March 2021: Knitting- Interlooping Textile Industry

KNITTING-INTERLOOPING
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
MARCH 2021
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Exemplar for the future of Indian Textile
Exemplar for the future of Indian Textile
Industry- Dr. A. Sakthivel
Industry- Dr. A. Sakthivel
Accomplishing Eminence- Mr. Muntazir Ahmed
Accomplishing Eminence- Mr. Muntazir Ahmed
Application of Knitting Technology In
Application of Knitting Technology In
Medical Textiles
Medical Textiles
Analysis of Japan's Export in 2016-20
Analysis of Japan's Export in 2016-20

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C O V E R S T O R Y
M A R C H 2 0 2 1
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C O V E R S T O R Y
M A R C H 2 0 2 1

CONTENTS
28
19 Healing Loops
by Kshipra Gadey
ADVERTISER INDEX
Accomplishing Eminence with Mr. Muntazir
Ahmed
08
Exemplar For The Future Of Indian Textile Industry
with Dr. A. Sakthivel
13Application Of Knitting Technology In
Medical Textiles by Kshipra Gadey
Analysis Of Japan’s Export in 2016-20
by Radhika Boddu
15
Waste Management In Knit Industry
by Sayali Bhamare
17
Retain And Gain: Making Your Superstars Stay In
The Company by Rajiv Misra
Entwining Your Calling In Knit Industry
by Nalanda Oturkar Gadey
26
29Automotive Textile Components
by Khyati Sutaria
AUTOMOTIVE TEXTILE
30
EVENT UPDATE
Apparel Textiles And Home Supplies Expo
TEXTILE MANAGEMENT
31 Study On Metallocene Catalyst And Zieglar-Nat-
ta Catalyst by Sandeep Vinod Vishwakarma
35Clothing From Milkweed Fiber by
Dr. N. N. Mahapatra
New Trends In Warp Knitting
by ATE/ Karl Mayer
Innovative Techniques In Knit Production
by Shivani Thattekar
23
Back Page: Raymond
Back Inside: Trutzschler
Front Inside: Rimtex
Page 3: n9 resil chemical
Page 4: Non-Woven Tech Asia
Page 5: Malegaon Conference, Textile Value Chain
21
SUSTAINABLE FIBER
10
HR FOCUS
CAREER GUIDANCE
COVER STORY 46 Man-Made Textile And Apparel Industry In
Bangladesh by Ameet Kaul and Anusuya
MARKET REPORT
49
Hike In Indian Cotton Prices To Negatively Impact
Exports And Viability Of Fabric And Garments: A
Thought Matrix by Munish Tyagi
50
EVENT UPDATE
51 Global Turnover 2020 Dropped- 9%
52 Fibre Prices Stable Up In March, But Showed
Signs Of Lowering by Nitin Madkaikar
53
TECHNICAL TEXTILE
44 Covid-19: How Antibacterial Textile Guide
You Through The Darkness? by Nur Hani Aqilah
Salehin and Thomas P. S. Ong
Intex South Asia Bangladesh Virtual Business
Matching Week
MARKET REPORT
PRICE UPDATE
YARN REPORT
54 MARKET REPORT
Vietnam: Cotton Market Report
Yarn Export Up In February, Cotton Takes
Downhill by Nitin Madkaikar
INTERVIEW
38 The Causes And Remedies Of The Loop
Formation In FDY by Pratyush Pushkar
RESEARCH PAPER
Kindly note, paper published with title name “ Organic
Fabrics : Need of a Safe Environment “ by Mrs. Vidya
Thakur as a Mentor and Ms. Swati Patali as an Author
in September 2020 issue has been PEER REVIEWED by
TEXTILE VALUE CHAIN Peer Reviewed Team.

