innovation knitwear sep111

8/10/2019 Innovation Knitwear Sep111

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MERINO INNOVATIONS

MerinoWoolKnitwear Innovations


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Innovations can takemany forms; for Merinowool wovenwear thefocus is on adding valueto the bre, the yarn orthe end product throughinnovation. Innovationscan be introduced into

Merino wool at anyone of its stages in themanufacturing pipelineand indeed some of theinnovations presentedin this booklet can workat several places in thepipeline. Innovations takeseveral forms, some canbe thought of as mistakesor problems that havebeen transformed into avirtue or feature; otherinnovations take theform of an improvement

in performance duringuse and permit Merinowool to be used innew products. Theinnovations in this bookletconrm that Merino wool

is versatile, at the cuttingedge of fashion and aclever alternative to otherbres.

The information in thefact sheets is a briefintroduction which

explains the concept andthe technology in simpleterms. For more detailedinformation about eachinnovation, technicalmanuals are availablewhich give step-by-stepinstructions on how toachieve the innovationsindustrially.

At the end of the bookletis a list of the partnerswho contributed tomaking the samples. A

comprehensive list ofWoolmark licenseeswho can offer innovativeMerino wool garments isalso available from TheWoolmark Company.

The driving force behind Merino wool innovationsare the trends in consumer needs and attitudesbecause these needs and attitudes justify theextra cost of innovations. The key consumertrends associated with Merino wool knitwear inthe second decade of the 21st century are:

(less formal looks andtextures) ie Merino Visual

VALUE

CARE FOR THE

ENVIRONMENT

CASUALISATION

(luxury for less),ie. Merino Touch

(reduced environmental

footprint by using lessenergy, chemicals andwater) ie. Merino Care

MERINO INNOVATIONS 32 MERINO INNOVATIONS


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INNOVATION CONSUMER TREND PAGE

Mercerised Merino Value (Merino Touch) 6Soft Classic Merino Value (Merino Touch) 7

Moisture Management Merino Environment (Merino Care) 8

Total Easy Care Environment (Merino Care) 10

Easy-Iron Merino Environment (Merino Care) 12

UV-Control Merino Environment (Merino Care) 13

Merino Retract Casualisation (Merino Visual) 14

3-D Merino Casualisation (Merino Visual) 16

Vintage Merino Casualisation (Merino Visual) 17

Sculpture merino Casualisation (Merino Visual) 18

Spectrum Merino Casualisation (Merino Visual) 20

3-D Merino Colour Casualisation (Merino Visual) 21

Merino Devor Casualisation (Merino Visual) 22

Knitted Wovens Casualisation (Merino Visual) 24

Aromatherapy Merino Environment (Merino Care) 25

MERINO INNOVATIONS MERINO INNOVATIONS


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The yarns are widely availablefrom worsted spinners and somewoollen spinners.

The process creates bulkierand softer yarns.

Brighter shades due to thedyestuffs being well absorbedby the treated bre.

The process imparts a degreeof anti-felting which rendersknitted garments easily hand-washable and in some cases

even machine washable.

The Soft Classic process is carried out on wool topsprior to spinning in a modied backwasher systemusing Basolan 88, a special chemical which modiesthe internal structure of the wool bre to make itless rigid, therefore softer to the touch; additionallythe treated bre is more receptive to reactive dyes.The true handle and brightness are created duringthe dyeing and subsequent softener application.

Soft Classic Merino is ne Merino wool yarns and knitwearwith a natural softness and brightness.

The mercerisation process for Merino wool is a chemicalbased process normally applied to wool top or scouredloose wool before yarn spinning. The mercerisationprocess in simple terms, when applied to wool, renders itwith a Cashmere like feel, and a Silk like appearance.

FEATURESTHE TECHNOLOGY

Improved hand-feel for worsted-spun and woollen-spun knitwear.

Brighter shades. Machine washable. More compatible for blending

with noble bres. Improved drape/uidity. Improved comfort especially

in next to skin products. Starting to become established

in the area of coatings andaccessories.

