Where does Waffle Knit come from?

Waffle Knit comes from the United Kingdom, Europe and North America, first documented in the 1800s.

Plate No. 159fabric

A grid of recessed cells that trap warm air.

First documented: 1800s
Origin: Europe and North America, United Kingdom
Fiber: cotton, wool
Weave: knit with a recessed three-dimensional grid
Family: knits

Plate No. 159 · fabric

Waffle Knit

Waffle knit, also called thermal or honeycomb, raises a three-dimensional grid of small recessed squares across the cloth, and those little pockets trap a layer of warm air against the skin. That makes it the classic fabric of thermal underwear, henley shirts, and waffle robes, warm for its weight and quick to dry. The same waffle structure is woven as well as knitted, and the name in both cases simply borrows the breakfast food's grid of square wells.

Named for

Named for its resemblance to a waffle, the grid of recessed square cells.

Also known as

honeycomb

Common questions

What is Waffle Knit made of?: Waffle knit, also called thermal or honeycomb, raises a three-dimensional grid of small recessed squares across the cloth, and those little pockets trap a layer of warm air against the skin. It is traditionally made of cotton or wool.
Where does Waffle Knit come from?: Waffle Knit comes from the United Kingdom, Europe and North America, first documented in the 1800s.
What is Waffle Knit named after?: Named for its resemblance to a waffle, the grid of recessed square cells.