Crimson Publishers Research Article

Wings to the Research

Study on the Effect of Stitch Length on Physical

and Dimensional Properties of 100% Cotton
Plain Single Jersey Weft Knitted Fabric
Riasat Alam AM*, Tufazzal Haider SM, Taposh Ranjan Sarker and Shafiqul
ISSN: 2578-0271 Islam Chowdhury
Department of Textile Engineering, Northern University, Bangladesh

Abstract
The effect of stitch length on the geometrical and dimensional properties of plain single jersey knitted
fabric was carried out in this study. The physical and dimensional properties of knitted fabric were
changed due to the use of various counts of yarn, types of yarn (ring, rotor, and compact), quality of
yarn, stitch length/loop length, structural geometry, fiber composition of yarn, etc. This study focused
on the effect of various stitch lengths on plain single jersey knitted fabric enduring other parameters
constant. Plain single jersey knitted fabrics with stitch length 2.70mm, 2.80mm, 2.90mm, 2.95mm, and
3.00mm were tested separately for Courses Per Inch, Wales Per Inch, Gram Per Square Meter, stitch
density, tightness factor, shrinkage, spirality, abrasion resistance, pilling resistance, bursting strength and
the results showed that significantly they differ with variable stitch length. The research will be helpful
*Corresponding author: Riasat Alam AM, for the knitted fabric manufacturers as well as for the textile researchers who strive to improve the fabric
Lecturer, Department of Textile Engineering, properties.
Northern University, Bangladesh
Keywords: Single jersey; Stitch length; Weft; Knitting; Quality; Shrinkage
Submission: March 26, 2022
Published: June 02, 2022 Introduction
Knitted fabrics are becoming increasingly popular as they are easier to make at a cheaper
Volume 6 - Issue 5
cost and are more pleasant to wear. Knitted fabrics, on the other hand, are less dimensionally
How to cite this article: Riasat Alam stable than woven fabrics because they are made with low twisted yarn and have a loose
AM, Tufazzal Haider SM, Taposh Ranjan structure, necessitating careful production while keeping various qualities in account.
Sarker, Shafiqul Islam Chowdhury. Study
Changing the stitch length of a weft knitted fabric has a considerable influence on the fabric’s
on the Effect of Stitch Length on Physical
and Dimensional Properties of 100% dimensional and physical attributes such as (GSM), Wales Per Inch (WPI), Courses Per Inch
Cotton Plain Single Jersey Weft Knitted (CPI), shrinkage, spirality, and so on. Knitting is a textile structure-building process that
Fabric. Trends Textile Eng Fashion involves shaping a continuous length of yarn into columns of vertically intermeshed loops.
Technol. 6(5). TTEFT. 000646. 2022.
The distinct features of knitted structures, as well as their capacity to be developed to meet
DOI: 10.31031/TTEFT.2022.06.000646
the exact specifications of knitted goods, are in high demand. The physical and dimensional
Copyright@ Riasat Alam AM. This article is qualities of weft-knitted fabrics with varied fabric constructions are heavily influenced by
distributed under the terms of the Creative the loop length. Yarn knitted into the stitch, in particular, is an essential characteristic for
Commons Attribution 4.0 International
determining the quality of knitted fabric. It has been proposed that stitch length is a knitted
License, which permits unrestricted use and
redistribution provided that the original structure unit parameter that is inversely related to wales and courses per inch [1-11]. It
author and source are credited. has been suggested that the wales or courses per inch will be separately related to the stitch
length through a value of the constant parameter Kc for courses, Kw for wales whereas Ks is the
area parameter to stitch density. The uses of constant factors indicate the relative tightness
and looseness of a plain knit structure. Smirfitt [12] defined the geometry of the 1X1 rib
structure and established that the tightness factor formula is identical to that of a plain knit
structure. With the increase of stitch length, the fabric becomes looser and weak in tightness
in a v-bed produced rib fabric of different structures. Although Ks is close enough to a constant
and independent of the stitch length on the other hand other two parameters (Kc, Kw) are
dependent on the stitch length.

