I Want My Baby Rib, Baby Rib

A couple months ago, I wrote about the wonders of polyester t-shirts in order to give you loyal blog readers a better sense of the fabric and why we love it. Well I’m back to drop some more knowledge on you. And even though this one goes out to the ladies, as this fabric is used in primarily for women’s styles, you guys are always welcome. Let’s explore the world of….Baby Rib Knit.

First, it’s important to know about the other, more common, knit that is used to make many basic t-shirt styles – the “jersey” knit. Jersey knit has a very flat surface (a result of how it’s knitted) making it ideal for screen printing and giving it just a little stretch. Some examples of jersey knit would be the American Apparel Jersey T or the Anvil Ladies Jersey T.

A “rib” knit (or “baby rib”), on the other hand, has a LOT of stretch which makes it a popular fabric used in many ladies and girly styles. It is called rib knit because of its ribbed texture – it looks like there is a gap between each rib row – that can be seen easily. (See the close-up photo of the fabric above.)

Now some fun facts about baby rib:

Comfortably stretches without compromising the original shape of the shirt. This makes it a popular choice for finishing sleeves and necklines.
Easily hugs the body and can result in a more feminine look which is why it’s used in a lot of ladies shirt styles.
Can offer a more high-end retail look for those customers looking for something more than a basic tee.
1×1 rib knits work fine for screen printing as the surface is still rather smooth and the space between the ribbing can stretch without disrupting the print area.

So now that you are well-versed in the ways of Baby Rib, here are a few styles that illustrate its awesomeness!