What are the differences between knitting yarn and weaving yarn?

The difference between knitting yarn and weaving yarn?

Differences between knitting yarn and weaving yarn: Knitting yarn requires superior evenness, excellent softness, proper tenacity, elongation and twist. During the formation of knitted fabrics on knitting machines, the yarn is subjected to complex mechanical forces.

1、The yarn shall possess proper strength and elongation.

Yarn strength is an important quality index for knitting yarns.

As yarn is subjected to certain tension and repeated load during preparation and weaving processes, knitting yarns are required to have adequate strength.

In addition, yarn undergoes bending and torsional deformation in loop-forming. Hence, proper elongation is also essential for knitting yarns to facilitate loop formation and reduce yarn breakage.

2、The yarn shall have good softness.

Knitting yarn demands higher softness than weaving yarn. Soft yarn is easy to bend and twist, enabling uniform loop structure and neat attractive appearance of knitted fabrics. It also reduces yarn breakage and wear on looping components during weaving.

3、The yarn shall have a suitable twist level.

Generally speaking, knitting yarn has lower twist than weaving yarn.

Excessively high twist will reduce yarn softness, making it hard to bend and twist during knitting and causing damage to knitting needles.

Nevertheless, the twist of knitting yarn cannot be too low either, otherwise its strength will be impaired. Therefore, proper twist selection is key to rational yarn application.

Generally speaking, knitting yarn has lower twist than weaving yarn.

Excessively high twist will reduce yarn softness, making it hard to bend and twist during knitting and causing damage to knitting needles.

Nevertheless, the twist of knitting yarn cannot be too low either, otherwise its strength will be impaired. Therefore, proper twist selection is key to rational yarn application.

4、The yarn shall have uniform linear density and few yarn defects.

The uniformity of yarn linear density, namely yarn evenness, is a vital quality indicator for knitting yarns. Yarn with even evenness facilitates knitting processing, guarantees fabric quality, forms uniform loop structure and presents neat fabric surface. Yarn defects are also an important index for knitting yarns. Thin places on yarn lead to insufficient local strength, prone to end breakage, which impairs fabric quality and lowers machine productivity.

5、The yarn shall have good hygroscopicity.

The ability of yarn to absorb moisture from air is defined as hygroscopicity. Different fibers vary greatly in moisture absorption capacity, which also changes with ambient temperature and humidity. Yarns used for knitting production shall possess proper hygroscopicity.

6、The yarn shall feature good smoothness and low friction coefficient.

Knitting yarn should be free from impurities, oil stains and other contaminants and keep smooth as much as possible.

Rough yarn causes severe wear and damage to machine parts, and generates excessive flyings in workshops, which endangers workers’ health and reduces knitting machine efficiency as well as fabric quality.