloured before knitting, either solution-dyed or via a customized dyeing process (CDP), for deep, wash-stable colour.
FDY / DTY
Fully Drawn Yarn (FDY) gives a smooth, filament-like finish; Drawn Textured Yarn (DTY) is crimped for stretch and a fuller, more fabric-like hand.
Lycra Spandex Yarn
Spandex filament knitted alongside polyester to build four-way stretch and recovery into blend fabrics.
Micro Dull
A fine, low-lustre polyester yarn that knits into a soft, matte-finish fabric rather than a shiny one.
Recycle Yarn
Polyester regenerated from recycled material, knitted to the same specification as virgin yarn for a lower-impact fabric.
Two or Three Yarns
Multiple yarn feeds knitted together in a single construction to combine properties — strength from one, softness from another.
What Happens After Knitting
A freshly knitted roll is undyed and untreated — colour and performance properties are added in the two stages that follow. Once a fabric is knitted to spec, it moves to dyeing, where it’s matched to your exact shade, and then to finishing, where surface texture and functional treatments like DryFit or UV protection are applied. All three stages are specified together in a single Build Your Fabric request.