Cost and Quality of Knitted

Elastane Elastified Fabric

Controlling costs, quality, quality consistency of knitted

elastified fabric by controlling the fabric elastane content

Elastane Knitting Consultancy & Publishing

Koos Snijders Issue 2.0 of January 5th, 2021

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Copyright © by Elastane Knitting Consultancy & Publishing

Nothing of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior permission of publisher of this document.

Disclaimer: to the best of our knowledge, the information contained in this book is accurate and is based upon decades of textile experience.
However, neither the Elastane Knitting Consultancy & Publishing company or the author can accept any liability of any kind for completeness
or accuracy of the information given. Final determination of the suitability of any information or material for the use contemplated, of its
manner of use, and whether the suggested use infringes any patents or publications is the sole responsibility of the user.

ISBN: 9789081569538

Issue 2.0 of January 5th, 2021

Author: Koos Snijders

Printed by: DSW, Stramproy, The Netherlands

Publisher: Elastane Knitting Consultancy & Publishing, Weert, The Netherlands

Pictures: Textiellab, Tilburg, The Netherlands

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Index: page 3

Introduction 6

Chapter 1. Flowchart, selecting the right analysis 9

Chapter 2. Accuracy: what does impact the accuracy of a certain method? 10

Chapter 3. Accuracy: summary table of possible analysis including accuracy 13

Chapter 4. Determination of elastane content of greige knitted fabrics by

mechanical separation of knitted yarns 15

Chapter 4.1 General and greige fabric sample preparation 16

Chapter 4.2 Large size CK machines 17

Chapter 4.3 Small size CK machines 25

Chapter 4.4 WK machines 26

Chapter 4.5 Procedure 31

Chapter 5. Determination of elastane content of greige knitted fabrics by

performing measurements and calculations during knitting

39

Chapter 5.1 General, measurements and calculations 40

Chapter 5.2 Large size CK machines 44

Chapter 5.3 Large size CK machine following weight loss of few selected bobbins 71

Chapter 5.4 Small size Circular Knit tacho measured yarn speed 87

Chapter 5.5 Small size CK machine using machine displayed yarn speeds 97

Chapter 5.6 Warp knit (WK), machine displayed beam rack-length 108

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Chapter 6. Determination of elastane content of knitted dyed & finished fabrics and
garments through mechanical or chemical separation of yarn(s)

Page 127

Chapter 6.1 General 128

Chapter 6.2 Finished fabrics & garments through manual separation of yarns 129

Chapter 6.3 Finished fabrics / garments through chemical separation of elastane

yarn and polyester (PES) ground yarn 135

Chapter 6.4 Finished fabrics / garments through chemical separation of elastane

yarn and polyamide (PA) ground yarn 139

Chapter 6.5 Finished fabrics / garments through chemical separation of elastane

yarn in combination with “natural” ground yarn(s) 144

Chapter 6.6 Finished fabrics / garments consisting of elastane yarn combinations

of “natural” ground yarn(s) with synthetic ground yarn(s) PES or PA 148

Attachments 149

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Attachments, with reference to the matching chapter(s)

