Last updated on July 9th, 2023 at 01:30 am
Sweaters are trendy among all classes of people. Adults, teens, and children wear sweaters. These become very popular in winter because they keep the body warm. These are also popular for other reasons, such as not tight fitting, easy to wear, colorful, and fashionable.
What is a Sweater?
A sweater is a knitted or crocheted garment specially made from wool. Sometimes cotton or synthetic fibers are used. It covers the upper part of the body. To clean sweaters, washing or dry cleaning is done.
Types of Sweater
There are two derivatives of sweaters. One is a cardigan, and the other is a pullover or vest. A cardigan is a sweater that opens on the front side of the body and can be closed with ties, buttons, or clasps. A pullover is the most common type of sweater and covers the torso and arms. Lastly, the vest has no arms and is typically worn over a blouse, long-sleeve shirt, or another knit shirt.
Sweater Manufacturing Process
Winding
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Knitting
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First Inspection
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Linking
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Trimming and Mending
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Second Inspection
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Washing
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Hydro Extracting
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Drying
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Ironing
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Label Attaching
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Third Inspection
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Poly Packing
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Cartooning
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Inspection by Buyer
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Shipment
Winding of Yarn
The first stage of sweater manufacturing is the winding of yarn. In this stage, the yarn cone is prepared from hank form in the cone winding machine. Then the cones are stored for production.
Knitting of Sweater Panels
Machine operators set up and calibrated the computerized knitting machines (Flatbed) for knitting sweater panels. Then they load the programmed design and specifications into the machines. Then they load the yarn cones onto the devices and initiate the knitting process. They monitor the machines for consistent and accurate knitting.
First Inspection
The online quality controller inspects the knitted panel according to the buyer’s quality requirements. If any defect is found, the panel is rejected.
Linking the Panels
All the cut pieces to are transported to the linking department for making a complete sweater. Skilled sewing operators link the cut pieces together following the pattern and instructions by dial linking machines.
Trimming and Mending
For trimming, loose yarns are cut with the help of a trimmer. And for mending, different operators repair the faulty sweater. It is a manual process that uses needles and yarn.
Second Inspection
After trimming and mending, the factory online quality controllers do the second inspection. They check dimensions and stitches and also verify color consistency. They also address any quality issues by repairing or replacing defective components.
Washing
At this stage, the sweaters are sent to the washing department for the required wash prescribed by the buyer. It should be noted here that washing is a must-needed process for cotton, polyester, or acrylic, whereas, in the case of fancy yarns, it’s not recommended. And for wool, delicate cycle, and mild detergent is recommended.
Hydro Extracting
After washing, the sweater is hydro extracted to remove the excess water for drying. It can take up to 95% of the water out of the sweater, making it dry faster.
Drying
Then the sweater is dried well with the help of a dryer machine for the next step.
Ironing
Steam ironing is done to give the sweaters a neat and polished appearance. It is done according to the buyer’s provided spec sheet.
Label Attaching
The required labels are attached to the sweater using a sewing machine. Size, care, fiber, and other necessary labels are inserted.
Third Inspection
The factory’s online quality controllers also do the third inspection to ensure that all finishing details meet the required standards before buyer inspection.
Poly Packing
Before polybag packing, the finished sweaters are folded or hung according to packaging requirements.
Cartooning
After poly packing, the sweaters are placed in the appropriate cartoon. Then barcodes or tracking labels are applied for inventory management.
Inspection by Buyer
Buyer inspection is the last step of the sweater inspection system, performed before shipment. If the reject rate exceeds a pre-set value, the whole lot is rejected or returned for recheck.
Shipment
The packed sweaters are stored in the warehouse of the factory. The merchandisers then arrange transportation and logistics for shipping the goods to the buyers. They also coordinate with shipping carriers to ensure timely delivery.
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