When you go to a clothing store, do you notice the difference between shirts and T-shirts? When you touch them, you might feel that T-shirts are softer than shirts while shirts look more in shape, even when their material are both 100% cotton. The differences are mainly due to the fabric types they use: shirts are made from woven fabrics while T-shirts from knitting fabrics.
Woven Fabric
Structure: Multiple yarns comprise a woven fabric, crossing each other at right angles to form the grain. See the figure for an example.
Features: More in shape with dimensional stability;
Applications: Shirts, Pants, Jackets, Bags, Tablecloth etc.;
Knitting Fabric
Structure: A knit fabric is made up of a single yarn, looped continuously to produce a braided look.The figure shows the example.
Features: High elasticity & soft.
Applications: T-shirts, Polo shirt, Sweater, Swimsuit, Socks, Scarf