What is 2x2 Rib Knit?

2x2 rib knit is a knitted fabric in which two knit and two purl wales alternate across the width; it is knitted on a double-bed machine (Dönmez, 2008). Turkish suppliers call it kaşkorse. It belongs to the same family as 1x1 rib, which the Turkish market calls ribana, but it is not a synonym: kaşkorse has wider ribs. The same word also appears in the Turkish Language Association (TDK) dictionary as the name of a garment.

What does kaşkorse mean?

The word has two separate meanings:

• Fabric (trade usage): 2x2 rib knit. Dönmez (2008) separates the most-used rib knits in the market into 1x1 rib, known as “ribana”, and 2x2 rib, known as “kaşkorse”. Karcem describes kaşkorse as a “wide-ribbed, elastic ribana variant” (our translation from the Turkish).
• Garment (TDK): “a thin women’s undershirt worn next to the skin” (our translation). TDK says the word comes from the French cache-corset; the dictionary gives no fabric meaning.

This entry covers the fabric.

2x2 rib knit structure

Rib knits are written as m×n, where m is the number of needles working in the front bed and n the number in the back bed in one knitting repeat. In a balanced structure where m = n, both faces look the same and the edge does not curl (Dönmez, 2008). CottonWorks describes 2x2 rib as two knit stitches on the cylinder alternating with two on the dial. At rest only knit stitches are visible on both faces; when the fabric is stretched crosswise, the purl stitches appear (Dönmez, 2008). Because of the rib structure the fabric narrows crosswise when it leaves the machine (Çeken, 2008, cited in Dönmez, 2008).

Stretch and thickness

Lengthwise stretch of rib knits is about the same as plain knit; crosswise, stretch of up to 140% relative to the relaxed state can occur (Dönmez, 2008). CottonWorks says rib stretches crosswise to twice that of single jersey. As the number of adjacent stitches of the same type increases, for example from 2x1 to 3x3 and 6x3 rib, stretch decreases (Dönmez, 2008). According to NPTEL, 3x3 rib is thicker than 2x2 rib because wide wale strips curl more. No directly measured stretch comparison between 1x1 and 2x2 rib was found in the sources; ask the supplier for stretch and recovery as measured values.

2x2 rib (kaşkorse) vs 1x1 rib (ribana)

The Karcem descriptions are our translation from the Turkish. For ribana see the rib knit entry. The weight claims belong to a single manufacturer; there is no standard range. If a supplier quotes ounces, multiply oz/yd² by about 33.9 to get g/m².

Uses

Karcem lists kaşkorse for bodysuits and dresses. CottonWorks lists ribs in general as structures used in dresses and sweaters and in collar, wrist and waistband trims. For a comparison of fabric groups see the fabric types guide.

What to specify when sourcing 2x2 rib

1. Write the structure as well: kaşkorse is a market name; put “2x2 rib” in the order too.
2. Look at recovery: recovery after stretching matters as much as the stretch itself (Cingü, 2022). Ask for the permanent elongation value and the elastane content.
3. Ask for measurements with their condition: because rib narrows when it leaves the machine, have the state (greige, finished or relaxed) in which width and weight were measured written down.
4. Ask for post-wash size on 2x2 rib: width and length change to ISO 5077, from a sample washed and dried with ISO 6330 procedures.

Frequently asked questions

Are kaşkorse and ribana the same? In trade usage, no: ribana is 1x1 rib and kaşkorse is 2x2 rib (Dönmez, 2008). Both belong to the rib family.

Does kaşkorse stretch? Yes. In rib knits crosswise stretch can reach 140% relative to the relaxed state (Dönmez, 2008); the stretch varies with wale width.