You are on page 1of 16

Prof.

Shakeel Iqbal

Knitted Fabrics: Application and Scope

Haqiqat Ali (11)

1. INTRODUCTION
Knitting is one of several ways to turn thread or yarn into cloth (compare to weaving, crochet). Unlike woven 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 Fig. 2 Knitting done either by hand, described below, or by knitting machine. In practice, hand knitting is usually begun (or "cast on") by forming a base series of twisted loops of yarn on a knitting needle. Knitting can also be done by machines, which use a different mechanical system to produce nearly identical results. The knitting process consists of interconnecting loops of yarn on powered automated machines. The machines are equipped with rows of small, hooked needles to draw formed yarn loops through previously formed loops. The fabric is designed to take force in two directions (0 and 90). For this can be used roving of glass, high tenacity polyester, armid or carbon as pillar threads and weft threads. These fabrics are used for reinforced composites. Considering though orientation of the force taking yarns (0, 90) this fabric is comparable to a woven fabric. However, there is the advantage that yarns are directly oriented and lie absolutely straight in the fabric. This means that there is no loss of tenacity as in the woven due to its Fig. 1 Knitted and Woven fabric crimp effect. Furthermore, the yarn-protective inlay system prevents all fiber damage.

2. KNITTING MANUAL TO MACHINES


The oldest artifact with a knitted appearance is a type of sock. It is believed that socks and stockings were the first pieces produced using techniques similar to knitting. These socks were worked in a technique of making fabric by creating multiple knots or loops with a single needle and thread. Several pieces, done in now obscure techniques, have been Fig. 3 one of the oldest socks pair mistaken for knitting or crocheting. The earliest known knitted items in Europe were made by Muslim knitters employed by Spanish Christian royal families. Several paintings from Europe portray the Virgin Mary knitting and date from the 14th century. At this time, the purl stitch (the opposite action to the knit stitch) was unknown and purely stockinet fabric was produced by knitting in the round on multiple knitting needles. Sometimes the knitting was cut open, a process now known as steeking. Knitting was such a vast occupation among those living on the Scottish Isles during the 17th and 18th centuries that whole families were involved in making sweaters, accessories, socks, stockings, etc. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, wool spinning and cloth manufacture increasingly shifted to factories. Women were employed to operate the machinery, rather than Fig. 4 knitted machine at spinning and knitting items at home. The industrial revolution period consistency of factory spun wool was better in that it was more uniform, and its weight could be gauged better as a consequence. The city of Nottingham, particularly the district known as Lace Market, dominated the production of machine-knitted lace during the Industrial Revolution and the following decades.

The 21st century has seen a resurgence of knitting. Natural fibers from animals, such as alpaca, angora, and merino, and plant fibers, chiefly cotton, have become easier and less costly to collect and process, and therefore more widely available. Exotic fibers, such as silk, bamboo, and qiviut, are growing in popularity as well. The yarn industry has started to make novelty yarns which produce stunning results without years of knitting experience. Designers have begun to create patterns which work up quickly on large needles, a phenomenon known as instantFig. 5 An advanced knitting machine

gratification knitting.

As time and technology change, so does the art of knitting. The Internet allows knitters to connect, share interests and learn from each other, whether across the street or across the globe. Among the first Internet knitting phenomena was the popular Knit List with thousands of members. In 1998, the first online knitting magazine, KnitNet, began publishing. Blogging later added fuel the development of an international knitting community.

Fig. 6, 7 complex knit patterns achieved with the help advancement in technology

3.

APPLICATION AND USES

Knit fabrics are versatile and are used to create not only clothing, but certain home furnishings as well. Made from interlocking stitches, knits are available in five different categories: firm, stable double knits that don't have a lot of stretch; single knits, which are lightweight; textured knits, such as velour or terry cloth; two-way stretch knits, which have a lot of stretch in them; and ribbing, which is for finishing garments, like the necklines of Tshirts.

3.1.

Technical and Medical Textiles


Knitted fabrics and knitting technology play very important role on the fields of technical and medical textiles and their importance is ever greater. Experts estimate that their annual consumption is increasing by 3.8% in average and it can reach about 24 million tons in 2010. Within this the consumption of each sector is

Fig. 7 knitted textile supporting the joints

increasing. Roughly one third of the world's fiber consumption is used for production of technical textiles.

