5 min read
Knitted, woven, jacquard, quilted — what actually separates them?
The four names do not describe colours or patterns. They describe how the cloth is built — and that is what decides how your mattress looks and feels.
Most fabric decisions in a mattress factory start from a picture of a pattern. But pattern is the last layer of the decision, not the first. The real first question is: how is this cloth built? Construction decides the stretch, the stability, the surface depth, and how the fabric behaves during panel-making and closing.
Knitted — interlocking loops
A knitted fabric is built from interlocking loops of yarn. That construction gives natural stretch in more than one direction and, usually, a softer hand. Stretch is an advantage when the surface has to follow the contours of the mattress — and something to plan for at the sewing table, because a stretchy cloth behaves differently from a woven one.
Woven — warp and weft
A woven fabric is built where warp (lengthwise) threads cross weft (crosswise) threads. The result is a more stable construction with less give, and a surface that tends to read as regular and precise. Products that need crisp edges and a calm, flat top benefit from that stability.
Jacquard — pattern inside the build
Jacquard is less a third separate type than a way of controlling the loom: the pattern forms while the cloth itself is being built, rather than being printed on afterwards. That is why you can feel the detail with your fingers and not only see it, and why the design does not wear off the way a surface print can. That depth is the reason jacquard usually sits in the higher tiers.
Quilted — layers held by stitching
Quilting is a step that comes after the cloth: the fabric is combined with one or more layers and held with stitching that produces a raised pattern and a surface with depth. The result is a fuller hand and a finish that already reads as a finished product.
