Sweater manufacturing process

Sweater processing involves weaving yarn into finished sweaters through a series of production processes.

This article introduces the whole production process of knitted sweaters, so that we can have a comprehensive understanding on sweaters production and how sweaters are made.

Sweater manufacturing process: confirm order → order yarns → yarns inspection then storage  → fix and grade size → knitting → over-locking → linking → hand stitching →  garment washing → drying → ironing → label → QC → mending → packaging—may have other processes.

1 Confirm order

Before start anything on a sweater, firstly need to confirm the order. Knitting factory need to know very clearly about order details:

Style: Cardigan, Turtleneck, Pullover, Dress, Skirt, Hoodie ect.

Quantity(specially more or less volume)

Size range and sample size

Color

Right pre production sample (PPS)

Delivery time

Packing way

2 Order bulk yarns

After confirm order details, Calculate amount of yarns need to order. Ask them to separate in rolls through winding machine. If the yarn out of stock, need yarn sourcing first. Here i want to say, need to order a bit more than actual use, because there will be losses and defectives on processing of knitting. Some clients may not accept shortage of quantity, so it’s better to keep some spare in case.

Our factory has encountered such problems in production. Because of knitting defect sweaters can not fix, we have shortage a few pieces on delivery, clients need the quantity. We have to order more yarns and knit again to fill up the order. But it’s hard to tell can buy same lot yarns or not, if not, will facing more problems.

Yarn are usually charged by kgs

In fact, while order from local yarns supplier, it’s hard to get exact weight as needed, because they are selling by rolls, then get weights from rolls, they will not sell half of the rolls to meet your required kgs.

3 Yarns inspection then storage

While raw yarn back in knitwear factory, it is necessary to do quality checking. Take samples and inspect yarn count’s calibrated linear density, evenness and other items. Then if it meets the requirements it can put into production. If not will return, replace new rolls, until get the right yarns. Factory will test several linear yards with buck yarns, You can visit another article about yarn types.

4 Fix and grade sizes of pattern for production

Before knit in machine, need to Fix and grade sizes of pattern. The engineer calculating, formulating, determining, writing, by using numbers, words, images, graphics, objects, etc. That are visible, understandable, convey information, so workers can easily get started.

The drawings of pattern are main production method, details are copied and passed to workers who make these sweaters. The drawings are specific performance of standard knitwear production operation.

It is the keep person to control the whole manufacturing process, any mistake in this step may bring irreversible consequences.

As we can see, people in this position get the higher salary than others. In turn, they bare more pressures and have many big and small issues to facing and fix through the whole knitting process.

5 Knitting process

Put drawing into computerized flat knitting machine. Knitters control sweater panels manually on machine as per the design provided to them. If the pieces is small, we don’t need full width knitting. Change all needle bed to bulk yarn, then press start, knitting stitch will move automatically.

All pieces are knitting in this part, including front panels, back panels, sleeves, collars, plackets, etc. They are semi-finished garments will move into next stage.

6 Over-locking

Over-locking on all the raw edge after knitting as separation thread, to prevent the slits of the them.

7 Linking

Link the semi pieces, normally side seam, armhole, center front, collar, sleeve. Linking circular machine as below picture.  It’s import to pay attention to the tension of linking, too loose OR too tight will cause size different.

Put every needle in linking machine smoothly, no wrinkle, initial one piece model sweaters are now visible.

8 Hand stitching

Use hand needle to knitting stitch the areas that cannot be sutured by the linking machine. There are four main works:

1. Waist Yarn removal

2. Trimming

3. Picking

4. Bumping

9 Garment washing and drying

Washing and drying plays a very important role in the sweater process. They will send to professional washing factory to do this part. I have other article about our daily garment wash, and how to wash sweaters here.

The main purpose of sweater washing:
1. Remove oil, dust and odor during processing
2. Improve ready garment hand feeling
3. Control the hardness/softness
4. Shape (shrink)

10 Ironing

Ironing sweaters are very different from other garments, like woven clothing just need lay flat and iron on table.
But this is far from enough on sweaters. After washing and drying, knit sweaters are shrinking and not in shaped, so it needs to be ironed on template. The template is made of wooden boards according to finished ready sweater size. Put sweaters into right size template, steam it to get the shaped.

11 Label

After iron put care label, size label, neck label as requirements by use flat bed machine. Different clothing brand will have their specific request, follow that to make it nice look.

12 Quality inspection

Knit sweater usually need light-inspection in light checking machine, specially for Dark colors, such as Black, Navy, Dark green. This light-inspection must needed for thin knitted sweater, all gauge over 14GG. Because we can not see small holes or knitting defects through eyes, we have to use tools to help.

13 Mending

For those not approved by quality checking part. The knitting garments have defects, such as leaking holes, rotten holes, loose needles, etc., or damage caused by dismantling of linking, they all move to repairing.

Once defects are fixed, they can move to next stage. If not, it will scrapped as useless, need to re-knit broken ones.

14 Packaging

For those pass quality inspection will move to package. Each brand’s packaging requirements may be different, it may have barcode stickers on swing tags. It may be flat fold packing OR hanging, follow up the specific requirements.

After individual packaging, outside pack with carton as required. Stick the shipping mark, write carton number, detail style, color, size, unit ect.

Above is the whole sweater manufacturing process, Other processes may need dye to the sweater designs.

The above general production process of a sweater, but some other processes may not write down due to specific styles and workmanship. We have quality inspection on every step, this is not write down after every step.

For sweater design, they have logo, logo embroidery or print or beading will make before quality checking.

Styles with buttons, need to open button holes, dye match color buttons.

Those sweater design connect with other fabric, like lace, mesh, denim, will stitching before iron.

Any other specific requirements will add case by case.

The end

From the above sweater production process introduction. We can know that manufacturing knitting sweater is very complicated, each step requires special personnel to connect. What is more, that is only the production manufacturing process of large-scale(bulk) goods.

Before the bulk production orders, many samples are required. Some clients may not understand why making sample is very slow and costly.  As we can see, the sample is the same as bulk, only quantity is 1 or few pieces. Thus takes more human and material resources. You can visit other article about knitwear clusters in China.

Imily clothing is the leading sweater manufacturer in luxury sweater industry, As cardigan manufacturer, pullover manufacturer, jumpers manufacturer and Christmas jumpers manufacturer. We help overseas buyers custom all kinds of knit wears.

If you have any questions OR inquiry on the sweater OR knitwear, please feel free to contact with me.