Knit fabric, particularly flat and three dimensional knit fabrics, are subject to extensive deformations during manufacture. Deformation results from tension along one or two axes, bending, strain, or compression. Hysteresis arises from internal friction within the yarn, reducing the elasticity of the knit fabric. A potential solution lies in pretensioning the material. Pretensioned fabrics include two layered knit structures with an uneven number of left and right loops and support stockings with linear elasticity. 5 refs.