Baby Pique Knit
Fabric — one of 56 in the glossary
A finer version of pique, knit with a smaller repeat so the waffle texture is tighter and less pronounced. It feels lighter and dressier than standard pique and is common on women's and retail-oriented polos. Because the surface is flatter it takes a screen print or heat transfer far better than a coarse pique, though embroidery is still the safer default. If a customer wants a printed polo, a baby pique blank is usually the one to quote.
A finer waffle
Baby pique uses the same knit-and-tuck construction as standard pique with a smaller repeat, so the waffle texture is tighter and shallower.
The fabric reads lighter and dressier as a result, and the surface is noticeably flatter to the hand.
It is common on women's and retail-oriented polos, where a coarse pique would look workwear-ish.
Why it prints better than standard pique
Screen printing on pique fails because ink sits on the peaks of the texture and skips the valleys. A shallower texture means less of that.
Baby pique is not flat — a fine design will still soften — but it takes a screen print or a heat transfer far better than a coarse pique does.
If a customer insists on a printed polo rather than an embroidered one, a baby pique blank is usually the one to quote. Embroidery remains the safer default on any pique.
Common questions
- What is baby pique?
- A finer version of pique knit with a smaller repeat, so the waffle texture is tighter and shallower. It feels lighter and dressier than standard pique.
- Can you print on a baby pique polo?
- Better than on a coarse pique, because the shallower texture interrupts the ink less. Fine detail still softens, and embroidery is still the safer default.
- What is the difference between pique and baby pique?
- The size of the repeat. Baby pique's waffle is smaller and shallower, giving a flatter, lighter, dressier fabric.
See also
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