Seam Strength: Woven and Knit Fabrics

A Study on Seam Strength: Woven and Knit or Knitted Fabrics

There are so many variables in the readymade garments industry such as 88 standardized types of stitches, 284 types of seams, 28 types of sewing needles with 14 types of different needle tips, and other variants.  Sewing thread also varies in textile materials, inherent construction, and sizes i.e. ticket number. Moreover, types of sewing machines, speeds, accessories, etc also vary. Variations in fabric types are also important in these connections. The effect of some important factors on seam strength has discussed in this article.

Study on Seam Strength for Woven Fabrics:

The number of stitches per unit length is the main factor that affects the seam strengths. Generally, seam strengths increase with the increase of stitch density but when stitch density is too high or the seam breaks by seam slippage an inverse effect on seam strengths may be produced mainly due to the mechanical damage of the fabric by the sewing machine needle action. This fact is applicable to warp way stitching.

Seam on woven fabric

Fig: Seam on woven fabric

Normally seam breakage is produced by sewing. Yarn breakage occurs when seam along the warp direction but fabric yarn slippage occurs when sewn along the weft direction. With the increasing number of stitches per unit length, seam strengths are reduced in many cases e.g. stitch type-401, 504 when sewn in the weft direction.

With the increasing sewing thread fineness (increase in ticket number), seam strengths decrease in most cases. On the other hand, with the increasing sewing needle count, seam strengths slightly increase in warp way stitching but slightly reduces in weft way stitching. The influence of sewing yarn count and sewing needle count on-seam strengths are less than the influence of stitch type and the number of stitches per unit length.

Study on Seam Strength for Knit or Knitted Fabrics:

The effect of stitch density on-seam strengths in the case of knitted fabrics is more or less similar to woven fabrics except for the fact that the seam strength increases with the increasing of stitch number per unit length in both the course and wales sense. Seam strength in the course sense gives more strength than the wales sense.

Seam on knit fabric

Fig: Seam on knit fabric

With the increase in sewing yarn count (fineness), seam strength decreases, and vice versa. On the other hand, seam strength decreases, and vice versa with the increase in sewing needle count. The influence of sewing yarn count and sewing needle count on seam strength is less than the influence of stitch type and stitch density in both the course and wales sense.

Written By-

S M Hossen Uzzal
Planning Executive at Modele De Capital Ind. Ltd.
Narayanganj, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Email: uhossen@gmail.com

One comment

  • Zerin Textile

    very useful information. Thanks for writing such kind of article.
    We are Zerin Textile Limited is one of the leading woven fabric manufacturers in the textile industry of Bangladesh.

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