Like every other business a process is needed. Knitwear production is a very detailed job. You have to choose thoroughly from the yarn you are going to use to how you are going to assemble every different piece. In this article we’ll talk about the essentials of the knitwear production process.
The Manufacturing Process
The manufacturing process of knitwear is a journey from yarn selection to the final finishing touches. Each stage plays a critical role in ensuring the quality and appeal of the finished garments.
Yarn Selection and Preparation
Manufacturers pick fibers based on what they want the final product to have, like warmth, softness, or durability. Preparation involves treating and dyeing the yarns to achieve the correct color and texture. This preparation is essential for maintaining consistency and quality in the knitting process.
Knitting Techniques and Machinery
Knitting can occur either by hand or on machines, each method offering unique benefits.
Hand Knitting: This traditional technique allows for intricate patterns and customizations. Artisans knit each piece individually. This technique it’s usually used for the luxury market.
Machine Knitting: More common in commercial production, machine knitting is faster and more consistent. They can produce various knit fabrics and designs.
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Cutting and Shaping
Once the fabric is knitted, the next step is cutting and shaping. This involves laying out the fabric and cutting it into pieces. These pieces form parts of the final garment, like sleeves or the body of a sweater. Precision in this stage is decisive to ensure the pieces fit together perfectly.
Assembly and Finishing
The cut pieces are then assembled into a complete garment. This often involves several steps:
Seaming: technicians sew or stitch the pieces together. The type of seam used can affect the look and comfort of the garment.
Washing and Blocking: after assembly, the knitwear is washed to remove any residues from the manufacturing process. Blocking is then performed to shape the garment, ensuring it meets the desired dimensions and has a neat appearance.
Pros and cons of different knitwear manufacturing techniques
Hand knitting
Pros
Artisanal: custom knit sweaters are 100% made by people. This means that each sweater is a little bit different and unique. Not only does the product feel one of a kind and special.
Low MOQs (minimum order quantities): it is possible to make as little as one garment.
Cons
Slow production: the process is much slower than an automated machine. Also, many of the groups that do this type of work tend not to do it full-time, so production times can be hard to track.
Aging labor pool: the artisans that do this type of work tend to be much older and finding workers to replace this aging population is difficult.
Expensive: the longer something takes to make, the more expensive it is. Hand-knitting is an extremely slow process.
All in all, hand knitting is the traditional way to manufacture knitwear, but you must remember that this technique is usually more expensive for the brand owner and the buyer.
You can also read: What is the Oeko-Tex Standard?
Machine Knitting
Pros
Set it and forget it: once the samples are approved, and the program is set, you can make as many sweaters as you want with very little effort.
Good bulk prices: because bulk production is so automated and requires minimal manpower, large bulk orders tend to have competitive pricing.
Cons
Sampling can be expensive: what tends to be expensive is the hiring of the engineers necessary to program the machines. Because the costs of labor are so high, development for these types of knit sweaters tends to be higher than other manufacturing options.
Larger MOQ: MOQs usually start with about a few hundred pieces. While it is possible to press knit only once and get one sweater, it would not be economical. A lot of time is taken to program, sample, and tweak the computer program.
Most of the knitwear you find when shopping is made with machines. You can find good knit, but keep in mind it might not be the best quality.
Hope you enjoyed this article! Here at Knit-Lab Peru we are committed to offer premium quality products that combine modern technology with ancestral tradition. Contact us if you want to learn more or work with us.
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