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Bias Cut Acrylic Knitwear Print E-mail

 Bias Cut Acrylic Knitwear

 

FABRIC FACTS

 

Acrylic Knitwear fabrics are widely used because of their light weight, soft look and

feel, which resemble wool. Acrylic knitwear is widely used for sweaters but fashion

designers and manufacturers now find growing use in dresses, blouses, skirts and

jackets. These garments can be made entirely of acrylic yarn or blended with wool

and other fibers. Manufacturers use the bias cut construction to achieve a loose,

flowing, billowing effect with better draping properties. A bias cut construction is

achieved when the garment is cut and sewn at an angle or diagonally rather than a

straight cut which gives a narrow or sheath effect to a garment.

 

 

FABRIC PROBLEMS

 

Bias Cut Acrylic Knitwear can stretch, distort, shrink and lose pleating due to the

weakness of the stabilization treatment, lack of dimensional stability and loose knit

construction.

 

STABILIZTION TREATMENT

 

Used on acrylic fabrics and some other thermoplastic yarns such as polyester,

nylon and acetate. Manufacturers subject the yarn or fabric to a specific heat

temperature and moisture for a period of time. This means that the thermoplastic

fabric has a memory and will resist wrinkling, distortion, shrinkage and loss of

pleats. Acrylic fabrics and yarns, due to their heat sensitivity can not usually be

given a permanent "set" such as can be found in polyester, acetate and nylon. This

means that if the fabric or yarn has been stretched or heat set under tension, it

has a potential for shrinking. If the yarn or fabric has been heat set in a loose or

relaxed state, it has a potential for stretching. When subjected to body heat during

wear, heat of drycleaning, and drying or finishing, the acrylic yarn or fabric can

stretch, distort or shrink and lose pleating.

 

BIAS CUT CONSTRUCTION

 

The free flowing bias cut construction is extremely unstable in a knit construction.

The fabric will stretch and distort from pulling and tension in normal wear or

drycleaning.

 

LOOSE KNIT CONSTRUCTION

 

All knitwear has a potential for distortion. A loose knit construction allows the yarn

to shift freely and distort. Any one of the above conditions can cause distortion.

When one or more of the conditions are present, the likelihood of a distorted fabric

is increased.

 

INSPECTION

 

When accepting knitwear, examine for a bias cut construction. This can be

recognized easily by the wide flare or full skirt and the fullness of a blouse with

designer effects such as ties, sashes and pleats that are bias cut of the same

fabric. Check labels for acrylic fibers or blends. Inform customer immediately that

distortion is already present on the garment. A bias cut acrylic can not maintain its

shape after being subjected to heat, friction, tension and pulling in normal wear.

Hang garment on a hanger and point out the unevenness of the hem line. Examine

skirts and bottom area of dresses for the number of seams used in construction. If

a sufficient number of seams is used in cutting and constructing the garment, it will

have a better degree of stability than a garment with only one or two seams. If the

garment is pleated or fluted, examine for tightness of pleats or fluting, since

separation of pleating or fluting can cause distortion and a poor fit of the garment

Intricate pleating and fluting can rarely be restored by a professional presser or

finisher. Customers should be required to sign a release that there is an

understanding of the problems associated with bias cut acrylic fabric.

 

DRYCLEANING

 

Pre-measure all acrylic knitwear before drycleaning. Place in a net bag and run in a

"Soft Woolen" load. Use a high solvent level and solvent temperature no higher

than 80° F. After drying at no higher than 140°F, immediately fold garment over

the bar of two hangers, spread slightly apart depending upon the weight of the

garment. This will prevent unnecessary breaks and wrinkles in the fabric.

 

SPOTTING

 

Routine chemicals used for spotting are usually safe. Keep steam gun at east 5"

from fabric to avoid distortion of knit construction. Use tamping action with

sufficient lubricant present. If brushing is necessary, angle brush so the outside

bristles contact the fabric with less friction. The full effects of brushing with a flat

brush can result in distortion of the fabric.

 

WET CLEANING

 

Use cool to warm water with temperature not exceeding 100° F. Place garment in

net bag and place in water with a mild detergent. Agitate by hand. Rinse

thoroughly and extract lightly. Fold garment over bars of two hangers separated by

a few inches depending on looseness of the knit construction.

 

FINISHING

 

Do not place any acrylic knitwear on steam air finisher or steam cabinet. All acrylic

knit garments should be handled as a double fabric when positioning on pressing

machine. Use light steaming (as soon as steam emerges from the buck of

machine). Use a hand pad for removing wrinkles or very light pressure from the

head of a manual machine. Do not attempt to reposition garment until thoroughly

dry and cool to the touch. Position garment by moving away from the operator.

This avoids the possible problem of dragging and distorting the knit construction by

pulling towards the operator.

 

SUMMARY

 

Acrylic bias cut knitwear can range from limited serviceability to unserviceable due

to three factors:

 

(1) The fabric is usually not properly stabilized with temperature high enough to

prevent stretching, shrinkage and loss of pleats.

 

(2) The bias cut construction is weak and distorts easily.

 

(3) All loose knitted fabric can distort easily. When accepting these fabrics for

processing, the distortion in the garment should be pointed out to the customer

immediately. Careful cleaning, spotting or finishing procedures must be followed to

avoid accentuating or creating further problems. .

  

 
 
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