Most of technical textiles are made of non-conventional materials; they are usually man-made fibers, in many cases special types developed for specific applications. Metallic yarns (thin wires) alone or parallel to other yarns are also used in some technical knitted fabrics. However, traditional materials, including those of natural origin, play important role in some fields. There are various technical textiles which are manufactured by taking the use of knitting technology. Some of them are discussed below:-

3.1.1 Nets
Application field of nets is extremely wide. Agriculture, fishing, packaging, transport, sports, shading technology, construction, healthcare, surgery, safety technology and military present many good examples for that. Many of these nets are made by paschal or crocheting technology the great advantage of
Fig. 8 a knitted net

which is that they do not contain knots. This makes the nets easier to handle because the layers do not tangle up and there are no knots that could harm the good packed into the net. Materials used for net manufacture are very different, depending on the end use. Spun yarns or filament yarns, narrow plastic tapes are commonly used for this purpose. Elastic nets are made with using of elastane yarns.

3.1.2 Spacer fabrics


Among knitted fabrics perhaps the most spectacular development can be registered in case of spacer fabrics. Though the principle of the fabrication is not new, it goes back to the manufacture of plush fabrics on raschel machine; the adaptation of this technology to make a completely new type of fabric is very ingenious. At the beginning they were developed really on two needle bar raschel machines but now there are also circular knitting machines on the market for Fig. 9 spacer fabric manufacturing of such products and, of course, Vbed flat knitting machines are also able to make spacer fabrics of some kinds. The two surface layers of spacer fabrics are usually linked by relatively thick monofilaments which make the fabric elastic when pressed in thickness direction. This is the most important reason why spacer fabrics have found many fields of application. They can substitute foam in seats or beds, in orthopedics support devices, in bras and shoes. It can serve in smart clothes as heat insulation or for forming of ventilation passages. As a type of geotextiles spacer fabrics can be used to lead off water from the soil. In manufacturing of composites used in the motor industry or ship building they can work as reinforcement inlay. Using proper yarns or with application of special Fig. 10 spacer fabric treatment they can be electrically sandwich technology conductive, flame retardant, antibacterial, etc.

As we see at this moment, most spacer fabrics used are made on raschel machines or, in recent times, also on crochet machines. Needle bed distance on these machines can be varied within wide range and fabric thickness can reach even 60 mm. On circular knitting machines needle bed distance is much more limited, only thinner (thickness of some millimeters) spacer fabrics can be made on them. However, these variants are also very important and can be found in many products.

3.1.3 Stitch bonded fabric


These fabrics have great importance in almost each class of technical textiles. They are used very often as reinforcing materials in composites or for heat or sound insulation, filling materials in clothes or furniture, etc. Stitch bonding machines combine knitting and sewing. They have grown from warp knitting technology and their products occupy an
Fig. 11 stitch bonded fabric intermediate position between knitted and nonwoven fabrics. This fabric contains a (Maliwatt)

carded web which is reinforced by yarns or loops formed from fibers pulled out from the web itself. A further variant of such fabrics is when not only carded web but lots of yarns are laid in various directions over the web and all of these are stitched together. This formation may be called composite fabric since it is a composition of various types of textiles (web and yarns). They find application fields among filters, geotextiles, reinforcement materials in composites, etc. Advantage of these fabrics is that the carded web may be made of various fibres which, because of their length or quality, cannot be spun, even in various blending, fabric thickness and stitch density (number of stitches in length unit) as well as yarn counts (in accordance with machine cut) can be varied in relatively wide range. The fabric can be easily formed. At the end of its lifetime it can be torn and recycled.

3.1.4 Knitted fabrics with orientated behaviors


Knitted fabrics with orientated behaviors are made usually with lots of yarns laid lengthwise, crosswise and/or diagonally into the fabric. Their keeping together is performed by warp knitted loops. Aim of these structures is mainly to reduce the stretch and/or to increase the fourth of the fabric in one or more directions. If this effect is realized only in one direction (lengthwise or crosswise) the fabric is called unidirectional or monoaxial. If this behavior asserts itself in both directions the fabric is called biaxial. Multiracial or multidirectional fabrics have almost the same behavior in every direction. To manufacture such fabrics special tricot and raschel machines have been developed completed by equipment to prepare and lead the lots of reinforcing yarns into the place of loop formation. In these fabric constructions the laid-in yarns play the main role, the loops only link them together. There are a great number of end uses for these fabrics. Biaxial fabrics with PVC coating, for instance, are used for manufacture of stressed roof constructions by which very wide spaces can be covered. Fabrics with directed behaviors are available also as reinforcement materials of composites or for geogrids.