The mercerisation of wool involves the removalof the scale structure from the surface of thewool bre which creates a smoother bre surface,the effect of which is to increase the sheen. Thesecond part of the process involves the applicationof a very ne layer of silicone polymer which isgrafted permanently onto the bres surface.The application of the silicone polymer brings

about signicant improvement in the hand feel.Although as a result of the treatment, the actualdiameter (Micron) of the bre does not change,the perceived improvement in hand feel is theequivalent of using wool 2 3 microns ner.




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Merino wool is known for its hygroscopic properties- its ability to absorb and release water vapourquickly. Moisture Management Merino builds on these

properties and ensures the nished garment remainssoft and comfortable to wear. The Merino bre easilydeals with moisture vapour by absorbing it into theinternal bre structure. Liquid moisture is less easy forthe Merino bre to manage. Moisture ManagementMerino technology is employed to enhance total watermanagement by absorbing liquid sweat and movingit away from the body by evaporation, making thewearer feel more comfortable.

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% W a t e r u p

t a k e

Time (Seconds)

Uptake of liquid moisture according to AATCC 195

Water content on insideWater content on outside

The Moisture ManagementMerino bre wets rapidly oncontact with liquid water in

less than 10 seconds. When used in a double jersey fabric in combinationwith a hydrophobic yarn,a high degree of liquidmoisture transfer can beachieved (see diagram).

The Merino wool bre is treated with aspecial hydrophilic softener after dyeing bypadding or exhaustion. The success of the

nish, in terms of wetting time and durabilityis dependent on the cleanliness of the bresurface before treatment, so it is normal toremove contaminant such as silicone beforetreatment. The nish is rendered permanentby heat treatment and the higher thetemperature the better the durability.


MERINO INNOVATIONS 9MERINO INNOVATIONS8


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Permanent treatment withstandsmultiple machine washes.

Specied products can betumble dried.

Garment retains shape andas new appearance.

No colour change or colourbleeding during washing.

Comfortable and luxurioushandle.

For ne gauge knitted garments, which aregenerally made from worsted-spun yarns, the TotalEasy Care treatment is often applied at top stageprior to the spinning process. Most wool spinnersoffer Total Easy Care wool yarns in 100% Merinowool or blended with other bres. For woollen-spun products such as lambswool sweaters, theTotal Easy Care treatment is normally appliedto the knitted garment during the nal wet-nishing process, although some spinners do offer

woollenspun yarns made from Total Easy Caretreated bre. The process consists of an oxidativepre-treatment followed by application of a specialpolymer which swells during washing and masks thescale edges responsible for felting (see diagram).

Total Easy Care (TEC) Merino apparel is designed for todaysbusy lifestyle. Total Easy Care Merino garments are all machinewashable, and some are suitable for tumble drying. Evenafter frequent laundering they retain an as new appearance.

They wont shrink, lose their shape, fade or colour-bleed. Theyremain soft and comfortable for the life of the garment. TotalEasy Care technology is available worldwide.


Treated dryUntreated dry Untreated in water Treated in water

Polymer layer Swollen polymer layer prevents scalesfrom interlocking during washing

10 MERINO INNOVATIONS MERINO INNOVATIONS


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Easy-iron convenience. Less creasing during laundering. Safe and comfortable for

the wearer. No effect on handle.

Little or no effect on colour.

The Easy-iron Merino nish is applied to knittedgarments or fabrics during nishing either byspraying, dip-hydro or padding.

Easy-iron Merino makes domestic ironing easier. In somecases it removes the need for ironing after launderingaltogether! Easy-iron Merino uses a special TYCS settingtechnology which reduces the likelihood of creasingsometimes known as crows footing at the edges of negauge Merino wool knitwear. The nish can also include asilicone polymer which reduces friction between the ironand the fabric surface.


Can increase the Sun Protectionfactor by up to 20UPF units(see diagram).

Durable to dry cleaning andmachine washing.

Prevents yellowing due toUV light.

Reduces bre degradationdue to UV exposure.

Maintains handle and moisturemanagement properties of theMerino bre.

A UV absorbing nishis applied to the Merinowool product duringdyeing or bleaching ateither yarn stage, fabricstage or during knittedgarment nishing. Thenish can also be appliedafter dyeing either by

exhaustion or by padding. After treatmentthe nish is xed by drying at the highesttemperature that is consistent with the colourand handle of the fabric.