1. Chapter 2 for Package Relaxation (PRL%) and PRL profile Page 149
2. Chapter 5.2.2 for PRL%, PRL profile look-up tables (EA yarn age and PRL% level
at unwinding 33%) 150
3. Multiple chapters for yarn count conversion tables 153
4. Multiple chapters for large & small size CK machines and EA yarn finish oil look-up table 153
5. Chapter 4.5 and 6.2 for analysing greige or D&F fabric by mechanical separation
of yarns: example spreadsheet 154
6. Chapter 5.1 for example of SOC document for large size CK machine 155
7. Chapters 5.2.4 & 5.2.5: large size CK machine, measuring yarn speeds (m/m)
for calculating the greige fabric EA content: calculator spreadsheets 7.1 and 7.2 156
8. Chapter 5.3.3 large size CK machines, calculating EA content during knitting through
following the weight loss of a few individual bobbins: converting greige fabric EA
content to creel average EA content: tables attachment 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3 158
9. Chapters 5.3.4 & 5.3.5: large size CK machines, calculating EA content during knitting
through following the weight loss of few individual bobbins:
calculator spreadsheets 9.1 and 9.2 161
10. Chapter 5.4.2 for small size CK machine, performing yarn speed (m/m) measurements
for calculation of EA content:
calculator spreadsheet 10 and PRL_S tables 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 163
11. Chapters 5.4 & 5.5 for small size CK machine, machine displayed yarn feed (mm/rev)
measurements for calculation of EA content: calculator spreadsheets 11.0. PRL_S tables
11.1, 11.2 and 11.3 164
12. WK machine, performing measurements for calculation of EA content: calculator
spreadsheets 12.1, 11.2 and 12.3 168
13. Potassium hydroxide 2N / methanol solution preparation, see chapter 6.3.5 172
14. Finished fabric specification (SPEC) document, example 174
15. Abbreviations and dictionary 175

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Introduction:

When knitting ground yarns together with bare elastane yarn for producing elastified fabrics,
knitters want to limit the fabric elastane content in order to control manufacturing costs.

Downstream fabric and garment buyers might want to specify a (minimum) elastane content
and sometimes certain labelling requirements need to be followed.

Why fabric and garment buyers want to specify the minimum elastane content is not clear at
all. Do they associate the fabric elastane content of knitted fabrics with the final fabric quality
or quality consistency? How to check the actual elastane content of fabrics and garments
accurately and once a contract has been signed for purchasing big volumes of an approved
fabric style or garment – e.g. sourced from another region – what is the confidence level that
the quality of all garments meets the specifications prior filling and shipping full containers?

This comprehensive manual describes the methods and gives examples and calculator
spreadsheets to accurately determine the fabric elastane content not only from a cost
perspective but moreover as a tool to control all required steps to obtain quality knitted fabric
at a high degree of quality consistency. Knitted fabric: stemming from small and large Circular
Knit machines and fabric produced through the well-known Warp Knit technology.

From a quality and quality consistency point of view, the entire manufacturing chain of a
fabric should be controlled. Logically, the first step in knitting would be controlling the applied
feed yarns. E.g. for an elastane yarn: the physicals, nominal decitex, true decitex, the Package
Relaxation Level (sometimes called stretch on the bobbin) and Package Relaxation Profile and
controlling the machine settings.

It would be too labour intensive and costly to check the elastane content of fabric samples
stemming from all machines, all fabric styles at all stages of the processes all the time.

On 180 pages, it is explained in detail how to control not only the elastane content but to
control the entire knitting process at the knitting machine when starting up the knitting to
avoid delays, to control costs and to control fabric quality and fabric quality consistency.

It is recommended that specifications of each standard fabric style are fully described and
such a specification should include the elastane content. Agree with downstream customers
upon the overall fabric specifications and agree upon the test methods.

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 There are 3 main chapters:

• One chapter provides all necessary information to analyse the elastane content of a greige fabric
which can be done right after starting the knitting process by manually separating and weighing the
knitted yarns.
• The 2nd chapter reveals methods to measure the flow of all used yarns and to simply calculate the
elastane content already at start-up of the knitting. Based upon given fabric Specifications and the
matching Standard Operating Conditions document, the machine should be set correctly.
• The last chapter lists procedures for establishing the elastane content in a chemical or mechanical
way when dealing with dyed and finished fabrics or garments.

Rather than analysing the elastane content of finished fabrics and garments afterwards in a
complex and less accurate way (and not having the option to make corrections to the knitting
process anymore) defined measurements make it possible to calculate the elastane content
quickly and accurately at knitting start-up: one can avoid producing bigger fabric quantities
without actually knowing the elastane content and without controlling other relevant fabric
properties.

The methods also help to have better control over the required heat-setting step as less
corrections need to be made, producing finished fabric having improved and more constant
fabric properties: here we can mention of the impact on fabric width variation and the
resulting fabric waste during the cutting step that goes with it. We also mention the
dimensional stability, fabric flatness and the fabric growth-test.

