Encyclopedia Archive

Kapok

A short, lightweight, cotton-like, vegetable fiber found in the seed pods of the Bombocaceae tree. Because of its brittle quality, it is generally not spun. However, its buoyancy and moisture resistance makes it ideal for use in cushions, mattresses, and life jackets.

Knickerbocker

Is a yarn type with created by dropping small quantities of dyed fibres into two, similar or dissimilar, rovings at the spinning machine, or into two, similar or dissimilar, threads at the doubler.

Knit de Knit

A type of yarn texturizing in which a crimped yarn is made by knitting the yarn into a fabric, and then heat-setting the fabric. The yarn is then unraveled from the fabric and used in this permanently crinkled form.

Knit Fabric

Fabrics made from only one set of yarns, all running in the same direction. Some knits have their yarns running along the length of the fabric, while others have their yarns running across the width of the fabric. Knit fabrics are held together by looping the yarns around each other. Knitting creates ridges in the resulting fabric. Wales are the…

Knitted

The art and science of constructing fabric by interlooping of yarn loops, through the use of needles and a “loop within a loop”. The most essential unit in a knit fabric is the loop or stitch. A vertical row of stitches is called a WALE; the horizontal or crosswise row of stitches is known as a COURSE. The number of…

Knitted Fur

There are two types of backing or scrim that are used in the manufacture of faux fur, woven and knitted. Knitted fabrics easily stretch and distort due to the loops of yarn introduced by the knitting process. Knitting is a fast process and requires greater amounts of very flexible yarn so typically Polyester is used. Stretching is very detrimental and…

Knitting (Circular)

A weft knitting process where the fabric is a tube,.with the threads running continuously around the fabric. Double-knit fabrics are produced on a circular knitting machine equipped with two sets of latch needles situated at right angles to each other.

Knitting (Flat or Single)

A weft knitting process where the fabric is in flat form. The threads run back and forth across the fabric. Shape can be added in the knitting process by increasing or decreasing the loops or stitches. Full-fashioned garments are made on a flat knitting machine.

Knitting (Raschel)

A versatile warp knitting made in plain and jacquard patterns; the fabrics are coarser than other warp knits. Raschel knitting machines have one or two sets of latch needles and up to thirty sets of guides that enable them to create a wide range of fabrics.

Knitting (Warp)

A type of knitting in which the yarns generally run lengthwise in the fabric. The yarns are prepared as warps on beams. Examples of this type of knitting include tricot, Milanese, and Raschel knitting.