Effects of Knit Structure on Knitted Fabric Performance

Knit fabrics are most comfortable, durable and make most flexible effect on human body. I am going to describe the effect of knitted structure on knit fabric performance in details. 

Durability Factors 

Strength of knitted fabrics is considered to be less important for durability than it is in woven goods. Knitted fabrics are easily stretched to accommodate changes of shape as a result of stresses imposed in wear and care. When knits are made from resilient fibers and yarns, the ability to stretch and recover from stretching will be enhanced. In comparison to knitted fabrics, woven fabrics are generally firmer and have less elongation. In knits the loops in the structure can be deformed horizontally or vertically, increasing the stretch in both directions. But, as noted earlier, variations in knitting techniques can increase or decrease extensibility of knitted fabrics. Double knit fabrics and warp knit fabrics are usually less extensible than single knit fabrics.A major problem in the durability of knits is the runs that can develop in weft knits when one of the loops is broken. If stronger fibers and yarns are used in these knits, they will be less likely to run. 

Appearance 

Shear ability, discussed in chapter 15, is an important factor in the appearance of textiles. In general, because of the ways in which yarns are combined, woven fabrics have higher shearability than do knitted fabrics. Knitted fabrics have good flexibility and are easily extended. Warp knits do not shear as easily as weft knits. 

These qualities must be taken into account by designers, although they may not be aware of the technical terminology used to describe the fabric properties. For example, a warp knit tricot fabric with low shearability would not be used to make a bias-cut garment in which the intention is to take advantage of high shearability. Instead, the designer would be likely to use a soft, gathered construction where the high flexibility of the fabric would work to good advantage, but where most of the draping would fall in the vertical direction of the fabric. In general, knits wrinkle less than do other fabrics. This is because loosely constructed fabrics generally allow more fiber redistribution and motion. However, knitted fabrics, because of their greater extensibility, are more likely to lose their shape in laundering. The stresses applied in knitting distort the shapes of the loops rather than just stretching the yarns as in weaving. On relaxation, the loops broaden, shrinking the fabric length and increasing the width. As with woven fabrics, the tighter the structure, the higher the shrinkage until the structure becomes so tight that further shrinkage is not possible. Such fabrics may, however, buckle. 

Knitted fabrics tend to have lower cover than do woven fabrics, with weft knits having substantially more porous structures than warp knits, unless the fabric is deliberately made to have an open, lacy construction as in some Raschel knits. Use of thinner or thicker yarns can increase the cover of knitted fabrics. 

Comfort Factors

Knits usually entrap more air than woven fabrics, although the tightness of the knit is a factor as well. Pile or napped knit constructions are especially good for cold weather because the yarns or fibers perpendicular to the surface provide numerous spaces for dead air. This effect is maximized if such fabrics are worn with the napped or pile surface next to the body, or if they are covered with another layer. The flexibility of knits contributes to a feeling of fabric softness. Fibers and yarns used can enhance or detract from the smoothness of knitted fabrics. 

Elongation and Recovery 

The majority of bathing suits for women, and many for men, are tight fitting, with stretch required for getting the garments on and off. Since knits have much higher elongation than woven or nonwoven fabrics, they are the preferred fabric construction for bathing suits that fit tightly to the body. Fibers too play an important role in achieving tightness of fit. Those with lower modulus and high resilience will enhance the stretch and recovery properties of knits. Not only elastomeric fibers but also nylon have low modulus and good recovery. Nylon and spandex are often chosen for swimwear because of these properties. Polyester is not usually used because it has a higher modulus and therefore does not stretch as easily. Knitted fabrics of nylon blended with elastomeric fibers, such as spandex or rubber, will provide the highest amount of stretch. The elastic fibers also have high recovery from stretch. 

