Raschel Knit Fabric: Structure, Properties and the Machine Behind It
Raschel knit is a warp-knitted fabric: the yarns run lengthwise, loop into chains, and extra yarns laid sideways tie those chains together. Because that structure is set on the machine, the same fabric family covers open nets, lace and firm, dense cloth, and the difference comes down to guide bar count, threading and gauge.
Most explanations of raschel knit are written from the fabric counter: what it looks like and where it ends up. This one reads the fabric from the machine side, because that is where a buyer or a mill technician can predict how a given raschel fabric will behave before the first metre is knitted.
What raschel knit fabric is
In warp knitting, every loop is formed from warp yarns running along the length of the fabric. Raschel knit is one branch of that family. Its reputation is dimensional stability: the fabric keeps its shape, and it can be built either as an open structure with clear holes or as a closed, compact one.
It is not a soft, stretchy jersey. Raschel knit is positioned as a crisp, shape-holding material, which is exactly why it is chosen for parts of a product that must not sag or distort.
The usual yarns are polyester and nylon, with viscose blends and a smaller share of cotton blends.
The machine type goes back to the nineteenth century, when it appeared as a cheaper way to produce lace, and it was named after the French actress Rachel. That origin still shows: lace and trimmings remain the largest outlet for raschel machines.
The building block: pillar stitch plus inlay
Most raschel fabrics rest on one simple combination. The front guide bar knits pillar stitches, which are chains of loops running straight down the fabric. On their own these chains are only separate cords lying side by side. A second yarn system, the inlay, is laid across between the chains and caught by them without forming loops of its own.
That crosswise yarn is what turns a row of cords into a fabric. Where and how often it connects neighbouring chains decides whether you get a tight ground or a mesh. Once you can see the pillars and the inlay in a swatch, you can read most of what the machine was doing.
How the machine shapes raschel knit
Four machine-side choices explain why two fabrics both sold as raschel knit can behave nothing alike.
Guide bar count
Raschel machines carry more guide bars than tricot machines. Each bar holds its own set of yarns and makes its own movement, so more bars mean more independent yarn systems in one fabric: a ground plus one or several pattern layers. This is the mechanical reason lace is the largest outlet for the machine. Our guide to raschel machine selection by needle bars, guide bars and gauge covers how that choice is made on the equipment side.
Threading
A guide bar does not have to carry a yarn in every guide. Leaving guides empty in a planned sequence, known as partial threading, removes connections at those points and opens holes in the fabric. Full threading closes the structure. The same machine can therefore move from a closed fabric to an openwork one by re-threading, without changing its hardware.
Pillar and inlay arrangement
The pillars fix the lengthwise lines. The inlay path fixes how those lines are tied: which chains it joins and at which courses. Changing that path changes the shape of the opening and how firmly the ground is held.
Gauge
Raschel machines suit coarser gauges. A coarser gauge means wider spacing between needles, heavier yarns and a structure you can see with the naked eye, which fits open pillar-and-inlay designs. It also explains why a typical raschel fabric looks more textured than a fine, smooth warp knit.
| Machine-side choice | What it changes | What you see in the fabric |
|---|---|---|
| Guide bar count | Number of independent yarn systems | Plain ground only, or ground with pattern layers such as lace |
| Threading (full or partial) | Where connections exist between wales | Closed cloth, or regular openings and mesh |
| Pillar and inlay arrangement | How the lengthwise chains are tied together | Shape of the mesh and firmness of the ground |
| Gauge | Needle spacing and usable yarn thickness | Fine and smooth, or coarse and visibly structured |
How to tell raschel knit from tricot in the hand
Both are warp knits, so neither unravels like a hand-knitted jersey, and a quick look can confuse them. Work through the swatch in this order, ideally with a pick glass:
- Find the lengthwise chains. In a pillar-and-inlay raschel fabric you can follow individual chains of loops running straight down the piece.
- Look for yarns that cross without looping. Laid-in yarns sit between the chains and are trapped by them. They look like straight or zigzag threads, not loops.
- Check the openings. Holes that repeat in a regular pattern and have clean, knitted edges point to partial threading.
- Handle it. Raschel knit feels firm and holds its shape when you pull it and let go.
If you can see distinct chains tied by laid-in yarns, with regular openings and a visibly coarse structure, then you are almost certainly holding a raschel knit. If you need an open net or mesh, then ask for a partly threaded pillar-and-inlay construction. If you need patterned lace, then guide bar count is the first machine figure to check. If you want a soft, stretchy next-to-skin fabric, then raschel knit is not the starting point.
This hand check is a screening method, not proof. It applies to the pillar-and-inlay family that most raschel fabrics are built on; a fine, fully threaded fabric can be hard to separate from tricot without a proper structure analysis. For the equipment differences behind the two fabric types, see warp knitting machine types compared.
Where raschel knit is used
Lace and trimmings come first. After that, the fabric appears in garment accessories, curtains and other home textiles, and in technical applications where an open but stable structure is useful. The common thread is the property described at the start: the fabric stays where it is put.
Raschel knit is one member of a larger group. If you are comparing it with other constructions, our overview of warp knit fabric types and the machines that make them places it next to its relatives.
What to ask before you specify a raschel knit
The name alone tells you very little, so a swatch and a fabric name are not enough to reorder the same thing from a different mill. Ask for the construction in machine terms:
- How many guide bars are used, and which ones knit and which ones lay in.
- The threading of each bar: full, or the exact sequence of threaded and empty guides.
- The gauge of the machine.
- The yarn in each bar, since the pillar yarn and the inlay yarn are often different.
A threading diagram answers more questions than a photograph. With those four items on paper, a technician can judge whether a sample can be reproduced, and on what class of machine. The machine families themselves are presented on GrandStar’s main site.
If you are trying to match an existing raschel fabric or decide which construction fits a new product, send us the swatch details and we will help you read it from the machine side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is raschel knit fabric?
It is a warp-knitted cloth: yarns run lengthwise, loop into chains, and laid-in threads tie those chains sideways. The result holds its shape and can be made open like a net or closed and firm.
Is raschel knit stretchy?
Less than a jersey. It is positioned as a crisp, shape-holding material, and dimensional stability is its main strength. If softness and easy give are the priority, look at other constructions.
What is the difference between raschel and tricot?
Both are warp knits. The first type of machine carries more guide bars and suits coarser gauges, pillar-and-inlay structures and partly threaded open designs, which is why nets and lace come from it.
What is raschel knit used for?
Lace and trimmings are the largest outlet, followed by curtains, home textiles, garment accessories and technical applications. Polyester and nylon are the usual yarns, with viscose and some cotton blends.
Why is it called raschel?
The machine appeared in the nineteenth century as a cheaper way to produce lace and was named after the French actress Rachel.
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Solving complex challenges with precision and creativity in the warp knitting industry. Passionate about advancing textile engineering and turning innovative ideas into reality. Shaping the future of warp knitting.
