Different Pima Cotton Stitches: The Advantages

Different Pima Cotton Stitches: The Advantages

There are three main types of stitches used to craft our collection of men’s Pima cotton products: pique, jersey, and interlocking. Each stitch has its own unique set of properties and is better suited for specific situations, climates, and applications. Our men’s Pima cotton polo shirts are available in both pique and jersey, our men’s Pima cotton sweaters are available in only plain, jersey stitch, and our collection of men’s Pima cotton loungewear (Pima sweatpants and Pima sweatshirts) is crafted exclusively in interlocking stitch. 

So which stitch is best for a given application and what properties can the type of stitch really effect?

Jersey Stitch Pima Cotton Clothing

Jersey stitch, or plain stitch, is a stitching technique that results in a flat finished product and is often used to create more casual garments. The jersey stitch is the most ubiquitous stitch in the garment and textile industries, with applications in just about every category and subcategory imaginable. Workable with most types of fibers and yarn thicknesses, it is an easy stitch to work with and can be produced quickly.

Since it is so common and easy to produce, any garment can be produced using the jersey stitch. At The Lanam Shop, our Pima cotton providers use this stitch to create polo shirts, sweaters, sport shirts, and even some tailored clothing. 

The jersey stitch produces a flat surface, ideal for consistent fabric breathability. Since every look is equally spaced, air can move uninhibited across the whole of the fabric. This means that water or sweat can diffuse across the entire fabric, at the same rate. When the weather gets hot, the tiny loops allow cooler & less humid air to diffuse from outside the shirt in, and hotter & more humid air to diffuse outwardly. Naturally aiding the process of evaporation, the natural cooling effects of this process spread equally across the entire surface of the cloth, helping to keep you cooler even on the hottest days. Since we use only the finest Peruvian Pima, the extra-long staple Pima Cotton fibers further help to cool the wearer.

Pique Stitch Pima Cotton Clothing

Considered by many to be more formal in appearance, pique stitch shirts are an easy way to dress-up a casual look. Derived from textiles originally produced for royalty, the pique effect can be knitted or woven. Our knitted pique polos are an excellent choice for a warm summer day, but can also be worn comfortably well into the fall because of their clever stitch pattern.

Most pique applications are reserved for polo shirts and t-shirts, but sweaters, personal furnishings, and accessories can all be knitted or woven in the pique-style to give it a more refined, crisp look. Presently, we only offer pique polo shirts and pique t-shirts, but they do come in a host of fun, seasonally appropriate colors. They are even available in contemporary fit.

The pique finish is created by having regular and elongated stitches, alternating according to a master pattern design. There are many deviations on the pique design, either harboring their own unique set of properties. Generally speaking, the pique stitch creates a thick-and-thin design, when a four-six loop design may have some sections that have double loops and others that have a single loop, or even no loops. The exact knitting pattern is unique to the overall design, with some having specific, traditional applications. These high and low spots channel the movement of air. With the thick areas being more difficult to pass through, the thinner sections are the favored spots for air and humidity to exchange. Evaporation will still continue and the cooling effects can still spread across the material.

Since our shirts are crafted with extra-long staple Pima Cotton, the yarns used to make the shirts can be wound tighter, making them stronger. The highly-durable nature of the yarn allows for a looser weave, better enabling the body to comfortably balance the environments inside and outside of the garment.

Interlocking Stitch Pima Cotton Clothing

Unlike the other stitches discussed, interlocking stitch products are created by using alternating needles on a round knitting machine. The interlocking stitch produces two rows of separate stitches joined by interlocking loop stitches, thus binding the two stitched rows together. Products made with this style of stitch are inherently warmer, as they feature two rows; further insulating the fiber and cutting down the ability of air to pass through and across the surface of the garment.

Typically used to create warmer products, like sweatpants or sweatshirts the interlocking stitch is used purposefully to create warmer cotton products. Our collection of loungewear (sweatpants, sweatshirt, and quarter-zip) relies on the additional warmth associated with this stitching method. By helping to curtail heat loss, the inner atmosphere of the garment stays substantially warmer, thus producing a warm, cozy feeling. Additionally, some of our interlocking stitch products come with an inner fleece finish.