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Kumar et al. [5] and Oinuma [9] that the loop length of knitted Methods
fabric is inversely proportional to the areal density of knitted
An experimental method was adopted for carrying out this
fabrics. Later more experiments were executed to assess the
study. The experiment is carried out by manipulating a variable
relation at different conditions on different fabrics. Kavuşturan [3]
(Stitch length) called the independent variable and the changes
investigated the bursting strength during different processing like
in other properties such as WPI, CPI, GSM, Shrinkage, spirality
dyeing, finishing, and end-uses. The effect of knit structure on the
bursting strength, etc. are called dependent variables, and relations
bursting strength is found as positive by researchers. Sabrina and
of them with stitch length are measured. Yarn from the same lot is
others experimented on the plain single jersey and their derivatives
placed in the creels carefully for knitting.
represent that the bursting strength of knitted fabrics decreases
with the increase of stitch length Megeid [7]. Pills are developed Knitting: Plain single jersey fabric was produced with five
on the fabric surface resulting in an unpleasant appearance and different stitch lengths, ranging from minimum to maximum.
initiating the abrasion of garments and can cause wear and tear of Dyeing: Scouring is performed following the flowchart.
the garments. Pilling of fabric increases with the increase of stitch
length and plain singe jersey has a lower pilling resistance than Finishing: After knitting the samples were dry relaxed and then
others. A recent investigation of Khalil [4] on the plain single jersey processed at 65% Relative Humidity (RH) and 30 °C±2 °C. After
at grey stage abrasion resistance decreased with the increase of relaxation, the following tests were carried out for 10 samples. All
stitch length. Widthwise shrinkage was decreased while lengthwise tests were carried out at 27 °C±2 °C and 65% RH.
shrinkage increased, and the finding was not compatible with Determination of Stitch Length: With the
finished fabric. It was also found that with the increase of stitch help of the HATRA coarse length tester, the coarse
length the spirality was decreased at the grey stage [11]. length of different produced fabrics is measured.
Materials & Method Coarse length = π ×diameter of the machine × Gauge × Stitch length.
So, Stitch Length = (coarse length)/ (π × diameter of the machine
Materials
×Gauge).
Sample Fabric Manufacturing begins with the grey stage that
Determination of WPI, CPI, Stitch Density and
requires yarn preparation. The cotton raw material is taken to
Loop Shape factor: With the help of counting glass,
produce 30’s Ne combed ring yarn. Various yarn properties are
WPI and CPI of various stitch lengths were measured.
mentioned in Table 1 to carry on the study. The dyeing and finishing
We calculate stitch density and loop shape factor.
stages involve the pre-treatment, dyeing, and after-treatment
Stitch density(S) = WPI × CPI
procedures. Materials used to continue these procedures are listed
Loop shape factor(R) = CPI/WPI
in Table 2. A single jersey circular knitting machine was selected for
this study since it is widely used. At the dyeing and finishing stage Determination of Fabric Weight (GSM): After relaxation and
dyeing machines, dryer, and stenter machines were used [13]. conditioning of knit fabric samples, GSM of the samples was tested
by taking test samples with the help of a GSM cutter and weighting
Table 1: Yarn properties.
balance.
Yarn Parameters Value Yarn Parameters Value
Determination of Fabric Width: After relaxation and
No of ply single Hairiness index 5.75
conditioning the tubular fabric was turned into open width form by
Carded/ combed carded Yarn twist (TPI) 18 slitting along the slit line measuring tape, the width of the fabric is
Fiber composition 100% cotton Twist direction Z measured for different stitch lengths containing samples.
Staple length 28mm Twist Multiplier 3.5
Determination of Spirality % and Shrinkage %: Test was
Table 2: Chemicals applied. done according to AATCC Test Method 96-2009 for shrinkage and
Pre-treatment After Treatment for spirality AATCC Test Method 179-2004.
Dyeing Chemicals
Chemicals Chemicals
Determination of bursting strength: In the industry, 5
Marla WT-DLS R. Acid G. Salt samples were tested for busting strength according to ASTM Test
Primaquest-M Biopolish- LC Soda Method D3787.
Anti-Crease – SR Dekoven-LVR R. Acid
Determination of abrasion resistance and pilling
Marla WT-OLS Primoquest –M Prima wash -PCL
resistance: The abrasion properly was tested with the help of a
Primaquest-M Anti-Crease- SR Primaquest-M Martindale abrasion tester according to ASTM D3884.
Dekolizer-HP Ractive Yellow 3RS
Pilling resistance test: Pilling resistance was assessed
Anti-Crease-SR Reactive Red -3BS
according to the ASTM D3512 method.
Caustic soda Reactive Black G
Hydrogen peroxide

