PURPOSE: To obtain a stretchable complex yarn, having a warp knit structure, excellent in physical properties such as abrasion durability, and suitable as a material for stretchable fabrics by inserting a stretchable yarn into a chain knit yarn consisting of an unstretchable yarn.

CONSTITUTION: This stretchable complex yarn 1 is obtained by knitting a warp knit yarn 3 by feeding an unstretchable continuous filament yarn such as nylon or polyester into the front side of a double needle type raschel knitting machine and at the same time feeding a stretchable yarn such as spandex as an inserting yarn 2 into the back side. The stretchable complex yarn l is also obtained by doubling a spandex yarn in the relaxed state with an unstretchable water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol yarn as the above-mentioned inserting yarn 2. In both cases a woven or a knitted fabric having the stretchability is obtained by forming a woven or a knitted fabric by using the above complex yarn 1 and then by applying usual dyeing and finishing treatments to the fabric, since in the latter case the water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol yarn contained in the inserting yarn 2 is removed by dissolution during the scouring and dyeing process.