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
Knitting industry started with home based knitting work
with one or two needles making beautiful garments like
socks, shirt, sweater, shoes etc for kids and other members
in the family. In the traditional set up; every girl was ex-
pected to know knitting in her early years of life. Knitting
was considered to be auspicious in Indian Culture. Still home
knitting is popular as a hobby and helped women in cooler
climates stay warm. But the percentage in the economic con-
tribution in knitting segment may be negligible.
Commercial knitting industry started with the industrial
revolution. It has developed with advance technology and
innovations. Circular knitting, flat knitting technology, from
yarn to garment technology has been revolutionary. Knitting
industry contributing 50 % of share in world total garment
market, India’s contribution to world knitting (knitted gar-
ment) market is approximately 53 %. The hub of Indian knit-
ting industry clusters like Tirupur, Ludhiana etc, are making
major contribution in the export market. Knitted garments
were traditionally made by only woollen and cotton yarns,
then acrylic yarns; now all synthetic fibres along with span-
dex / stretch fibers are high in demand.
Woven and knitted, what do the consumer choose?
Well, it depends on their comfort, and personal choice. Sports-
wear, gym wear, night wear, loungewear, inner wear are ma-
jorly made using Knitting technology ie, wherever comfort is
priority, knitting is the choice, as knitted garments have a
versatile construction, which can be stretched at any angle
contributing to the dimensional stability and comfort to the
wearer. Health awareness and Covid 19 pandemic lockdown
during 2020, has given a boost to this industry.
Due to the versatility in fibres, yarns, design, construction,
and application; there is scope for research and development
that is needed and can be further explored by industry. Wo-
vens are swiftly replacing knitting in corporate men’s, wom-
en’s wear, uniforms, technical textiles and many more. Will
the apparel industry explore this segment and increase our
share in world export market.
We wish you all happy beginning of new Financial Year !!!
E D I T O R I A L
JIGNA SHAH
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
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Hand Knitting
Needles to
Commercial Fashion
Needles journey …
CREATIVE DESIGNER AND AUTHOR
Ms. Kshipra Gadey
EDITORIAL
7

8
M A R C H 2 0 2 1
I N T E R V I E W
ACCOMPLISHING EMINENCE
MR. MUNTAZIR AHMED
Visiting Faculty for Fabric Construction and Knitting,
Department of Textile Science and Apparel Designing,
SNDT Women’s University, Juhu, Mumbai
Mr. Muntazir Ahmed has five
decades of experience in knitting tech-
nology. He is not only a professional
but he also has a great experience of
teaching since five decades. He has
been associated with S.N.D.T Women’s
University for a very long time and is
one of the most experienced and re-
spected teachers there. He decided to
pursue a career in knitting when this
concept was little less popular than to-
day. He was fortunate enough to learn
and polish his skills and knowledge
from David J. Spencer.
Tell us about your educational jour-
ney.
After completing school education from
UP Board Allahabad, I obtained a B.Sc
degree (Physics, Chemistry, Mathe-
matics) from Agra University followed
by B.Tex (Textile Technology) from
Kanpur University. Finally I attended
a special programme in Knitting Tech-
nology at Leicester Polytechnic pres-
ently De Montfort University UK.
How was your learning experience?
David J. Spencer, C Text, FTI, ACFI,
the author of popular book Knitting
Technology was a Senior Lecturer in
the School of Textile and Knitwear
Technology at Leicester Polytechnic,
UK. He had been an examiner and
moderator in the Manufacture of Ho-
siery and Knitted Goods for the City
and Guilds of London Institute. He had
written articles on knitting technol-
ogy for British, American and German
technical publications. My early indus-
trial experience was obtained through
technical service at the different De-
partments of Corahs the large Leices-
ter based Knitting company.
I studied various aspects of Knitting
Technology and the learning outcome
obtained from all the faculty members
was the insight of basic knowledge and
advances of the topics concerned. They
were a great source of inspiration and
I give due credits to them for what I
have gained today.
How did you carve your professional
life?
I started my professional career from
Muir Mills, Kanpur in the Department
of Carding and Spinning as Carding as-
sistant in 1968. Then, I was appointed
as Assistant Cotton Technologist by UP
government and posted at Government
Cotton Research Station, Bulandsher,
UP in 1971. I appeared and passed
ARS examination conducted by ICAR
in 1975 and got posted as Scientist at
Central Institute for Research on Cot-
ton Technology, Matunga, Mumbai.
During my research career, I worked
at different responsibilities and finally
retired in 2007 as Principal Scientist
and Head Mechanical Processing Divi-
sion at ICAR CIRCOT, Mumbai. I have
been contributing as visiting faculty to
various Textile Colleges in and out of
Mumbai.
Pursuing (learning) knitting in the
time when handloom was dominant
wasn’t an easy decision. What in-
spired you?
Knitting and handloom are two inde-
pendent technologies. I had travelled
to UK under a government scheme to
acquire sufficient knowledge in Knit-
ting so that systematic research work
can be started in this area after coming
back to my country.
What changes according to you are
required in the education system for
textiles?
Enough time must be devoted to up-
skill the basic technology; followed by
thorough practical study. Project work
should be discontinued and this project
time must be utilized for industrial
training where the entire department
of the industry should be covered.
What message do you have for young
textiles aspirants?
You definitely need to have a lot of
knowledge about the field you are pur-
suing your career in. But for a success-
ful career in textiles, one should know
the fundamental or basic element of
textiles. One should know at least the
basic fabric structure, construction,
technicalities and types. Apart from
the knowledge in textiles, you also
need to be honest with your choice and
career and need to work on it with all
your dedication.

