What is Piqué?

Piqué is a knitted fabric in which plain knit stitches and tuck stitches are knitted together, giving the surface a honeycomb-like texture with small holes. According to CottonWorks, piqués are common in knit polo shirts and are a favored structure in activewear. Like single jersey it is a single-bed knit, but its surface is textured rather than smooth. Turkish suppliers call it pike or lakost.

Piqué fabric structure

Piqué is a structure that combines plain and tuck stitches (CottonWorks, Textile Encyclopedia). In a tuck the needle takes a new yarn without dropping the old loop (Dönmez, 2008). A structure made of tuck stitches alone is both wider and thicker than one without tucks (NPTEL, Module 2). Tucks widen the fabric and increase crosswise stretch, while shortening it and reducing lengthwise stretch (Dias, 2003, cited in Dönmez, 2008). The look that distinguishes piqué, a “visible micro-mesh structure” (CottonWorks), comes from honeycomb-like cells that the loop and tuck movements open on the surface (Fersan; Karcem). CottonWorks lists piqué among single-bed fabrics.

Single, double and six-feed piqué

• Single piqué: One repeat needs four feeds. It is the most productive piqué to knit, so it makes up the majority of piqués on the market (CottonWorks).
• Double piqué: Also four feeds, but the needles take yarn on two feeds before releasing their loops, and the held yarns make the fabric thicker than single piqué. With no plain-knit feed at all, it is the slowest piqué to knit (CottonWorks).
• Six-feed piqué: One repeat needs six feeds; the tuck stitches are stacked to form more pronounced piqué cells. It is more textured and more stable than double piqué (CottonWorks).

Turkish academic texts use the names tek toplama pike and çift toplama pike. Candan, İridağ and Nergis (2001) compared these two structures and found the tek toplama (single) one more dimensionally stable than the çift toplama (double) one (Candan et al., 2001; Dönmez, 2008). Their English abstract calls the structures single piqué and double piqué; however, the sources do not show that their knitting reports are identical to CottonWorks’ single and double piqué. Confirm the structure on a sample when ordering.

Piqué, lakost and Lacoste

In Turkey, piqué is also called lakost: one supplier uses “lakost” and “polyester lakost” for polo and corporate wear (Altunkaya), and another names its fabric line “Pike / Lacoste” (Karcem). Turkish academic writing also uses “lacoste type structures” (Candan et al., 2001) and “lakost kumaş” (Dönmez, 2008). Lacoste itself is a brand: René Lacoste founded it with André Gillier in 1933, and according to the brand’s corporate site the polo shirt it put on the courts that year was made of “petit piqué” cotton. The name of the fabric is piqué. In an order, write the structure (single or double piqué), the fiber composition and the weight instead of a brand name or a trade nickname.

Piqué weight (GSM)

There is no standard weight range for piqué. Karcem quotes 180–240 g/m² for cotton-polyester piqué and Altunkaya 190–240 g/m² for polo and corporate wear; for polyester piqué Fersan declares 150–280 g/m² (160–290 g/m² for the elastane type). A measured comparison:

The ranges vary with the yarn feed amount and the yarn twist factor (Candan, İridağ and Nergis, 2001; cited in Dönmez, 2008, Table 1.2). In the same study single piqué came out lighter than double piqué regardless of yarn type. For conversion, 1 oz/yd² ≈ 33.9 g/m².

Uses

Piqué is used in polo shirts and corporate wear (Karcem), and also in sportswear, promotional products and uniforms (Fersan). CottonWorks presents the micro-mesh structure as what makes piqué a good fabrication for warm climates. The choice among single jersey, piqué, interlock and rib for T-shirts is covered in T-shirt fabric types.

Not to be confused with

• Piqué in Turkish home textiles: The Turkish Language Association (TDK) dictionary defines pike as an embossed cotton fabric and the bedspread made from it. This entry covers the knitted piqué; a bedspread is a separate product.
• Lakost and Lacoste: Lakost is a Turkish trade name; Lacoste is a brand name.
• Single jersey: Single jersey is a plain knit; one face shows V-shaped loops and the other shows loop rows (Dönmez, 2008). Piqué has a surface texture formed by tuck stitches; in the Candan et al. study, piqué samples knitted from the same yarn came out heavier than single jersey (table above).

What to specify when sourcing piqué

1. State the structure: single or double piqué, the fiber composition (as a percentage), the yarn and the weight.
2. Check dimensional stability: in one study single piqué was more stable than double piqué (Candan et al., 2001); still, have the dimensional change after washing measured for each fabric by ISO 5077 (to ISO 6330 procedures).
3. Ask for the weight with its condition: greige, finished or relaxed.
4. Ask for a sample: the name “lakost” can cover different structures from one supplier to another; check the texture and thickness by hand.