What is the difference between mercerized and non-mercerized cotton?

Here are some tips which help in building up our knowledge in sourcing textile before carrying out sourcing textile in Vietnam.

Mercerized cotton is a special kind of cotton yarn that is more lustrous than conventional cotton. It is also stronger, takes dye a little more readily, makes the yarn more resistant to mildew and reduces lint. It also may not shrink or lose its shape as much as "regular" cotton.

Mercerized cotton has a higher luster, greater strength, holds more dye, and does not shrink as much when washed as unmercerized cotton. Mercerized cotton yarn is smoother and shinier than unmercerized cotton making it more suitable for garments and fancier items. It also has less tendency to pill or create lint. It reduces the absorbency of the fiber, so unmercerized cotton is preferred for things like hand towels and diaper soakers.

Mercerizing is a process where the raw cotton is put through a sodium hydroxide bath and then an acid bath. It slightly changes the structure of the cotton fiber, making it stronger and more lustrous. It also somewhat pre-shrinks the fiber so the yarn doesn't shrink as much during laundering as regular cotton.

What is the difference between semi-combed and combed cotton yarn?

Understanding the difference between semi-combed and combed cotton yarn is one of required criteria of garment sourcing company in Vietnam. 

Currently, The cotton plants in Vietnam are not enough to supply the demand of clothing factories in Vietnam. Therefore garment sourcing company in Vietnam have to consider carefully all the alternatives of supply whether from domestic or abroad.

Combed cotton is an extremely soft version of cotton made by specially treating the cotton fibers before they are spun into yarn. As a general rule, combed cotton is slightly more expensive than conventional cotton. The extremely soft, strong material is ideal for making bed linens and clothing which will be worn against the skin. If the textile used in a cotton product is combed cotton, it will usually be clearly identified.

What is jersey knit verses interlock knit verses ribbed knit fabric? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

Knitwear in Vietnam is workable with the most popular knitting fabrics below. They are used in word wide, domestic, and even industrial use.


Jersey knit: most popularly seen in knitwear in Vietnam. they are those single weft knits "in which all the component knitted loops are of the same sort and meshed in the same manner". They are composed solely of knits stitches. Wales show on the face side and courses show on the back of the fabric. The fabrics tends to curl at edges. Jersey-knit fabrics stretch approximately equally in both the length and width directions. One shortcoming of jersey-knit fabrics is that if one yarn breaks, it cause an unraveling of adjoining stitches, called a run.

Interlock knit: is produced by using both long and short needles that creates a fabrics with a cross 1x1 rib effect. It has a smooth surface on both sides. This is also a popular type of knitwear in Vietnam.

Rib knit is another type of knitwear in Vietnam which is a pattern in which vertical stripes of stockinette stitch alternate with vertical stripes of reserse stockinette stitch. These two types of stripes may be separated by other stripes in which knit and purl stitches alternate vertically; such plissé stripes add width and depth to ribbing but not more elasticity.

"What is ""right side and wrong side"" of jersey fabric?

Dont need to be as specific as from the knowledge of fashion clothes manufacturers in Vietnam, the "right side and wrong side" of jersey fabric can be easily classified as following.

Jersey fabric has a right side and a wrong side which make them different in the view point of fashion clothes manufacturers in Vietnam. The right side of the material is marked by a series of very small lines which run vertically, and the wrong side has a horizontal grain. In most cases, a garment made from jersey fabric is sewn with the right side facing out, unless the seamstress is making a deliberate stylistic choice.


Right Side

Wrong side

What is difference between "jersey" and "cardigan"?

Jersey: A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn. The word is usually used interchangeably with sweater and is the name always officially used in the United Kingdom to refer to the item when worn as part of the uniform of military, police or other uniformed personnel.

A cardigan is a type of machine or hand knitted sweater (or jumper) that ties, buttons or zips down the front; by contrast, a pullover does not open in front but must be "pulled over" the head to be worn. Its versatility means it can be worn either in casual or formal settings and in any seasons, but popularly during the autumn and winter months.