It is recommended by medical professionals to limit exposureto UV radiation. Merino wool is naturally UV absorbing butas with all textiles its efficacy is limited by fabric density andcolour. Where additional UV absorption is required a specialnish can be applied to create UV-Control Merino.


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U l t r a v

i o l e t P r o

t e c

t i o n

F a c

t o r

( U P F )

UntreatedControl

UV-SunTreated

Enhanced UV Protection



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Boiled wool is a term given to knitwear that has beenpre-shrunk to the extent that it has felted and lost mostof the resilience and softness associated with wool.Boiled wool is popular for casualwear because it gives acasual look to garments and an alternative texture. Boiledwool does however suffer from pilling, stiffness, and islimited to hand wash or dry-clean-only care claims. Thelack of resilience means that garment styling has to beloose tting rather than next to skin. Merino Retractknitwear looks like boiled wool but has the resilience andpilling performance of normal wool.

Contemporary boiledwool looks.

Resilience of normalMerino knitwear.

Machine washable

option possible. Tighter tting and fully

fashioned garmentspossible.

Easy care Merino wool yarns are combinedwith untreated wool yarns during knittingso that during nishing the untreated yarnsretract and the knit structure contracts duringwet nishing. The garment is knitted 15% to

20% looser than normal so that the retractedgarment does not end up too dense afternishing. Several trials are normally neededto determine the optimum stitch length andnishing routine especially if fully fashionedgarments are being made. The techniqueworks best in coarse to medium knit gauges,ie


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Vintage/washed effects in bygarment dyeing.

Woolmar k standards of washingand rubbing fastness are

possible. Works best on heavily textured

structures such as ribs andcables.

Works for both worsted-spunand woollen-spun piece-dyedgarments.

Each garment is unique withina dened range.

The unlevelness of washed garments can be createdby unlevel dyeing associated with applying thedyes too quickly. By using less levelling agent andallowing reactive dyes to exhaust onto easy care or

mercerised Merino knitwear within 10 to 15 minutes,the dye tends to exhaust more deeply in easilyaccessible regions of low yarn twist or fabric density.This effect can be rendered uniform over the wholegarment by using the correct combination ofprocessing speed and machine loading. Once thedyes are exhausted, the dyes can be xed usingnormal boiling times and if the correct clearingcycle is used normal levels of washing and rubbingfastness can be obtained.

Faded and washed out effects are popular in casual garmentsbut are a surprisingly difficult to create in Merino wool whichis renowned for its vivid and vibrant and durable colours.The classic approach to creating this look is to s imply usepigments which can be bonded to the bre with binders.Such garments are characterised by poor handle and poorrubbing fastness. When garments fade during washing theydo so unevenly, especially on seams and raised areas, and it isthis effect that is reproduced in Vintage Merino knits.


Felt-no-felt patterns for worstedknitwear.

Milled-non-milled patterning forwoollen-spun knitwear.

Effect is durable to hand-washing.

Can be applied to the wholegarment or specic areas foraccent.

Knitted fabrics or garments are screen printedusing a transparent polymer instead of dyestuff.The polymer is a polyurethane which is capableof preventing wool knitwear from milling orfelting. The polymer is applied from a thickenedprint paste which prevents spreading and lossof denition and is xed by heat curing orbatching for 10 to 12 hours at room temperature.Subsequent washing causes felting or milling in thenon-printed areas which creates a subtle pattern

on the fabric. If felting is taken to the limit thenseersucker effects can be created.

3-D Merino is an extra dimension for Merino wool knitwearcaused by milling or felting being limited to specic areascreating a subtle pattern. The felted and non-felted areasvary in thickness giving a 3-Dimensional aspect.




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Contemporary creasedgarments.

Each garment is unique. Creases are durable to

machine washing.

Soft handle of pureMerino wool.

The sculptured effect can be created bypermitting a garment to cockle (normallyrandom and unsightly creasing) in themost severe and complete way. Thetechnique involves breaking many of the

rules of knitting ne gauge worsted spunknitwear. By using a combination of awider than normal range of bre diametersin the blend, yarn steam-setting, looseknit-density and overloaded wet-nishingmachines consistent cockling in worsted-spun knitwear can be created.