3.1.5 Medical treatment


Many kinds of textiles are used in medical treatment. It is not surprising that a great part of clothing worn by doctors and nurses in hospitals and clinics is product of the knitting industry (e.g. undershirts, socks). But sometimes they are not conventional Fig. 13 Artificial blood ones, they are made from yarns or with vessel finishing that make them antibacterial against infections or against of rising of unpleasant sweaty smell. Various types of bandages (both rigid and elastic), surgical stockings, certain parts of orthopedic equipment (or theses) (like knee, wrist- and elbow-braces, calf and lumbar

Fig. 12 surgical mesh

supports, etc.) are also made by knitting technology. An important application field for spacer fabrics is manufacturing of mattresses for beds, operating tables and wheel-chairs. Knitted products find application field also among implants: artificial blood vessels (they can be circular knitted or warp knitted, the latter is made on double needle bar raschel machine and can be made also in Y form), surgical meshes (made on tricot machine), coverings of artificial heart valves. Structure of the textiles used as implants is determined by its material composition, fibers behavior and features of degradation. Materials of sutures and implants having biologically good properties, designable absorption and degradability and that endure the sterilization process are continuously subjects of research. At the same time, continuous development of textile technologies and machines enables to develop newer and newer methods in surgery and medical treatment. For this mutual development textile technologists and doctors must closely Fig. 14 artificial heart cooperate, while all the valve Administrative procedures concerning manufacturing and trading of such products must be strictly respected.

3.1.6 Construction Industry


Construction industry is a great market for textiles and also for knitted fabrics among them. Around buildings being under construction or renovation the scaffold is usually covered by raschel-knitted net made of polypropylene foil tapes. Knitted fabrics can be used also to reinforce wall coverings, both outside and inside. Some types of geotextiles and geogrids Fig. 15 knitted net used for are also knitted structures, as mentioned above. construction Many buildings, and not only provisional ones, purpose have roofs made of textile fabrics (sports stadiums, air terminals, halls for various functions, etc.). If this roof is made from knitted fabric bi- or multiaxial knitted structures are used with waterproof and weatherproof coating.

Huge areas, many hundreds of square meters can be covered by such fabrics. Another possible application of knitted fabrics in construction is textile reinforced concrete. There are warp knitted structures developed especially for this purpose. Textile reinforced concrete has the advantage that it is much lighter than the one reinforced by steel bars.

3.2 Sports and functional textiles.


One of the major applications of knitted fabrics in technical textiles is in sportswear and functional textiles. Knitted fabrics can be conveniently made into multi-layered fabrics with or without finishing to get different characteristics depending on end-use applications. For example, cotton as a next-to-skin layer in the presence of heavy moisture between
Fig. 17 Indian cricket team the skin and the fabric will not be able to wick away the moisture immediately. This shirt

will result in clinginess and uneasy comfort level. However, if the next-to-skin layer is a synthetic material such as polyester, moisture will be wicked away instantaneously resulting in dry skin. The adjacent layer next to the synthetic layer can be typical cotton knit which will be able to absorb the moisture. Such multi-layer knitted structures can increase the comfort and performance level of athletes. Recently an interesting project was Fig. 16 functional textile undertaken at Texas Tech University to develop highly breathable knitted fabrics. This project looked at the possibility of identifying different varieties of cotton, which will give enhanced moisture transport. This way, if suitable cottons were identified that have superior breathability characteristics, these cottons can be selected to develop highly breathable sportswear and performance fabrics. Results showed that chemistry of cotton, in other

words the constituent sugar types in cotton influenced the structure of cotton and hence the transport of vapor through them. This project identified certain sugars in cotton fiber, which provide good breathability characteristics. This project showcases the impact of multidisciplinary research involving agriculture and engineering disciplines to develop next generation functional knits. Knitted fabrics can be surface enhanced by different methods such as brushing, calendaring, embossing, and plasma functionalization to impart a myriad of functionalities. Knitted fabrics when raised by calendars can give bulkiness, which will enable them to Fig. 19 use of net in NIKE shoe be used as blankets for providing necessary warmth in cold environments. Similarly, plasma functionalized knitted fabrics can have different characteristics such as water absorbency, water repellency and oil repellency and so on. Another application of knitted fabrics in the industrial set-up is its use in the automobile industry. Warp knitted fabrics are preferred as headliner fabrics in the luxury automobiles. Predominantly, they are made from polyester and blends of polyester and spandex. Nylon can also be used depending on the end-use requirements. Depending on the requirements, the face fabric can range from 80-300 grams per square meter. Knitted fabrics on their own can find technical textile applications. These fabrics can also be made into multi-layer composites involving knits, woven and nonwoven fabrics giving them different characteristics. In addition, knitted fabrics can also be chemically modified and finished to get a number of diffe rent enduse characteristics. It is up to the knitted fabric producer to use a number of processes both Fig. 18 taekwondo mechanical and chemical to enhance the use clothes and sales values of knitted fabrics.

