Fabric Definitions — definitions of fabrics, cloths, laces and textile materials from Apparel Search
A jersey is a piece of woolen or cotton clothing with sleeves, worn as a pullover — it does not open at the front as a cardigan does — usually close-fitting and machine knitted. Jersey is also the team shirt in sport, and jersey cloth is a soft, slightly elastic cloth made from wool, cotton or silk. The name derives from Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands.
A jersey is a piece of wollen or cotton clothing with sleeves worn as a pullover; this is to say, it does not open at the front as does a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machined knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit in a thicker cloth.
Alternatively, a jersey as used in sport is the name of a shirt worn by a member of a team, usually oversized, typically depicting the athlete's name and team number as well as the team's logotype or corporate sponsor. Notably, jerseys of specific color or pattern represent certain statuses in cycling - such as the yellow jersey of the leader of the Tour de France.
Jersey is also a soft, slightly elastic cloth made from wool, cotton or silk.
The name undoubtedly derives from Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands.
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One Knit Behind Three MeaningsThe three senses of jersey are one story. The island of Jersey gave its name to a knitted cloth; the cloth made a characteristic close-fitting pullover; the pullover, adopted by sports teams as a uniform shirt, became the sports jersey — keeping the name while changing the cut to the oversized team shirt with names, numbers and sponsors. The fabric sense remains the foundation: jersey cloth is a single-knit fabric, the same stockinette structure described under knitting, presenting smooth vertical wales on the face and horizontal courses on the back. That structure gives the slight natural elasticity, the soft drape and the tendency — familiar to anyone who has cut a T-shirt — for cut edges to curl toward the face. Weight and fiber divide its uses: fine cotton and silk jerseys for T-shirts, underwear and dresses that follow the body; wool jersey for smoother tailored knitwear; synthetic jerseys where stretch, moisture handling and printed team colors are required. Jersey, Guernsey and the Knitted Pullover FamilyThe definition draws one contrast worth keeping: jersey against guernsey. Both are Channel Island names attached to knitted pullovers, but the jersey garment is usually machine knitted, close-fitting and in a finer cloth, while the guernsey is more often hand knit in a thicker cloth — traditionally a hard-wearing fisherman sweater. Between them the two names map the pullover spectrum from fine to rugged. In modern retail language the fabric sense dominates: single jersey is the T-shirt cloth of the world, and double jersey — two jersey structures knitted together, often called interlock in cotton — gives a thicker, more stable, less curling version for polos, dresses and structured knitwear. Understanding jersey therefore starts with the knit: if the cloth is a soft, slightly elastic single knit, the garment names, the sports shirt and the island history all follow from it. Common QuestionsWhat is the difference between a jersey and a cardigan?The opening. A jersey is worn as a pullover and does not open at the front; a cardigan opens down the front and fastens. Both are knitted sleeved garments, but the pullover construction defines the jersey in its garment sense — close-fitting and usually machine knitted, in contrast to a guernsey, which is more often hand knit in a thicker cloth. Why do cycling leaders wear a yellow jersey?In cycling, jerseys of specific color or pattern represent certain statuses in a race — the definition names the yellow jersey of the leader of the Tour de France. The sports jersey more generally is the team shirt, usually oversized, depicting the athlete name and team number and the team logotype or sponsor. What is jersey fabric?A soft, slightly elastic knitted cloth made from wool, cotton or silk — and in modern production from synthetics and blends as well. Its elasticity comes from the knit structure itself rather than from added elastic fiber: interlocking loops yield and recover, which is why jersey cloth became the standard for T-shirts and close-fitting garments. More to ExploreMore from Apparel Search: Fabric Definitions | Clothing Industry Glossary | Fashion Terms | Apparel Search Home
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