Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the most common knitting defects in circular knitting?
A: The most frequent defects are dropped stitches (runs or ladders), holes from broken yarn, thick/thin places from yarn count variation, needle lines from damaged needles, and oil stains from machine lubrication. Each is detectable at inline fabric inspection — which is why we inspect every roll before it moves to dyeing.
Q: How do you prevent needle lines in circular knit fabric?
A: Needle lines appear when one or more needles in the cylinder are bent, worn, or missing. Prevention means regular needle audits — we check our circular knitting machines before each production run, replace suspect needles proactively, and run a short test roll before full production begins.
Q: What causes pilling in knitted garments, and how is it prevented?
A: Pilling results from weak fibre ends working free from the yarn and tangling on the surface. The main causes are low-quality short-staple fibre, low twist yarn, and abrasive wearing conditions. Prevention starts at yarn selection — combed cotton removes short fibres before spinning. Anti-pilling finishes and correct GSM choice for the end use also reduce pilling significantly.
Q: How do you identify and handle fabric with holes before it reaches stitching?
A: Holes are marked on the roll with a coloured tag at our greige fabric inspection stage. The defective section is noted in the fabric report. When the roll goes to cutting, cutters work around the marked area, avoiding defective sections in pattern pieces. The defect rate and location is documented for quality tracking.
Q: What GSM should I specify to reduce the risk of defects?
A: Too light a fabric (below 140 GSM) is prone to holes, poor stitch definition, and transparency issues. Too heavy (above 320 GSM for standard jersey) risks knitting machine strain and uneven stitch formation. For T-shirts, 160–200 GSM is the optimal range for defect-free production. For bed sheets, 180–220 GSM. Always confirm with your manufacturer based on your specific yarn count and machine gauge combination.
Q: Can I reject a batch based on a high defect count? What’s an acceptable rate?
A: Industry standard acceptable quality level (AQL) for fabric defects is typically 2.5, meaning approximately 2–3% of inspected units may have defects. For premium buyers, specifying AQL 1.0 or 1.5 in your purchase contract gives grounds for rejection or replacement if defect rates are exceeded. Always define this in writing before production begins.