Waffle Weave
Construction — one of 70 in the glossary
A structure, also called honeycomb, in which the yarns are arranged so that the fabric forms a grid of recessed squares with raised borders. The three-dimensional surface holds far more air and water than a flat cloth of the same weight, which is why it is used both for thermal underwear, where it traps warmth, and for towels, where it absorbs.
Recesses and ridges
In a waffle weave, floats of yarn on the surface are arranged so that the cloth pulls into a regular grid of small hollows bordered by raised ridges.
The result is a fabric with real depth rather than a flat plane, and with far more surface area than its weight suggests.
It can be woven or knitted; thermal underwear is usually the knitted version.
Two uses, one mechanism
For thermals, the hollows trap air against the body, and trapped air is insulation. That is why waffle long johns are warm for their weight.
For towels and cloths, the same hollows hold water and the ridges do the wiping.
Both exploit the same property from opposite directions, which is why a single weave ends up in such different products.
Decorating it
A screen print sits on the ridges and skips the hollows, so solid areas come out broken and fine detail disappears.
Embroidery needs backing and can distort the structure if the stitching is dense.
On waffle garments the usual approach is a small print on a flat panel, a label, or no decoration at all.
Common questions
- What is waffle weave?
- A fabric structure, also called honeycomb, forming a grid of recessed squares with raised borders. The depth traps air and holds water far better than a flat cloth.
- Why is waffle fabric used for thermals?
- The hollows trap air against the body, and trapped air is what insulates. That makes waffle knit warm for its weight.
- Can you print on waffle fabric?
- Poorly. Ink sits on the raised ridges and skips the hollows, so solid areas break up and fine detail vanishes.
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