There are two types of crease in textiles, accidentaland deliberate. Accidental creases are usually aproblem but deliberate creases in a garment cancreate contemporary and casual aesthetics. Theseeffects are unusual for Merino wool knitwear because itso readily sheds creases. The approach of using specialand expensive memory crease yarns suffers from poorhandle and high cost. A technique has been developedwhich creates natural creases all over a garment givinga unique look to worsted-spun easy care knitwear.




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Late-stage melange or marleffects.

Multi-colour melanges.

Tone-on-tone yarn, garmentor piece-dyeing.

Quick-response colouration.

Fibre or yarn can be dyed with a colourless orwhite dye that blocks the normal dye sites in thewool bre and signicantly reduces the uptake of

dyes compared to normal wool - dye-resist. Bycombining dye resist bres or yarns with normaltypes in a fabric or garment then during yarnor piece-dyeing there will be two shades of dyeabsorbed. If the yarn is made from a blend ofcoloured bres, each of which has been dye-resisttreated then a multi-coloured melange effect canbe created during dyeing. Spectrum Merino worksbest with pale or medium depths of over-dyeingand usually needs reduced amounts of levellingagents in the dye recipe.

Lead times in manufacturing depend on many factors but thepoint at which colour is added has one of the biggest impacts.Top or loose wool dyeing is ne if colour decisions can be mademonths in advance but if a quicker response is needed thendyeing at the garment stage is best. Garment dyeing doeshowever limit colours to just one shade - melange and marleffects not being possible because these are normally createdat the bre or the yarn stages. An alternative approach hasbeen developed which permits melange and marl effects to becreated during yarn, piece or garment dyeing.


Felt-no-felt patterns forworsted knitwear.

Milled-non-milled patterning forwoollen-spun knitwear.

Effect is durable to hand-washing. Additional coloured patterns

can be added to create subtleor dramatic effects.

Late-stage design optionsfor fully fashioned and jerseyknitwear.

Can be applied to the wholegarment or specic areas foraccent.

Knitted fabrics or garments are screen printedusing a colourless polymer along with acid orreactive dyestuff. The polymer is a polyurethanewhich is capable of preventing wool knitwear frommilling or felting. The polymer is applied from athickened print paste which prevents spreadingand loss of denition and is xed by heat curing orbatching for 10 to 12 hours at room temperature.

Subsequent washing causes felting or millingin the non-printed areas which creates a subtlepattern on the fabric. If felting is taken to the limitthen seersucker effects can be created.

3-D Merino colour is an extra dimension for Merino woolknitwear caused by milling or felting being limited to specicareas creating a subtle pattern. The felted and non-feltedareas vary in thickness giving a 3-Dimensional aspect. Awide range of colours can be overlaid on the 3-D fabric bythe same process of screen printing.




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Using the same technology as 3-D Merino thisinnovation creates, on loose open knit structuresmade from worsted yarns, a mock devor whichdoes not require any bres to be dissolved.

Burn-out or devoreffects without need forbre dissolution.

Effect is durable tohand-washing.

Can be applied to thewhole garment, orspecic areas for accent.

Knitted fabrics or garments are knittedfrom untreated yarns to a relatively loosestitch-density then screen printed using atransparent polymer instead of dyestuff.The polymer is polyurethane which iscapable of preventing wool knitwear frommilling or felting. The polymer is appliedfrom a thickened print paste which preventsspreading and loss of denition and is xedby heat curing or batching for 10 to 12 hoursat room temperature. The devor pattern iscreated during subsequent washing of thegarment when the non-printed areas felt

and consolidate to become opaque relativeto the printed areas.




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Woven appearance with theelasticity of knits.

Two sided/reversible fabrics. Milled nish imparts wind-

resistance.

Double jersey fabrics using pure new wool yarnsare constructed using a 2 or 3 colour jacquarddesign in ne worsted yarns. The fabric isrendered easy care using Synthapprett BAPapplication by padding and heat curing.

Woven fabrics, by nature of their relatively rigid structureare limited to more formal construction techniquesrequiring multiple panels of fabric to be sewn andmolded into the required three-dimensional shape, ega jacket. Knitted fabrics which look like wovens free thefabric from conventional jacket construction techniques.


Variety of aromatherapywell-being effects.

Natural and sustainable. Safe for wearer. No effect on handle.

