Piquet: features, types and applications

Each fabric material has its own unique history, sometimes going far into the past. Remember silk or cashmere - fabrics with a unique finest structure, the recipe for the manufacture of which did not come to us after one hundred years. But what if we think about more modern types of fabric? Today we’ll talk about fabric with the fancy name “pique”, plunge into an interesting history of the origin of this material, consider the types and scope of its application.

Pique, or as some are used to call it, “lacoste” (from the name of the fashion house), appeared on the world market at the beginning of the last century. Sportswear at that time was made of flannel, which in its original form was not always convenient and fettering fast-moving material. Pique jersey was designed by French tennis player Rene Lacostewho is better known as the man who invented the famous polo shirt.

The very first day a tennis player appeared in this shirt (from previously unknown material) at one of the tournaments made an indelible impression on the public. Today, each of us has heard about the Lacoste fashion house, whose original polo shirts are recognizable all over the world.

Pique is a jersey in the form of a fabric cotton fabric with a unique pattern and structure. In appearance, the structure of the piqué fabric is somewhat reminiscent of the famous waffle towels, however, the pattern may vary significantly. The peculiarity of sewing such a fabric lies in the manufacturing structure itself. So, you can often find patterns in the form of honeycombs, squares and diamond-shaped elements - there are no even lines in the peak texture.To some extent, the popularity of the pique fabric came precisely due to the original texture - on the one hand, clothes and other accessories from this material look solid and simple at the same time, and on the other, attractive and fashionable.

As we already wrote, a pique is a jersey in the form of a fabric cotton cloth. The manufacture of such a fabric is characterized by a specific and rather complex weave. The material is based on two weft and transverse warp threads, which is why models of this type are called quilted. Here you can also recall the origin of the word "pique", which came to us from the French language (piquer), which actually means "sew, fasten matter."

If we talk about the composition of the pique fabric, then the original fabric was 100% cottonHowever, today it is often possible to meet only a 50% cotton ratio in models, and even this is already considered the norm. There are, of course, more radical manufacturers who bring this indicator to the minimum values ​​(20-30%), thereby reducing the overall value of the fabric. It is also worth mentioning about other materials and fibers, which can often be found in knitwear peak. These are cotton, wool, half-woolen fabrics, silk, elastane and some others. The addition of the above fibers and fabrics allowed the peak to gain popularity, but the uniqueness of this fabric became less and less appreciated, and gradually the material is lost in its original form.

Of course, pique fabric is famous not only for its pleasant appearance and rich history. Many fashion houses choose it for sewing clothes precisely because of the unique characteristics of this material.

• Flexibility and stability. The most obvious advantage of such a fabric is that it does not crease as much as, for example, most natural and some synthetic materials. The advantage is very serious and makes tangible competition to many modern types of fabric.
• Hygroscopicity. Another serious plus of the pique fabric is that it absorbs moisture remarkably and, unlike synthetics, allows air to pass through. The first of these features allowed the peak to enter the market of bath accessories - they began to make excellent towels and bathrobes from the material. The second feature finally brought the fabric to a large market - because we all are looking for not only beautiful, but also breathable casual clothes.
• Strength. Everyone knows how fragile natural fabrics are - especially for silk, wool, microfiber. Due to the special manufacturing structure and the possibility of adding synthetics and other fibers there, it can last for many years.

• Autonomy. If other types of fabric need constant care: washing, ironing at certain temperatures, then the peak almost does not need care. In the end, this knitwear, which was, will be and remains the most unpretentious material.
• Resistant to sunlight. If most materials lose their color characteristics over time, then things from the peak for many years remain as saturated and vibrant.
• Cleanliness and health. Since most of the pique fabrics are 100% natural cotton, the likelihood that it will provoke an allergic reaction or otherwise affect your skin is minimal. This item will certainly not be the last in importance among the advantages of fabric.

When it comes to varieties of pique fabric, it is worthwhile to understand that they were formed thanks to a ten-year adoption of the experience of its manufacture.As we recall from what was written above, initially the peak was 100% cotton. Rene Lacoste took care of the quality of his products, because he had to wear it himself. The result was a real work of art - the fabric breathed, perfectly absorbed moisture, and did not hinder movement.

Over time, manufacturers who successfully adopted the technology for the production of polo shirts began to “hack” with the cotton content in a unit of clothing (after all, high-quality natural material is very expensive), which led to an increase in the content of synthetic elements in the peak. The result is predictable - a decrease in quality and the appearance of cheaper varieties of pique knitwear.

Consider the traditional types of material below.

• Knitted pique or original french. It is this material that underlies the manufacture of already known polo shirts.
• Children's pique. Warm, compacted cotton version of the fabric with not particularly noticeable fleece. This type is also used in the manufacture of the most delicate bedding and the thinnest bedspreads. This variety is distinguished by the highest content of cotton, which makes it not only the most pleasant, but also the most expensive.
• The so-called pique of boomasea or fabric with a dense fleece on the wrong side of the canvas. This variant of pique fabric is sometimes used for sewing clothes, upholstery, production of plaids and warm bedspreads.

Some distinguish several more varieties of pique fabric, but already depending on the density of weaving and appearance, these are:

• unbleached;
• monophonic;
• multi-colored.

