Tubular Knit
Tubular knit refers to a knit product or fabric form made by knitting textile in a tube on a circular knitting machine and using it without opening it up, resulting in a garment with no side seams at the body.
Contents6 sections
Definition and Overview
Tubular knit is a specification that makes use of the form of a circular knit fabric that is knitted into a tube. Because the tube circumference is used as the body of the garment, it can be made without sewing the front and back bodies together at the sides, as in ordinary cut-and-sew items.
Tubular knit is not a material name or a knit structure name. It is a term that indicates the knitting method and product construction of the textile, separate from materials such as cotton and polyester and knit structures such as jersey.
Features
Because there are no side seams, it is less likely to have seam thickness or seam marks at the sides, resulting in a clean appearance and a soft fit. It is especially suitable for products worn directly against the skin when reducing friction from seams is important.
The tube width depends on the diameter of the knitting machine and the characteristics of the knit fabric, so confirmation is needed for the body width and size range that can be made. In addition, circular knit fabric may twist along the direction of the stitches, which can affect the side position or print position of the product.
Main Applications
Tubular knit is often used for T-shirts, underwear, cut-and-sew items, loungewear, and similar products made with relatively light to medium-weight knit fabrics such as jersey. Because it reduces side seams, it is well suited to items that emphasize comfort and a soft feel against the skin.
Warmth, breathability, and hand feel vary depending on the material, fabric weight, stitch density, and finishing process. For that reason, do not decide whether it is suitable for spring and summer or autumn and winter based only on the fact that it is tubular knit; select the knit fabric thickness and blend ratio according to the intended application.
Selection and Handling Notes
During planning, confirm whether the finished body width fits within the tube width and whether an appropriate knitting machine diameter can be secured for each size. In pattern layouts that can be cut while still in tube form, cutting waste may be reduced, but efficiency varies depending on the pattern, specification, and design.
Knit fabrics may shrink, twist, or change dimensions during washing and drying. Before mass production, carry out washing tests and confirm the shrinkage rate, and consider straightening or pre-washing if necessary. In sewing, choose a sewing method and thread that can accommodate the stretch of the textile without excessive pulling.
- Because there are no side seams, confirm the specification of marks that indicate the front and back or the face and reverse.
- For printing or embroidery, confirm whether there is a process for opening the tube-shaped textile and whether there will be any positional shift.
- Confirm skewing and shrinkage before and after cutting, and reflect them in the dimensional design.
Differences from Similar Terms
Circular knitting is a term related to the knitting method or knitting machine used to make knit fabric in a tube shape. Tubular knit often refers to a product specification that uses that tube-shaped knit fabric for the body and eliminates side seams. The two are related, but not synonymous.
Jersey is the name of a representative knit structure, while tubular knit is a fabric form. Therefore, they are written together as in tubular knit jersey. Circular rib and circular interlock knitting may also be knitted tubularly when the conditions are suitable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tubular knit T-shirts have absolutely no side seams?
It is generally a specification with no seams at the sides of the body, but sewing is still required at the shoulders, sleeves, collar, and hem. Also, depending on the design, size, or fabric width, even if tubular knit fabric is used, the sides may be cut and sewn.
Does tubular knit fabric shrink easily when washed?
Being tubular knit itself does not determine how easily it shrinks. Material, knit density, dyeing and finishing, finishing processing, and washing method all have an effect. Before productization, confirm the shrinkage rate and skew after washing, and reflect them in the pattern dimensions and labeling.
