The invention relates to a textile item of clothing equipped for ballistic protection. The textile item of clothing comprises a knitted fabric. Said knitted fabric has a plurality of differently protected zones. At least two different zones are interconnected without a seam. According to the invention, at least one first to zone is formed from a yarn that inhibits the penetration of fragments.

Aspects herein are directed to a bra having a front portion with a double-knit structure having different ratios of float stitches to tuck stitches within intermediate courses within the double-knit structure. The front portion includes a Y-shaped region and a first breast-contacting region, where intermediate courses have a greater ratio of float stitches to tuck stitches within the Y-shaped region than within the first breast-contacting region.

Described are shoes having an upper, and at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper. At least one of the outer sole and the midsole is formed of knitwear.

A flat knitting machine structure with an adjustable gap between two knock-over bits includes two needle beds and two cam systems. Each needle bed comprises a plurality of needles and a plurality of knock-over bits. Each needle comprises a butt. Each of the knock-over bits comprises a control butt. The two needle beds are disposed at interval so that the knock-over bits face each other to define a gap. The distance of the gap is equal to a space between two knock-over bits facing each other. Each cam system comprises a needle cam to provide the plurality of butts being placed and guide each needle to make a knitting stroke towards the gap, and a knock-over bit cam provides the control butts being placed. The knock-over bit cam is controlled to define a displacement stroke for driving the plurality of knock-over bits to change the size of the gap.

A method for knitting a three-dimensional fabric with variable thickness through a flat knitting machine includes the following steps: moving two cam groups and driving a plurality of knitting needles to knit a first piece of knitting by a starting cam system; moving the two cam groups and driving the plurality of knitting needles to knit a second piece of knitting by a middle cam system; and moving the two cam groups and driving the plurality of knitting needles to knit a supporting yarn by two tail cam systems respectively. The tail cam systems control each of a plurality of knock-over bit cams to move according to a gap size corresponding to a knitting length of the supporting yarn, so as to promptly change a thickness of the three-dimensional fabric along the length change of the supporting yarn.

A variable thickness knitted component including a first region having a spacer knit construction, the first region having a first thickness, and a second region having the spacer knit construction, the second region having a second thickness different than the first thickness. The knitted component may be an integral one-piece element.

Disclosed herein is aweft knit spacer fabric having variable thicknesses, the fabric formed from: a first surface layer formed from a first set of yarn; a second surface layer formed from a second set of yarn; and a set of spacer yarn between the first and second surface layer, where the fabric is formed from a plurality of courses of the sets of first, second and spacer yarns, where each course is connected to at least one other course in a wale direction, wherein the thickness is varied by varying one or both of: a density of tuck stitches along each course, where each tuck stitch is formed by the spacer yarn with the first and/or second surface layers; and a thickness of the set of spacer yarn in each course. The fabric is patterned to provide a free-standing 3-dimensional shape that has an internal volume defined by the surface of the first or second surface layer, and the first and second sets of yarns comprise an elastic material, provided that the fabric is a fabric that has not been subjected to a moulding step.

Disclosed herein is a weft knit spacer fabric (200) having variable thicknesses, comprising a first surface layer (210) formed from a first set of yarn (215); a second surface layer (220) formed from a second set of yarn (225); and a set of spacer yarn (230) between the first and second surface layers (210, 220), where the thickness is varied by varying in each course one or both of: the density of tuck stitches (235) formed by the set of spacer yarn (230) with the first and/or second surface layers (210, 220); and the thickness of the spacer yarn (230) in each course, provided that when the fabric (200) has a free-standing 3-dimensional shape, it is a moulded fabric.

Described are shoes having an upper, and at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper, with at least one of the outer sole and the midsole formed of knitwear. A shoe includes an upper and a midsole coupled to the upper. The midsole includes a textile material that forms a plurality of hollow spaces. A particle foam is disposed in the plurality of hollow spaces.

An article of footwear includes a knitted upper component including a heel reinforcement area and monofilament in the heel reinforcement area. The article of footwear also includes a thermoplastic polyurethane yarn stitched into the knitted upper component. The thermoplastic polyurethane yarn is fused with the knitted upper component at the heel reinforcement area. The article of footwear may include at least one of an outer sole and a midsole connected to the upper, with at least one of the outer sole and the midsole formed of knitwear.