ITY, Explained
ITY stands for interlock twist yarn: polyester yarns given a permanent twist before being knitted with spandex into a fabric that flows like liquid, recovers instantly and refuses to wrinkle. If you have ever worn a wrap dress that survived a suitcase, a workday and a dinner without a crease, it was probably ITY.
Why ITY behaves the way it does
The twist set into the yarn acts like millions of tiny springs: the fabric drapes heavily and slinkily (the twist adds weight and movement), bounces back from folding, and carries a soft matte sheen rather than a shine. The spandex content — usually around 5% — adds four-way stretch and the snap-back that keeps fitted styles smooth.
What ITY feels like
Cool, silky and fluid, with real weight for its thickness — it pours over the body and skims rather than clings. It is opaque in prints and most solids, resists static better than many polys, and feels dressier than its easy care suggests.
What to sew with ITY
- Wrap dresses — the signature use
- Maxi dresses and skirts
- Draped, cowl and gathered tops
- Travel capsule pieces of every kind
Sewing the slink takes the standard slippery-knit kit: cut single-layer with a rotary cutter and weights, use a fresh stretch needle (75/11), lightning or narrow zigzag stitch, and never pull the fabric through. Hems love a twin needle; a strip of wash-away stabilizer stops hem waves on the flowiest pieces.
ITY vs. DTY and other poly knits
DTY (drawn textured yarn) knits are ITY's cozier sibling — thicker, more matte, often brushed. Standard poly spandex jersey is lighter and less drapey. ITY's identity is the heavy slink plus wrinkle immunity; when a pattern says slinky knit, this is it.
ITY, measured
Live from 119 measured listings on our shelf. How we measure →
Common questions
What does ITY stand for?
Interlock twist yarn — the pre-twisted polyester yarn the fabric is knitted from. The twist is what gives ITY its drape, bounce and wrinkle resistance.
Is ITY good for wrap dresses?
It is THE wrap-dress fabric: heavy enough to hang beautifully, stretchy enough to tie close, and immune to the creasing a wrap style invites. Most ready-to-wear wraps are ITY.
Does ITY wrinkle or shrink?
Neither, meaningfully — the set twist springs out folds and polyester barely shrinks. Wash cool, hang or tumble low, wear straight from the suitcase.