Especially for companies that source fabrics and garment from other countries or even
other regions, the manual can be of great value controlling their overall fabric quality and
costs.

The information in this manual is based upon many studies and many years of experience
working in analytic laboratories, working in elastane fiber manufacturing and being exposed
to the world of knitting.

New is the pre-treatment step for manually separating and weighing the knitted yarns for
the determination of elastane content of greige fabric by manual separation of the knitted
yarns. Not only that the elastane content of a specific fabric sample can be established more
accurately, it is also explained how to determine the “creel-average” elastane content.

A new direction is given through analysing finished fabrics and garments pending their
composition. When using solvents to dissolve the ground yarn or to dissolve the plaited

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elastane yarn, it could happen that the solvent dissolves more yarns which has a negative
impact on the accuracy of the method.

Finally, new are the methods for setting the machine – according to a Standard Operating
Condition document – performing a limited number of basic measurements and simply
calculate the greige fabric elastane content right at start-up of the knitting process. From a
quality point of view, this is the preferred method. To make this possible, one needs to have
full understanding of the so-called Package Relaxation Level and Package Relaxation Profile of
the used elastane yarn.

A relevant question for a textile expert would be: “can you tell me the definition of
decitex”? The majority of textile experts will answer: “the yarn weight / length ratio or the
grams for 10,000 meters of yarn”.

The correct and complete answer (especially for elastified yarns) should be though: “the dry
weight of 10,000 meters of relaxed yarn”. Without following this correct and complete
definition for the decitex of a yarn the determination of fabric elastane content can’t be done
accurately. Specifically, the words “dry” and “relaxed” prove to be important.

There are ~25 pages with attachments and examples. The spreadsheets mention the used
Excel formulas as this can be quite helpful for technicians or quality managers composing their
own Excel calculators. And there are 10 detailed procedures that can serve as site procedures.

The information can be used by fabric / garment buyers and fabric / garment manufactures
during contract negotiations or to establish the circumstances under which the quality and
consistency of the fabric / garment needs to be produced and tested in order to better control
the entire supply chain.

The comprehensive manual will be appreciated by technicians, quality managers producing

quality fabrics and garments but the manual would also help academics, textile school
students and institutes to broaden their knowledge in the world of elastane yarn and elastane
elastified fabrics / garments.

Koos Snijders

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Chapter 1. Flowchart, selecting the right analysis.

Explanation Start
Explanation

Manual separation of
Analysing greige elastic Chapter
washed greige fabric
fabric? ?
Y 4

Chapter
Manual separation
N
of finished fabric
6.2

During knitting, measure

Chapters yarn speeds, calculate
CK and WK, knitting greige
Y Large size CK: 5.1+5.2+5.3 yarn flows. Alternatively,
fabric, measure and ? for CK weigh few elastane
Small size CK: 5.4+5.5
calculate elastane %.
& few ground yarn
WK: 5.6
N bobbins, calculate

Analysing D&F fabric made Y elastane %

? ?
with 2 yarns: PES & EL.
Y Manual separation of
N
N D&F specimen possible?

Chapter
Chemically dissolve the
6.3
PES part of specimen

Analysing D&F fabric made Y

Manual separation of
? ?
with 2 yarns: PA & EL. D&F specimen possible?
Y
N
N

Chapter
Chemically dissolve the
6.4 PA part of specimen
Analysing D&F fabric
made of EL and 1 or > 1
Manual separation of
“natural” companion yarn
? ? D&F specimen possible?
(e.g. 3 yarns all together, Y
Y
like EL, CO and VI ) with N

absence of PA or PES.
Chapter
N
( Naturals includes VI ) 6.5 Chemically dissolve the
elastane part of specimen
Analysing D&F fabric made
Y
of elastane and >1 ? Manual separation of
companion yarn e.g. 3 D&F specimen possible?
N
yarns all together.
With presence of PA or No accurate chemical
separation possible
PES.
Chapter 6.6

For instance, EL with VI

and PES or EL with CO and
PA.
End