Performance Apparel Markets - Grado Zero Espace Srl
Performance Apparel Markets - Grado Zero Espace Srl
Performance Apparel Markets - Grado Zero Espace Srl
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<strong>Performance</strong> <strong>Apparel</strong> <strong>Markets</strong>, 1st quarter 2006<br />
Seamless knitting and stitch-free technologies<br />
—through seamless<br />
knitting and stitch-free<br />
seams using welding<br />
Seamless garments have no<br />
seams while welded seams<br />
give a seamless appearance<br />
Seamless knitted garments<br />
require minimal or no<br />
sewing for completion<br />
Garments can be produced<br />
faster because cutting and<br />
sewing are reduced<br />
Special knitting machines<br />
are pre-programmed to<br />
produce an entire garment<br />
Several patterns can be<br />
combined in a garment<br />
In welding, fabrics are<br />
bonded without sewing<br />
Welding techniques include<br />
ultrasonic heating and high<br />
frequency radiation<br />
A thermoplastic material<br />
is required, which can be<br />
part of the fabric, its<br />
coating, or a tape or film<br />
Heat and pressure are used<br />
to melt it and form a bond<br />
In doing so, it is adopting a two-pronged approach involving:<br />
● seamless knitting; and<br />
● stitch-free seams using welding.<br />
Seamless knitting results in garments which have no seams at all.<br />
Welding results in garments which do have seams, but which<br />
nonetheless have a seamless appearance.<br />
Seamless knitting uses a form of circular knitting process. This results<br />
in a garment which has no side seams, and which requires minimal or<br />
no sewing to complete its make-up.<br />
Seamless knitting enables complete garments to be produced more<br />
quickly than when using traditional methods because a smaller amount<br />
of labour intensive cutting and sewing is required.<br />
Seamless knitted garments are made using purpose-built computer<br />
controlled knitting machines which are pre-programmed to produce an<br />
entire garment.<br />
Using this technique, it is possible to combine a variety of patterns<br />
within one garment.<br />
Using welding techniques, the fabric panels are made first and then<br />
bonded or fixed together without the need for sewing.<br />
Welding requires the application of heat and pressure using a heated<br />
roller, a heated mould, hot air, ultrasonic heating or high frequency<br />
radiation.<br />
The use of ultrasonic heating or high frequency radiation requires the<br />
presence of a thermoplastic material to form the bond. The<br />
thermoplastic material can be either a constituent of the fabric itself<br />
or a fabric coating, or it could be in the form of a tape or film 1 .<br />
To form a bond between the fabric layers, the thermoplastic material<br />
is melted by subjecting it to heat and pressure.<br />
Ultrasonic heating involves<br />
mechanically generating heat<br />
while high frequency radiation<br />
uses dielectric heating<br />
via electrodes<br />
Ultrasonic heating involves the mechanical generation of heat through<br />
the vibration of an ultrasonic head.<br />
High frequency radiation uses electrodes to raise the temperature by<br />
means of dielectric heating (see page 18).<br />
1 Commercially, the term “adhesive film” is often used to describe thermoplastic films or tapes although,<br />
strictly speaking, these are not true adhesives.<br />
18 © Textiles Intelligence Limited