These two items are most produce in Vietnam. Apparel agents in Vietnam export to Europe and America.

What is Single Knitted Jersey fabric compared to double knitted Jersey fabric?

Single Knitted Jersey: This most likely refers to a single needle bed knitting the fabric. Fabric knitted on only one needle bed is jersey fabric.

Double Knitting Jerseyis a form of knitting in which two fabrics are knit simultaneously with two yarns on one pair of needles. The fabrics may be inseparable, as in interlock knitted fabrics, or they can simply be two unconnected fabrics. In principle, an arbitrary number n of fabrics can be knitted simultaneously on one pair of knitting needles with n yarns, as long as one is careful.

Both single knitted jersey and double knitting are most popular fabrics in Vietnam. They are used world wide in a range of apparel, domestic and industrial uses.

Modal fabric and Lenzing Modal

Lenzing Modal
The ultimate sensual feeling next to the skin. The fiber remains wonderfully soft even after repeated washing and retains its color brilliance. Lenzing Modal® is the ideal partner for body conscious clothing. Appropriate for daywear, intimate apparel and a variety of terry products. Lenzing Modal the subjective softness factor leave you with no doubts: Lenzing Modal sample feel softer next to the skin than cotton.


ProModal
ProModal® is the perfect combination of Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL®, two special fibers from Lenzing. Together these fibers make it possible to unite outstanding softness with optimum function. Moreover, this new fiber blend offers interesting highlights for different hands and looks.


MicroModal
Lenzing Modal® is also available in a micro variant. This extra fine fiber makes textiles even lighter. It feels like “skin on skin”. You can hardly feel MicroModal® - it is so pleasant....


MicroModal AIR

Feather-light fineness from the world of plants

The newly developed micro fiber of Lenzing AG for which a patent has been filed stands out due to its extreme lightness and fineness. A fiber diameter of only 0.8 dtex makes MicroModal® AIR the lightest Modal fiber available in the marketplace.

Botanic Lightness

MicroModal® AIR is perfection itself when it comes to fineness. The new fiber can be used in luxurious lingerie. Knit fabrics become even lighter and finer than ever before. MicroModal® AIR tops with a mass per unit area of less than 100 g are now a reality.

Botanic Softness

The natural properties of the Lenzing Modal® fiber remain intact. The finest knit fabrics of MicroModal® AIR feel wonderfully soft. Even after repeated washing, these fabrics have not relinquished their fantastic softness. The exceptionally pleasant feeling on the skin continues.

Botanic Quality

MicroModal® AIR can be processed using high speed spinning systems. The knit fabrics are symmetrically smooth and reveal a perfect fabric appearance. Yarns up to a count of 225 Nm can be spun leading to new knit creations in the fine count range (e 36) for luxury applications.

Fiber from the plant world

MicroModal® AIR is made from beech wood. When the raw materials for MicroModal® AIR are growing, botanic principles apply: CO2 is converted into oxygen. Likewise fiber production obeys the principles of sustainability. Valuable by-products from the process are recovered and used again.

http://www.lenzing.com/en/fibers/lenzing-modal.html

Important Terms Related to Knitting

1. Alpaca Stitch Fabric
A purl fabric where the courses appear in vertical arrangement. Appearance is similiar to that of a 1x1 purl fabric turned 90 degree. May be made from any fiber, not necessarily alpaca.

2. Argyle
Diamond - shaped design of different colors, where the diamond areas are formed with their own complete stitched rather than by miss-stitch or other techniques.

3. Bird's Eye
A salt and pepper color effect on the back of a double knit fabric.

4. Bourrelet
A type of double knit fabric having a ripple stitch or corded effect on the fabric surface.

5. Brynie Cloth
A net-like fabric produced on raschel knitting machines and and resembling a fisherman's net. used with cold weather apparel as a vest worn next to the skin and beneath thermal underwear to created additional insulation.

6. Cable Stitch Fabric
Fabric having the appearance of a plaited rope or cable running in the wales direction of fabric. Basic fabric structure is a rib knit. Mostly made in coarse cut . Widely used in sweaters.

