What Is Tricot Made Of?
The term "tricot" refers to a type of lightweight knit fabric that is typically made from synthetic fibers, though it can also be made from natural fibers like wool, silk or cotton.
-
Definition of Tricot
-
Tricot is created using a warp-knit technique. Long parallel threads are stretched on a knitting machine and then adjacent threads are looped around each other. This gives tricot a characteristic appearance of vertical ribs on the front of the fabric and horizontal ribs on the back.
Tricot Fabric Contents
-
Tricot is most commonly made from a variety of synthetic fibers, including polyester, nylon, acetate and tri-acetate. The base fiber may be blended with nylon for stability or with spandex for stretch. Less common tricot fibers include wool, silk and cotton.
-
Common Uses of Tricot
-
Tricot has a soft flowing drape and is most often used for women's apparel. Items of lingerie such as panties, slips and nightgowns are often made of tricot. Tricot may also be used for blouses, evening gowns and bridal fashions. Polyester tricot in fusible form is a common interfacing for knit clothing.
Care of Tricot
-
One of the benefits of synthetic tricot is that it can be machine washed and dried. When ironing tricot, apply very low heat.
Special Considerations When Sewing With Tricot
-
Tricot does not need to be preshrunk, but it should be washed before sewing to remove any factory finishes. Attention should be paid to make sure the front of the fabric--the side with the vertical ribs--is facing out when cutting and sewing tricot. Polyester thread should be used to sew synthetic tricot.
-