Colorfastness 

Bathing suits are exposed to sunshine, chlorine and other chemicals in swimming pools, and salt water in oceans. Fibers and yarns are both important in maintaining the colorfastness of swimming suits that are often made of bright-colored fabrics. Light-fastness of dyed spandex is fair to good, while that of nylon dyed with acid dyes is good. Spandex normally makes up only a small percentage of the fiber content of swimwear fabrics and is often used in core-spun yarns wrapped with nylon. This helps to protect ir from sunlight. Colorfastness of nylon and spandex exposed to pool and salt water is fairly good but these fabrics will show some loss over time. 

Absorbency 

Since bathing suits are worn while swimming in water, the absorbency of the fabric is a consideration. If a material absorbs and retains a significant amount of water, the weight of the suit will increase, affecting its comfort and function. Synthetic fibers have low water regain and are more appropriate for bathing units than the natural fibers that were used many years ago. 

Environmental Resistance 

Light, chlorine, and salt water can also degrade textile fibers. When this occurs, bathing suit fabrics may lose some of their recovery from stretch. Nylon and polyester are more resistant to ultraviolet light and chlorine than spandex. That is another reason why spandex is usually used in small percentages blended with nylon. The use of rubber as an elastomeric fiber in swimwear has decreased because of its susceptibility to degradation by light and other environmental conditions. Because resistance of nylon to degradation by light is higher for fibers that have not been delustered, brighter nylons are usually used in swimwear.

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Pile Weave; Produce woven fabric with Warp Pile and Filling Pile

Pile Weave

Extra sets of warps or fillings are woven over ground yarns of plain or twill weave to form loops. Pile fabrics have been defined as “fabrics(s) with cut or uncut loops which stand up densely on the surface” (Klapper 1967,64). Pile fabrics may be created by weaving or through other construction techniques, such as tufting, knitting, or stitch through. To create the loops that appear on the surface of woven pile fabrics, the weaving process incorporates an extra set of yarns that form the pile. Construction of woven pile fabrics, therefore, represents a complex form of weaving in which there are at least three sets of yarns. 

Woven pile fabrics are divided into two categories depending on whether the extra set of yarns is in the warp direction or the filling direction. Warp pile fabrics have two sets of warp yarns and one set of filling yarns. Filling pile fabrics have two sets of filling yarns. Pile fabrics are woven by one of several methods, depending on whether they are warp pile or filling pile fabrics. 

Warp Pile Fabrics 

Warp pile can be made by the wire method, the double-cloth method, or by slack tension weaving.In the wire method one set of warp yarns and the filling yarn interlace in the usual manner and form the “ground” fabric in either a plain or twill weave. The extra set of warp yarns forms the pile. When the pile yarns are raised by the heddles, the machine inserts a wire across the loom in the filling direction. When the warps are lowered, they loop over the wire to make a raised area. The next several filling yarns are inserted in the usual manner. The wire is then withdrawn, leaving the loop, which is held firmly in place by the other yarns. Frieze, a fabric often used for upholstery, is an example of an uncut, looped pile fabric that can be made by the wire method. If the fabric is to have a cut pile, the wire has a knife blade at the end that cuts the yarns as the wire is withdrawn. 

Velvets may be made in this way. If the fabric is to have an uncut pile, the wire has no cutting edge. The double-cloth method is used for cut pile fabrics. Here, two sets of warps and two sets of fillings are woven simultaneously into a layer of fabric. A third set of warp yarns moves back and forth between the two layers of fabric, holding them together and being held by each fabric. The resultant fabric is cUt apart by a sharp knife, thereby creating two lengths of fabric, each with a cut pile. Velvets and flushes can be made with the double-cloth method. Velvets are usually made of filament yarns. Other nonpile fabrics can be made by the double-cloth method, and are discussed later.Terry cloth is made by the slack tension method. Terry cloth is made with uncut loops. Usually, two sets of warps and one set of filling yarns are used; however, more expensive fabrics may use two sets of yarns in each direction. The ground of the fabric is of warp yarns held under tension, the pile of warp yarns that are allowed to relax. 

