These machines were invented in 1775 after 200 years of invention of weft knit machines. In this each needle loops its own thread. Loops are formed in a vertical, or warp wise, direction. The needles produce parallel rows of loops simultaneously that are interlocked in a zigzag pattern. Each needle in the knitting width has one yarn fed in direction of fabric formation. Guide bars help in feeding the yarn to the needles. Continuous filament yarns are used in the warp knits and it is the fastest method of knit fabric production. Fabrics can be made to resemble the wovens. Loops on the face of the fabric appear vertically, but at a slight angle; and the stitches on the back appear horizontally as floats at a slight angle. These floats are called laps or underlaps and are a distinguishing identification of warp knits.
Warp knits are classified, according to the type of equipment used and the special characteristics of the resulting fabrics, as tricot, raschel, Milanese, and simplex.
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