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Results and Discussion fabric hence areal density of the fabric will decrease. The Figure 4
shows that with the increase of length GSM of the fabric decreases.
Variation of dimensional and physical properties
With the increase of stitch length lengthwise and widthwise
Changes in WPI, CPI, stitch density, loop shape factor, and shrinkage increases gradually as shown in Figure 5. Spirality is the
tightness factor are shown in Table 3 for different stitch lengths distortion of the place of loops where they formed. The higher the
in different types of fabrics. From Figure 1 & Figure 2 it is found loop length the higher the distortion of the place of loops. From
that Kc, Kw, Ks, R, and Tightness Factor has no significant change Figure 6 it is found that with the increase of stitch length spirality
with the increase of stitch length in single jersey fabric. Kc, Ks, R and of single jersey fabric increases. According to Figure 5 it is seen that
tightness factor values decrease slightly with the increase of stitch if the stitch length increases bursting strength is decreased Table 5.
length, but kw values slightly increase with the increase of stitch This is due to the fact that when stitch length is less, no. of loops per
length. Stitch density means the number of loops per square inch. square inch is more. Therefore, the resistance towards the force is
Figure 3 shows that with the increase of stitch length, stitch density more in case of less stitch length of fabric. The formula to calculate
decreases. Stitch Lengths of 2.70mm, 2.80mm, 2.90mm, 2.95mm, the weight loss (%) is given by,
3.00mm were taken to determine the respective GSM Table 4. With
Weight of fabric before abrasion-Weight of fabric after abrasion
the increase of stitch length, there must be more open space in the Weight Loss= ×100%
Weight of fabric before abrasion

Table 3: Data for single jersey fabric.

Stitch Length, l(mm) WPI CPI KC KW Stitch Density, S(Loop/inch2) KS Loop Shape factor, R Tightness Factor
2.7 36 52 5.84 3.97 1872 22.75 1.47 1.85
2.8 36 49 5.59 4.11 1764 22.99 1.36 1.78
2.9 35 48 5.45 4.12 1680 22.46 1.34 1.74
2.95 35 46 5.43 4.13 1610 22.34 1.31 1.72
3 34 44 5.37 4.15 1496 22.28 1.29 1.67

Figure 1: Relation of Stitch length with Kc, Kw, Ks, Loop shape factor (R) and Tightness Factor.

Figure 2: Relation of stitch length with CPI and WPI.

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Figure 3: Relation of stitch density with stitch length.

Table 4: Data for shrinkage and spirality.

Before wash- After wash

Shrinkage= ×100%
Stitch Length in mm Before Wash Spirality
Length wise % Width wise %
2.7 3.56 3.44 5.76
2.8 4.92 3.35 6.14
2.9 5.34 4.26 5.69
2.95 6.12 3.59 6.54
3 5.74 4.52 7.27

Figure 4: Relation of stitch density with stitch length.

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Figure 5: Relation of shrinkage with stitch length.

Figure 6: Relation of spirality with stitch length.

Table 5: Data for bursting strength and weight loss (%).

Stitch Length in mm Bursting Strength in KPa Weight Loss %

2.7 450.6 3.65
2.8 418.8 3.73
2.9 385.2 3.81
2.95 360.4 3.87
3 345.8 3.95

Referring to Figure 7 & Figure 8 it is observed that, Single jersey surface with the increase of stitch length.
fabric showed higher abrasion loss% due to its soft nature on the

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Figure 7: Relation of Bursting Strength with Stitch Length.

Figure 8: Graph for Abrasion Resistance.

Conclusion Table 6: Pilling resistance test.

The relation of stitch length with plain single jersey fabric’s Stitch Length in mm Pilling resistance (Rating)
geometrical and dimensional properties are analyzed. The study 2.7 3
conveyed that the CPI and WPI, Stitch density decreases with the 2.8 3
increase of stitch length. Secondly, Kc, Kw, R and Tightness factor
2.9 3
decreases as well as GSM also decreases with the increase of stitch
2.95 2
length. But spirality and shrinkage increase with the increase of
stitch length. Further observations show that bursting strength 3 2

decreases with the increase of stitch length. Lastly, abrasion References

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Trends Textile Eng Fashion Technol Copyright © Riasat Alam AM