What is Circular Knitting Machine? The Backbone of Modern Textile Fabric Production
Behind every soft, stretchable, and comfortable garment we wear — from daily T‑shirts, sportswear, hoodies, to intimate apparel — there is one powerful textile hero: the Circular Knitting Machine.
If you are in the fabric and garment industry, you must know how critical this machine is to modern textile manufacturing. Today, let’s make a simple and clear introduction to what a circular knitting machine is and why it dominates the global knitted fabric market.
What Is a Circular Knitting Machine?
A circular knitting machine, also known as a circular Weft Knitting machine, is a professional textile device that continuously knits yarns into tubular knitted fabrics through high‑speed circular rotation. Unlike flat knitting machines that work back and forth, circular knitting machines operate in a continuous circular motion, deliveringhigher speed, smoother fabric texture, and larger daily output.
With precise needle cylinders, triangle systems, yarn feeding systems and fabric rolling devices, the machine forms uniform stitch loops row by row, turning raw yarn into complete, stable, high-quality knitted fabric.
Two Main Types You Must Know
Circular knitting machines are mainly divided into Single Jersey and Double Jersey models, covering almost all common knitted fabrics on the market.
1. Single Jersey Circular Knitting Machine
Equipped with one needle cylinder, single jersey machines produce lightweight, breathable, and soft fabrics. It is the most widely used textile machine in the apparel industry.
Applicable fabrics: T-shirt jersey, pique mesh, French terry, sportswear mesh, casual daily fabrics
Features: Light texture, good air permeability, high cost performance, flexible production
2. Double Jersey Circular Knitting Machine
With double needle cylinder structure, double jersey machines create thicker, firmer, and more three-dimensional fabrics with excellent elasticity and shape retention.
Applicable fabrics: high-density fashion fabrics, thick sportswear, coat fabrics, stable structured textiles
Features: compact stitch, not easy to deform, strong and durable, high fabric grade
Why Are Circular Knitting Machines So Popular?
In today’s fast fashion and mass production era, circular knitting machines have become the first choice for textile factories worldwide for three core reasons:
Continuous circular operation greatly improves production speed, helping factories complete large orders in a short time.
Precise mechanical control ensures uniform stitch density, smooth fabric surface, and fewer defects.
It works perfectly with cotton, polyester, spandex, blended yarns and various new textile materials, meeting diverse garment production needs.
Leadsfon Upgrade: Smarter, Faster, More Stable
Traditional circular knitting machines often face problems such as slow speed, uneven yarn feeding, easy fabric flaws, and high maintenance costs.
Leadsfon upgraded circular knitting machines solve these pain points perfectly. With patented new yarn feeder system, high-speed operation structure, optimized mechanical design, our machines deliver:
From single jersey, double jersey, auto-striper jacquard to high-speed special models, Leadsfon provides full-series circular knitting machines for all textile factory production demands.