Periodically (usually after every three picks), tension is released on the warp pile yarns at the same time as the next three filling yarns are pushed firmly into place. The first two of each three picks are only beaten up part way. The loose warp yarns loop up on the surface to form the terry pile. Loops may remain uncut to form the traditional terry cloth with loops on both sides. 

Sometimes one side is sheared to make an attractive velour face. Such fabrics do not wear as well as uncut loop fabrics. Pile yarns in velour toweling tend to become dislodged more easily, thereby shortening the wear life of the material. Terry pile may appear on one or both sides of the fabric. 

Filling Pile Fabrics 

Filling pile fabrics are woven by the filling pile method. In this method there are two sets of filling yarns and one set of warp yarns. The extra set of filling yarns forms floats that are from four to six yarns in length. The floating yarns are cut at the center of the float, and these ends are brushed up on the surface of the fabric. In some filling pile constructions, the filling yarn that makes the pile is interlaced with the ground one time before it is cut;’ in others, the filling pile interlaces twice. Those fabrics in which there are two interlacings are more durable than when only one interlacing has taken place. Floats for corduroy are placed in lengthwise rows, and floats for velveteen are spaced to produce an overall pile effect. Velveteens are characterized by a uniform, overall pile. The even spacing of corduroy floats produces a strip or wale characteristic of this fabric 

Corduroys are given names according to the numbers of wales. Feathercord corduroy has about 20 to 25 lengthwise wales per inch; fine wale or pinwale corduroy, about 16 to 23 wales; mid, medium, or regular wale corduroy, about 14 wales; wide wale corduroy, about 6 to 10 wales; and broad wale corduroy, about 3 to 5 ribs per inch. Novelty wale corduroys are also produced in which thick and thin wales are arranged in varying patterns. Some corduroy fabrics are now made with 100 percent cotton yarns in the pile filling and polyester and cotton blends in the ground yarns. Other decorative effects can be achieved by cutting floats selectively to vary pattern and texture. Most filling pile fabrics are made from spun yarns.

Variations of the Weaves; Different types of special woven fabric

Variations of the Basic Weaves

Dobby Fabrics 

The dobby weave is like a jacquard weave in miniature. The Dobby weaves have small, repeated patterns, that are usually geometric. The following are some of the fabrics made on the dobby loom. 

1. Birds eye, a cloth made with small diamond-shaped figures, has a weave that is said to resemble the eye of a bird. Bird’s eye is also called diaper cloth. 

2. Pique is a medium- to heavyweight fabric, often of cotton, with a pronounced lengthwise cord, often combined with other small figures or patterns such as honeycomb or waffle effects. 

3. White-on-white has a white dobby figure woven on a white background and is often used for men’s shirting. 

Jacquard Fabrics 

Jacquard patterns, when carefully analyzed, may be seen to contain combinations of plain, twill, and satin weaves, even in the same crosswise yarn. Many decorative fabrics are made by the jacquard technique. Jacquard-woven tapestry fabrics should not be confused with true tapestries (see below) even though some fashion promotions may refer to jacquard fabrics as “tapestry fabrics.” 

The following are some of the best-known jacquard patterns. 

1. Brocade features an embossed or embroidered appearance. Elaborate patterns, often of flowers and figures, stand out from the background. Pattern and ground are usually different weaves. Brocades are made from a wide range of fibers and with a wide range of price and quality. Fabrics are used for upholstery, draperies, and evening and formal clothing. 

2. Brocatelle is similar to brocade, but with figures or patterns standing in high relief Brocatelle is used mostly for upholstery fabrics and draperies. 

3. Damask is a flatter fabric than brocade and often has a fine weave. Damask figures often use a satin weave to reflect light from the pattern, whereas the background is made in a plain or twill construction. Linen damasks have long been used for luxurious tablecloths. Damasks are reversible. Cotton and linen damasks are made either with four-yarn float or a seven-yarn float in the satin weave. The longer floats are more lustrous, but the shorter floats are more durable, as they are less likely to snag or be subject to abrasion. 

