Tirupur, situated in Tamil Nadu (India), accounts for 90% of cotton knitwear exports from India. Of these, knitted shirts also form a considerable share. Knitted shirts are available in a wide range of colors, sizes, and fabrics.

Knitted shirts are made from a single fabric, or with a blend of two or more fabrics. They also have different textures depending on the type of knitting pattern used. Women's knitted shirts are available in various knit fabrics like jersey, herringbone, waffle, interlock, jacquard, ribbed knit etc. They are durable, and easy to maintain.

Materials Used
Knitted shirts are made from a wide range of materials. Some of them are listed below:

• Rayon
• Polyester
• Cotton
• Velvet
• Spandex
• Silk
• Viscose
• Lurex
• Fleece
• Bamboo fabric

Design and Style
Mens knitted shirts vary in fabric, cut, and style. These shirts are available in different colors ranging from bold hues to pastel tones. Knitted shirts can be broadly classified in terms of the following aspects.

Sleeve: Knitted shirts may have elasticized or buttoned sleeves with/without cuffs. Sleeves may vary in length as follows:

• Half sleeves/short sleeves
• Three-quarter sleeves
• Long sleeves/full sleeves

Neckline: The necklines in knitted shirts may be of various designs like:

• V neck
• Scoop neck
• Collared neck
• Round neck
• Turtleneck
• Square neck

Collars: Knit dress shirts may have straight, pointed collars, those which require to be buttoned down, or collare with rounded edges. Some are fancy collars, embroidered with floral or scalloped patterns. In some cases, collars are lined with a gusset to provide stiffness. Sometimes collars may be of a different fabric than the rest of the shirt.

Buttons: Buttons used in knit shirts are made of various materials like metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, mother of pearl, and wood. There may be two or four drilled holes on buttons. Other buttons include snap buttons, or those with self shanks, or metal/plastic/leather shanks under them to facilitate sewing. The cuffs of knitted shirts may have one or more buttons in them. Buttons are available in different sizes and colors. Buttons may be of different kinds, such as:

• Metal-rimmed plastic buttons
• Buttons with vintage/antique finish
• Buttons in bold, bright colors, printed patterns
• Buttons of different shapes (square, round, floral, heart, rhombic, prism)

Pocket: Pockets may or may not be present in women's knit shirts. However, they are added to enhance the utility and visual appeal of knit shirts. On shirts, there may be one or two breast pockets. Popular pocket styles include:

• Scoop pocket
• Flapped pocket
• Buttoned pocket
• Zippered pocket
• Seamless pocket
• Pocket with velcro closure
• Pocket with snap closure

Knitted shirts are embellished with beads, sequins or embroidery to enhance their look. They have different prints and patterns (like floral or traditional motifs, checkered or striped patterns etc.) on them. Manufacturers offer custom-made knit shirts in all sizes and designs, according to buyers' specifications including custom printed logos, labels, embroidery and choice of colors.

Buying Tips
Consider the following before you make a bulk purchase of knit shirts:

• Collars and cuffs should be flat and smooth, without wrinkles or abrasions.
• Sleeves should be set smoothly, without puckers or gathers.
• Pockets should have no loose threads or broken stitches.
• Buttons should be stitched firmly in place, corresponding to their respective buttonholes.
• Stitching should be smooth and even, without any broken stitches.
• Thread should blend or match with shirt fabric and thread ends should be clipped.
• Care labels should be sewn in.
• The color should not be even throughout, and not faded in places.