7. Cardigan Fabric
A modified form of rib knit produced by selective tuck stitches, thus producing a thicker fabric. Cardigan stitched are either full cardigan or half cardigan, and appear the same on both sides. The fabric looks like a slightly stretched jersey fabric.

8. Circular Knit
Any fabric produces on a circular knitting machine.

9. Crochette
A simulated crochet fabric having a pattern of open or hold designs on a background of jersey. Produced by selective knitting, tucking and casting off in the knitting operation.

10. Double Knit
A specialty type of rib knit fabric. Usually close stitched with a pattern or design effect . Generally thicker, heavier and more stable than jersey.

11. Double Pique
A double knit fabric with a honeycomb effect on the fabric surface. Produced by selective knitting and missing on the two sets of needles used to make double knit fabric.

12. Eightlock
A type of interlock fabric which is reversible, has a uniform surface, and is well balanced with respect to its limited stretch in either vertical or horizontal direction. Usually single color but mat be made with vertical stripe or simple box and check patterns.

13. Flat Knit
Any fabric produced on a flatbed knitting machine.

14. Full Fashioned
Knitwear, especially sweaters, which are shape during the knit manufacturing process. For example, the shoulder areas of a full-fashioned garment have rounded contour knitted in.

15. Intarsia
A decorative colored design knitted into a solid color fabric. The design areas are formed with their own complete stitched rather than with miss-stitch or other techniques. Intarsia fabrics do not have a bird's eys backing. See Argyle, a form of intarsia fabric.

16. Interlock
A variation of rib knit fabric in which wales of knit stitched are directly behind each other on the face and back of the fabric. (In regular rib knits a purl stitch is always directly behind a knit stitch). Interlock knits are firmer and tend to be thicker than regular rib knits.

17. Jacquard Knit
A knit fabric with designs in color and/or texture which is produced by attachments on the knitting machine. The attachments are programmed to automatically regulate the action of the knitting needles.

18. Jersey
Describes any knitted fabric wherein all of the stitched on one side of the fabric are knit stitches, while all stitched on the reverse side are either purl stitches or a combination of purl, tuck and. more miss-stitches. Also known as single knits.

19. Knitted Velour
Fabric with a soft, downy, suede-like face, somewhat resembling velveteen, but softer and more flexible.

20. LaCoste
A fine cut fabric usually made from mercerized cotton or polyester/ cotton blend yarn, and widely used for knit sport shirts. This is a jersey-type fabric which contains a specific pattern of knit and tuck stitches.

21. Links-and-links Fabric
See purl Fabric.

22. Milanese
A special type of wrap knit. Fine fabric made from filament yarn, having fine rib-like stitches on the face. The fabric is stable and has excellent drapability. This cloth is in very limited production, having been largely replaced by tricot.

23. Ottoman Rib
A double knit fabric having pronounced ribs or rolls across the width of the fabric. This effect is achieved by knitting more courses per unit length on one side than on the other.

24. Pile Knit
A special type of jersey knit fabric made by feeling staple fiber in the forms of silver onto the knitting needles while the fabric is being knitted. The fiber is thus caught in the knit structure. Most imitation furs are pile knits. Also know as silver knits.

25. Pointelle
A rib fabric utilizing transfer stitches to create selective opening in a fabric.

26. Ponte di Roma
A double knit fabric type, usually produced in one color rather than color patterned. The fabric is very elastic and has a slight horizontal stripe character. This fabric is usually made with interlock gaiting (i.e., needle from both beds are in line with each other).

27. Power Net
A wrap knit fabric produced on the chel machine, having elastic yarns (usually spandex) laid-in the fabric. The fabric is closely knit, elastic in character, and reveals a net-like structure when stretched.

28. Purl Fabric
A knitted fabric which knit stitches and purl stitches on the same wale. The simplest is a 1x1 purl with one course of knit stitches followed by one course of purl stitches. Purl fabrics are usually thicker than jersey and tend toward greatest stretching in their length direction. Widely used in infant's wear. Also known as links-and links fabric.

