What is a "Fully Fashioned" Garment?

When it comes to the world of knitwear, there are two basic types of manufacturing method: Cut and Sew; and Fully Fashioned.

These processes determine how the garments are put together - as well as how much fabric wastage there is.

Cut ✂️ and Sew 🪡 garments are made by placing pattern sections on a flat piece of fabric, then - as the name suggests - cutting out each section & stitching them together to create the garment. This method requires less equipment & is less labour-intensive, but has a certain amount of fabric wastage. Despite this, it is the more economic method, as it allows the manufacturer to buy fabric in bulk & run fewer types of machines.

Fully Fashioned garments are made with individually-knitted pattern pieces that are then sewn together. A knitting machine knits each pattern piece into shape before they're sewn together - and because each pattern section is essentially a finished piece of knitting, the stitched seams are neater & less bulky. This is in contrast to Cut & Sew knitwear, where each pattern piece has a raw edge where it has been cut; this needs to be sealed so it doesn't unravel!

So which is better?

Neither - and both! A Cut and Sew knit will likely be more budget-friendly, but that doesn't mean it's a bad garment - similarly, you might absolutely hate a style even though it's Fully Fashioned! Think of it like pasta - whether boxed or fresh, it's all delicious 😋