Perhaps the history of pique fabric did not seem as exciting to you as the history of the appearance of the same silk, but after reading this article you will understand that at the moment this fabric has gone far beyond the tennis court and has infiltrated into all areas of the modern textile society. So, today we can meet the elements of pique fabric in the following types of clothing and other household accessories.

• Clothes for going out and for every day. First of all, this applies to shirts, t-shirts, business suits.
• Elements of home bath accessories: bathrobes, towels.
• Options for everyday warm clothing in the form of trowels and hoodies.
• Children's clothing: overalls, T-shirts, tights, hats.
• Some varieties of pique fabrics can be found on the market in the form of bedspreads, rugs, even kitchen decorative napkins. This also applies to insulated bedding options. Here it is worth noting the great popularity of mattresses of varying degrees of stiffness, which are based on just pique fabric.
• The last and less common use case for this fabric in decorative items of clothing is various stripes, patterns, and the like.

The modern world of fabrics does not stand still and offers us a great variety of different fabrics. Some of them are scripts that have preserved all the good from their predecessors. Such models cost a lot, but also serve for a long time, do not lose color at the first wash. Other models, albeit sometimes successful, but still fakes, and fakes at the peak are no exception. Let's look at the signs by which you can determine the authenticity of a pique knitwear.

• The first surest sign of pique is a flexible structure. Just pick up the material (clothes, towel or plaid) and try pulling it. If the material lends itself to slight stretching and immediately assumes its original shape, this is just the pique knitwear.
• The second sign is the unique peak texture. Any clothing of this type has a certain patterned pattern, which can sometimes be confused with the texture of wafer towels.
• The third and less distinctive feature of this fabric is color saturation. If you look at the material from afar, it seems very rich and vibrant. However, if you look closely, you can note a slight color blur and pastel colors.

When choosing a fabric, everything as a whole depends on why you need this or that item. If this is sports, then it is worth choosing a thinner fabric with a high cotton content, if we are talking about clothing for the cold season, then you need to take care of more stringent options for insulation and fleece. However, there are several key indicators by which you can choose a high-quality version of pique knitwear.

• The main condition is natural cotton at the base of the canvas with a percentage of at least 50%. If there is less cotton, the fabric will be stiff, it will not breathe and stretch so well. At the same time, if there is more cotton, clothes with improper care can soon lose their appearance, but it will be better to absorb moisture and breathe.
• Adding synthetic fabrics to the fabric, for example, of the same nylon will give the fabric more flexibility and strength. Consequently, it will keep clothes for a longer time. In addition, synthetics greatly reduce the likelihood of damage to clothing during effective washing and high temperatures. Not to mention the fact that models with synthetics are much cheaper.
• Initially, carefully refer to the labels and tags on the canvas, some models may require very careful care.
• If you need warmer, thicker clothes and materials, you should take options containing wool fibers.

As we already wrote, piquet is an absolutely unpretentious fabric, however, like any knitwear, it has its own minimum care rules, following which you will keep your clothes beautiful, smooth and well-groomed for a long time.

So it is accepted that the main way to care for clothes or household cloth materials is to wash them, so the main part of the tips will concern just the right washing.

• Don't be afraid to put even 100% cotton pique knitwear in your washing machine. Due to the tight weave, the material is able to withstand heavy loads and at the same time not lose its properties. Also, do not follow the line of detergents for gentle washing - the peak is perfectly washed with ordinary synthetic detergents.
• As for the washing temperature, everything is very simple here - the optimal mode for this fabric, like for many others, is 40 degrees.
• If you prefer starchy clothes, then the latter should be carried out with the fabric after washing itself (this primarily applies to hard types of fabrics).

• If you urgently need clothes or linen, and usually this means ironing with an iron, then you should carefully consider the composition of the material. Typically, the label (in shirts and polo shirts) indicates both the percentage of cotton in the material and the recommended temperature and ironing conditions. The clothes are ironed turned inside out and slightly moistened. However, again, we note that pique is a material that practically does not crease, and if you have extra time to let the material dry, it will be better to just wait than expose it to excessive heat treatment.
• Heavily stained stains on clothing are also not a problem for pique fabrics. It will tolerate the use of almost any stain remover, however, without chlorine in the composition. This element is too aggressive and can significantly damage the base of the fabric.
• There is no need to worry about drying clothes, it can be either a machine version or a traditional one.

Let us dwell on a few small tricks that will help to preserve the appearance of clothing for a long time.

• As a rule, in the original polo shirts near the collars there are special fixing elements (or stickers) that allow you to avoid unwanted deformation of the fabric when washing.
• If we are talking about polo shirts with buttons or additional inserts and patterns on clothes, it is recommended to wash clothes by turning them inside out and buttoning all the buttons. So you will save not only the integrity of the model, but also permanently save the drum of your washing machine.
• If you do not trust purchased solutions for starching, then you can easily prepare such a composition yourself. For this, two tablespoons of starch and three liters of water will come in handy. Immediately after washing, clothes or linen are placed in hot water with a pre-mixed solution of starch. Then the clothes are gently wrung out and dried. Of course, there are special solutions in aerosols, they are more convenient to use and not particularly expensive.

In the next video you will find a review of cotton pique with a bright print.