How to Produce a Knitted Clothing?

Most knitted clothing is crafted from cotton and chemical fiber cotton yarn, providing softness, elasticity, breathability, sweat absorption, and comfort, suitable for sportswear and underwear. Knitted clothing shares common features with woven clothing, along with its distinct characteristics.

The production processes for knitted clothing encompass spinning, knitting, perching, tailoring, sewing, ironing, and inspection.

This article will introduce the spinning process of knitted clothing, particularly focusing on the processes under circular knitting machines and other related machinery.

Spinning:

Spinning is the process employed to wind cotton yarns onto package bobbins with specific structures and specifications, tailored for knitting production. Throughout the spinning process, efforts are made to eliminate any defects present in the yarns. Additionally, essential auxiliary processes, such as waxing and oiling, are implemented on cotton yarns to ensure even tension. These measures contribute to enhancing the knitting properties of the yarns, optimizing production efficiency, and elevating the overall quality of the end products.

Knitting:

Knitting is the process by which knitting machines weave yarn into coils, forming fabrics as the coils interloop with each other. This marks a fundamental distinction between knitted and woven clothing.

Knitting is categorized into weft knitting and warp knitting. Weft knitting, prevalent in fabrics for knitted clothing, involves feeding one or several yarns into the knitting machine needles. These yarns sequentially bend into loops, creating weft knitted fabrics. The corresponding machine is known as a weft knitting machine. Weft knitting adapts well to various yarn categories and linear densities. Its simplicity, ease of operation, and higher production efficiency contribute to its significant share in the knitting industry. Weft knitting machines vary based on needle bed quantity, needle forms, and categories.

Warp knitting, on the other hand, arranges one or several groups of parallel yarns on needles and knits longitudinally. The machine responsible for this process is called a warp knitting machine. While warp knitted fabrics may exhibit poorer laddering and elongation compared to weft knitted fabrics, they offer better structural stability and shape retention. These fabrics find extensive application beyond clothing, such as in the production of mosquito nets, curtains, lace decorations, and medical textiles. Warp knitting machines are distinguished based on needle bed type and knitted needle.

Perching:

The quality of raw or gray fabrics significantly impacts the overall quality and yield of the final products. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct thorough checks on the quantity, sizes, density, batch number, and linear density of the gray fabrics before the cutting process, ensuring they meet the specified requirements outlined in the fabric charger sheet. During the inspection phase, each gray fabric should be meticulously examined according to predefined standards. Any defects that could compromise the product's quality, such as variations in color tone, missed stitches, holes, or oil contamination, must be identified, marked, and meticulously recorded.

Tailoring:

The processes involved in customizing knitted clothing encompass fracturing, borrowing, tailoring, and packing.
Borrowing is a crucial element in enhancing product quality and conserving materials. During fracturing, efforts are made to transfer defects present in gray fabrics to cutting parts or seams whenever possible.

Tailoring of knitted fabrics typically follows the warp direction, utilizing nested patterns. Commonly employed tailoring methods include flat set, each set, bushing, joint set, and cutting seam set.

Several considerations should be taken into account during the tailoring of knitted fabrics:
a. Avoid using folding marks and printed margins in prominent areas of the clothing.
b. Exercise caution when using taper hole marks to prevent any adverse impact on the clothing's appearance.

Sewing:

Sewing machines play a pivotal role in the contemporary sewing technology employed in the Chinese knitting industry. This includes medium and high-speed lockstitch sewing machines, as well as medium and high-speed overedgers and flat seaming machines.

Given the interlocking nature of loops in knitted fabrics, there is a tendency for the edges of cut pieces to fray or unravel easily. Therefore, it is essential to first overcast the edges of cut pieces before using a lockstitch sewing machine for sewing. Lockstitch sewing machines and overedgers are the primary types of sewing machines utilized in the sewing of knitted clothing. Here are several key considerations to keep in mind during the sewing process.

Ironing:

Ironing serves to provide knitted clothing with a polished appearance and precise dimensions. Throughout the ironing process, a liner plate is inserted into the clothing to uphold its shape and dimensions. It's crucial that the dimensions of the liner plate exceed those of the clothing to prevent undesired shrinkage. Typically, the ironing temperature is maintained between 180℃ and 200℃, ensuring a safe range that minimizes the risk of excessive pressure or scorching on the clothing. This controlled temperature range contributes to a safer ironing process, preserving the integrity of the clothing.

Inspection:

Inspection constitutes a thorough examination of products conducted prior to their departure from the factory, encompassing both outward appearance and inherent quality. Appearance inspection involves assessing dimensional tolerance, identifying any appearance defects, and evaluating the seaming stitch's fastness. Inherent quality assessment includes the measurement of unit area weight, examination of color fastness, and scrutiny for potential shrinkage.