4. Tapestry-like fabrics have an appearance that simulates handwoven tapestries. Used extensively in fabrics for interiors, these jacquard-woven fabrics have highly patterned designs on the face. Although the back is also figured, the colors within the design differ. For example, a leaf that appears on the face as green will be some other color on the back.

Others Variations of Weaves 

Leno or Gauze Weave: 

In leno or gauze weave pairs of warps are twisted over each other with each passing of filling yarn. The leno weave is the modern descendant of a technique called twining that was used thousands of years ago for making fabrics. In leno-weave fabrics, the warp yarns are paired. A special attachment, the doup or leno attachment, crosses or laps the paired warp yarns over each other, while the filling passes through the opening between the two warp yarns. Leno-weave fabrics are made in open, gauzelike constructions. The twined (not twisted) warp yarns prevent the filling yarns of these open fabrics from slipping. Curtain fabrics are often made with leno weave. Two of the more popular leno-weave fabrics are marquisette and grenadine. Many fruit sacks are leno-woven of slit films 

Characteristics: 

• Open-mesh appearance with yarns securely held 

• Sheer but durable for its weight 

• Ex: Grenadine, Marquisette 

5. Pile Weave: 

Extra sets of warps or fillings are woven over ground yarns of plain or twill weave to form loops. Pile fabrics have been defined as “fabrics(s) with cut or uncut loops which stand up densely on the surface” (Klapper 1967,64). Pile fabrics may be created by weaving or through other construction techniques, such as tufting, knitting, or stitch through. 

There are two types of pile fabric
1. Filling Pile Fabrics
2. Warp Pile Fabrics

6. Swivel Weave: 

The swivel weave is the method by which decorative effects, such as dots, circles, or other figures, are interwoven on the surface of a fabric while it is being constructed on the loom. The weaving of the design requires an extra filling yarn and additional small shuttles or insertion devices. Similar fabrics can be made in the swivel weave, which is sometimes used in decorative fabrics for interiors. The design is made by supplying an extra filling yarn on a small shuttle or swivel. The filling design yarns are carried several times around a group of warps by the motion of the swivel to prevent the yarn from pulling out ofthe background fabric. The long floats between designs are knotted and clipped off. Occasionally, imported dotted Swiss fabrics may use a swivel weave rather than a clipped spot weave. The swivel weave is more durable than the clipped spot weave because the design yarns are woven in and cannot pull out of the fabric as easily as in the latter method. When the floats at the back have been cut away they are called clipped swivel patterns 

6. Lappet Weave: 

Lappet weave is also used to superimpose a small design on the surface of a fabric while it is begin woven. In the lappet weave, the design is stitched into the fabric by needles that operate at right angles to the construction. Thus the lappet weave is very similar to embroidery. Lappet weaves have an extra warp yarn that may interlace in both the warp and filling direction with the ground fabric. The extra set of warps is threaded through needles set in front of the reed. The yarns are carried in a zigzag direction, back and forth to form an embroidery like design. 

The design is created on the right side of the fabric, the excess yarn being carried along on the wrong side. Extra yarn is not clipped away from the back of the fabric but can be seen as it is carried from one design area to another. 

7. Dobby Weave: 

The dobby weave is a patterned weave used to construct small. Geometric designs composed of short floats created on a loom by a special attachment called a dobby, which raise or lowers as many as twenty-four to forty harnesses. The design is usually small and does not make use of long floats. 

8. Jacquared Weave: 

A jacquard pattern is a design, which contains very detailed, unlimited range of intricate designs. Any combination of weaves and patterns is possible.Since these designs exceed the capacity of the harness looms, a special loom called a Jacquard looms, a special loom called a Jacquard loom is used. Here, each warp is individually controlled. Almost any design desired can be made. Durability depends upon weave and yarn. E.g.: Brocade, tapestry, damask