29. Rack Stitch Fabric
An innovative rib fabric produced by movement to the right or left of one needle bed in relation to the other (called racking). The effect is a rib fabric where the wales are oriented diagonally to the right for a number of courses, then to the left in accordance with the needle bed movement.

30. Raschel
Describes a class of fabric of the wrap knit type. Raschel fabrics rabge from fine laces to heavy carpets. They are made on machines which use latch needles with as many as 48 guide bars.

31. Rib Fabric
A knitted fabric where wales of knit stitches alternate with wales of purl stitches. A 1x1 rib knit has one wale of purl stitches. Rib fabrics have good elasticity in their width direction.

32. Shaker
A term given to a sweater made from a 1x1 rib stitch of heavy yarn. Baby shaker is the same, but made from somewhat finer yarn.

33. Simplex
A special type of tricot fabric in which knit stitched appear on both sides of the fabric. The fabric is denser and thicker than regular tricot but nevertheless made from five yarns and in fine gauge. Frequently finished with a slight nap and used primarily for ladies' clot gloves.

33. Sliver Knit
See Pile Knit

34. Tricot
Describes a class fabric of the warp knit type Usually made from filament or textured filament yarns, and usually lighter in weight than rashel fabrics. Tricot fabrics are relatively stable, and do not stretch as much as do most weft knit fabrics.

35. Zephyz
Any knitted fabric made from worsted yarn of grade 64's or finer.

Knitting Flat Machines and Circular Machines

Flat machines have needles arranged on horizontal or flat needle beds. The needle bed is made of metal and contains parallel grooves, know as tricks, which are cut into the needle bed. Into each groove is fitted one latch needle. Spring beard needles and compound needles aren't used as often as the latch needle. Usually a needle bed has well over one hundred needles. The finer the gauge of the machine, that is the more needles per inch, the finer or thinner the needles, the finer the yarn required for knitting, and the finer or thinner will be the knitted fabric produced. On the other hand, the coarser the gauge, the fewer needles per inch, the thicker the needles, the thicker or coarser the yarn which may be knitted. Coarser gauge machine are used for knitting heavier fabrics.

Circular Machines, on the circular machine, the yarn runs horizontally and continuously in the same director - in contrast to the flat bed machine, where the yarn changes director with each course. Thus, the yarn is knitted around and around, so that very high rates of production can be achieved. The fabric is a seamless tube of material. The high rate of production of circular machines is due also to the fact that they can knit up to hundred yarns in one revolution through the use of multiple yarn feeds.

Types of Knitting

The knitting sector is composed of two major segments. There are:

- Wrap knitting
- And weft knitting

Warp Knitting: this is a flat knitting process with one or more sets of yarns that run vertically and parallel to each other. Wrap knitting represents the fastest method of producing fabric from yarns. The fabric is constructed by manipulating these warp yarns simultaneously into loops which are interconnected e.g. Tricot, Raschel, Milanese etc. Hand knitting by using a hooked needle forms the most simple warp knitting loops know as crocheting.

- Weft Knititng: This is flat or circular knitting process that places one yarn at a time to form loops running across the fabric. Weft knitting may be done by hand or by jersey, a purl, or a rib knitting machine. Weft knits can be classified according to the machine or the stitch such as plain, jersey, purl, and rib with interlock or Jacquard variations. The process can produce either finished garments or lengths of fabrics for clothing or upholstery.

Definition and Use of Knitting Fabrics

Knitting is one way to convert thread or yarn into fabric, called Knit or Knitted fabric. Knitted fabric consists entirely of horizontal parallel courses of yarn. The courses are joined to each other by interlocking loops in which a short loop of one course of yarn is wrapped over the bight of another course. Knitting can be done either by hand or by machine.

Knit fabrics are used world wide of apparel and industrial uses. Of these end of uses, apparel is the largest. The knitted fabrics tend to be less durable than woven fabrics. A new and rapidly developing trade in the knitting industry is the production of technical textiles and composites.