No effect on colour. Product applications

particularly suitable forwomenswear, Pilates/yogawear, and loungewear.

A variety of essential oils have beenmicroencapsulated (a process in which tinyparticles or droplets are surrounded by a coatingto make small capsules), and then bound to thebre (with a special MCP binder normally used

in the cosmetic industry) during processing. Themicro-encapsulated oils slowly and continuouslyrelease during wear.

Natural aromatic plant extracts and essential oils used inaromatherapy are renowned for their healing, well-beingbenets and insect repellency. A range of aromatherapytreatments can be applied to Merino wool knitted fabricsto create Aromatherapy Merino garments. During wear,the micro-encapsulated essential oil is slowly released and,depending on the type of oil used, may assist in relaxing,revitalising or energising the wearer.




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The following companies gave invaluable assistance in creating the technical collection of innovative fabrics.

TYPE MANUFACTURER COUNTRY CONTACT PERSON ADDRESS PHONE NUMBER EMAIL

SPINNER Zhejiang Xinao Group China Zhou Xiaotian No.48 Zhenzhi Street, ChongfuTown, Tongxiang City, 314511

+86 573 88455813 [email protected]

SPINNERNovetex SpinnersLimited

Hong Kong,China

Milton Chan 1/F Novel Industrial Building,850-870 Lai, Chi Kok Road CheungSha Wan Kowloon

+852-2371 7222 [email protected]

SPINNER Ferney SpinningMills Ltd

Mauritius Mustaq Sooltangos Royal Road, Forest Side. +230 675 61 27 [email protected]

KNITTER Orient ForestLimited

Hong Kong,China

Herman Cheung 6th Floor, HKI Building, 56 Hung ToRoad, Kwun Tong, Kowloon

+85221715002 [email protected]

KNITTER Floreal Knitwear Mauritius Robert Nicolin PO Box 45, Curepipe +230 4220674 [email protected]

KNITTER Crystal SweatersLimited

Hong Kong,China

King K.Y. Wong 2/F., Crystal Indl, Bldg., 71 HowMing St Kwun Tong Kowloon

+852-2261 8888 [email protected]

FINISHER Hagemann GmbH& Co.KG

Germany Volker Maassen Eichendorffallee 90,D 48607 Ochtrup

+49 2553 922-190 [email protected]

FINISHERTiming IndustrialCo., Ltd

Hong Kong,China

Rocky Chan Flat D, 11/F Good year IndustrialBuilding, 119-121 How Ming St,Kwun Tong, Kowloon


WEAVER Jiangsu Lugang Science& Technology Co., Ltd.

China Paul Chen Luyuan Industry Area, Tangqiao Town,Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu, China


CHEMICALSUPPLIER

Dystar (Shanghai)Trading Co.

China Frank Hu 5-6 F, No.20, 201 Min Yi Road, SongJiang District, Shanghai, 201612


CHEMICALSUPPLIER

Huntsman(Shanghai) Co.

China Jenny Ge Room 4604-4608,Maxdo Centre,No.8 Xing Yi Road, Shanghai

+86 13301882292 [email protected]

CHEMICALSUPPLIER

Clariant (China) Ltd Hong Kong,China

Eric Leung Sandoz Centre, 1-5/F, 178-182Texaco Road,Tsuen Wan


CHEMICALSUPPLIER

NICCA ChemicalCo., Ltd.

Japan Dong Ying 23-1, 4-Chome, Bunkyo,Fukui-City, Postal Code 910-8670

+81 776258566 [email protected]

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The Woolmark Company Pty Limited makes no representations about the content and suitability of the information containedin these materials. Specifically, The Woolmark Company Pty Limited does not warrant, guarantee or make any representationsregarding the correctness, accuracy, reliability, currency, or any other aspect regarding characteristics or use of the informationpresented in these materials. The user accepts sole responsibility and risk associated with the use and results of thesematerials, irrespective of the purpose to which such use or results are applied. Users should confirm information from anappropriate and relevant source if it is of sufficient importance for them to do so. In no event shall The Woolmark Company PtyLimited be liable for any loss or damages (including without limitation special, indirect or consequential damages), whetherin an action of contract, negligence or tort, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of these materials.

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innovation knitwear sep111

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