Fiber Count

• Knits are made of one continuous thread. Woven fabrics are made of two sets of individual strands.
  
  

Manufacturing

• Machines create knit materials using hand-knitting techniques. The material is a sheet of "stocking stitch." The machines used to create woven materials are called looms, which interweave fibers both horizontally and vertically.
  
  

Stretch

• Knit fabrics stretch because of the loops in the fibers. Woven fabrics do not stretch because their fibers run at 45-degree angles to one another.
  
  

Bias

• Woven fabrics have a visible bias, or nap, that must be cut so the bias on each piece matches when sewn. Knits do not generally have a nap.
  
  

Fabric Types

• Knit materials include jersey, berber, mesh, toweling, felt and fleece. Woven materials include linen, denim, twill, satin, chiffon, corduroy, tweed and canvas.