3.3 Knitted fabric for clothing


Clothing is the most popular item to make with knits because of the many varieties of knit fabrics available. Use jersey, which is a single knit, to make clothing with a soft, fluid design, suggests Claire Shaeffer in her book "Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide," such as dresses, T-shirts, soft jackets and coats. Use double knits to create jackets, coats and pants. Interlock knits are suitable for evening wear and lingerie. Tricot is perfect for active wear, such as leotards and bathing suits. Sweater knits can be used to make tops, sweater dresses and skirts. In fact knitted fabrics plays very important roles in our day to day life. Here are some illustrations showing the daily uses of knitted clothes:Fig. 20 mens casuals

Fig. 21 babys hand knitted jersey

Fig. 22 warm clothing for winters

Fig. 23 warm cloths for new borne

Fig. 25 legging and stockings for casual wears

Fig. 27 tee shirts

Fig. 26 knitted flexible shoes for babies (hard socks)

Fig. 24 female clothing (net)

4.

The scope of knitted fabric/clothes


In a rapidly changing world - where demand and supply opportunities change equally fast it is not enough to simply project the present into the future. Alternative visions of the future are needed in order to broaden understanding of issues that should be addressed today. Building scenarios that describe the world six years from now is necessary in order to adapt current practice and arrive at a more robust, futureoriented practice should a particular future occur.

With the advancement of the knitting technology, the use of knitted fabrics is expanding rapidly all over the world. The Knitwear sector and its markets are constantly evolving worldwide. This segment of the garment industry has experienced many changes in recent years. With improved technology, the limitations like shrinkage and torque in knitted fabrics or garments have been reduced to a great extent and this has opened more opportunities.
Fig. 28 the future of knitting industry

Many global players are eyeing the Indian Market with great interest as one of leading markets in the Post Quota Scenario. The Knitwear Exporters from all over India like from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Tirupur have already been equipped with making new designs and collections which complements with the current fashion trend and to meet with International Buyers requirements. Tirupur is one of the few Indian towns that took advantage of globalization and economic reforms, along with export-led growth. The export of knitwear products from Tirupur is always on the rise every year and the industry continues to show rapid growth. There are many reasons for the growth of the India knit garment industry. These are as follows:

Compared to the setting up of other fabric producing industries, the capital investment for starting a new knitting unit is relatively small. The high productivity of knitting machine is also an important factor for the growth of the industry. As the preparatory process for knitting is less than weaving, the time required to get an order completed is less than that required in the case of woven fabrics. The setting up of knitting machines to produce a given type of fabric is a fast and simpler operation than the setting up of a loom. Knitting is more flexible than weaving in the sense that styles and designs can be changed with unparalleled rapidity. Knit garments are geared to quick turnover in keeping with the rapid fashion changes in the apparel market. There are wide varieties of new yams that have brought new standards of performance and new aesthetics into the knit market. The knit fabrics are very comfortable and are in tune with the times. The present generation demand wrinkle-free, ease-of-care fabrics and knit garment is the perfect solution for this. The recent success of knit garments has been greatly due to their easy-care properties. Knitted garments generally require no ironing and are therefore it is cool for traveling persons. Knitted fabrics are the most comfortable ones for swimwear and sportswear. All problems related with labor organization like wages, benefits to labor etc. are reduced in the knitting industry because knitting units require very less labor. The machinery manufacturers with the aim of high productivity and versatility have developed highly innovative machinery which has also led to the boom in the knitting industry.

Bibliography
http://ara-texworld.com http://eurofound.europa.eu http://sourcing.indiamart.com http://www.shmtraders.com http://www.jihsin.com http://www.ehow.com http://www.indiantextilejournal.com http://textile-articles.bravehost.com http://english.ctei.gov.cn

You might also like