9
M A R C H 2 0 2 1
I N T E R V I E W
What are the problems faced by
people in the textile industry?
For the last several years I have not
been in touch with the textile industry.
However, timely upgradation of tech-
nology and appropriate use of newer
fibres may be helpful to the industry.
What do you foresee for the knitting
industry?
The future of the knitting industry is
bright provided the industry adopts
the following progressive steps.
• Present focus to use elastic yarn is
expected to continue and expand in
future.
• Higher speed factor to increase
productivity.
• Central quality setting for fabric
loop uniformity.
• Fault detection during knitting for
minimizing fabric faults.
• Higher feed density for higher pro-
ductivity.
• Lower feed density for minimiz-
ing spirality.
• High machine for continuous
knitting for a longer time.
• Semi positive feed for flexibility of
machine.
Are you aware about the recent ad-
vancements in knitting technology?
What difference do you see in knit-
ting technology then and now?
Few of the recent emerging advances
are mentioned above and other inno-
vations are listed below.
• Positive take down
• Open width take down
• Gauge change facility in circular
and flat machines
• Knitting to shape and Integral
Knitting
• Large diameter
• Smaller latch length
• Filter creel
• Positive and storage feeders
• Striper feeder
• Electronic feeder
• Needle selection as cylinder and
dial
• Super fine gauge
• More number of systems
• Comb take down
• Holding down sinkers
At that time knitting was considered
a worldwide craft involving hand knit-
ting pins and hand control machines
for the production of sweaters, socks,
shawl and fabrics for inner garments
etc. As a result of new developments
today, it is a method of textile produc-
tion by which both the products and
machines are highly diverse and ver-
satile. Products are full fashioned and
integral garments, all types of hosiery,
piece goods, nets, pile fabrics and tech-
nical textiles etc.
N E W S
Huntsman Textile Effects and Scies-
sent have formed a strategic alliance
to provide textile mills and brands
around the world with innovative an-
timicrobial and odor-control solutions.
The collaboration aims to assist mills
and brands in developing athletic
wear, outerwear, home textiles, and
other items that are resistant to mi-
crobial growth and odour for long pe-
riods of time.
The Sciessent solutions incorporate
into the finishing process and can be
used in conjunction with a variety
of other finishes, such as Huntsman
Textile Effects’ water repellents and
comfort systems, to manufacture high-
performance textiles that are both safe
and sustainable, according to the com-
panies.
“By combining our offerings with
Huntsman Textile Effects’ wide range
of advanced and sustainable defence
innovations, we are both expanding
our scope to producers and strengthen-
ing our offerings,” said Sciessent CEO
Paul C. Ford. “The combined power of
our brands provides a fantastic oppor-
tunity for manufacturers to distinguish
their products.”
HUNTSMAN IS A SCIESSENT
COLLABORATOR FOR ODOR- AND
MICROBE-RESISTANT TEXTILES
Huntsman Textile Effects will now be-
come the exclusive distributor of Sci-
essent’s Agion Antimicrobial, Lava XL
anti-odor solution, and dual-action Ac-
tive XL as part of the agreement.
“With a wide range of creative and
sustainable safety and comfort tech-
nologies from pre-treatment to colora-
tion and finishing, Huntsman Textile
Effects now has one of the industry’s
most complete end-to-end systems for
high-performance protection effects,”
said Rohit Aggarwal, president of
Huntsman Textile Effects.

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
10
EXEMPLAR FOR THE FUTURE OF
INDIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY
Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), India
TEXTILE VALUE CHAIN had
communicated to Dr. A. Sakthivel;
Path Breaker, Industry Leader, Guide,
Mentor, Nationalist, Philanthropist
and Humanist.
Journey till now ….
Dr.A. Sakthivel took charge as Chair-
man of Apparel Export Promotion
Council (AEPC) in January, 2020.
Dr.A. Sakthivel has been serving the
Trade and Industry as Member of the
Board and Chairman for four times in
Apparel Export promotion Council for
the last 35 years.
He is the one and only person in the
history of the Council serving for the
4th time as Chairman of the Council.
He played a vital role for the growth
of exports of Tirupur and as well as of
India.
Dr. A. Sakthivel has been elected for
the second time as Chairman, FIEO
in 2021. He was also six times unani-
mously elected as the Chairman of
Federation of Indian Export Organiza-
tions, Southern Region.
Dr.A. Sakthivel, as the President of
Tirupur Exporters’ Association popu-
larly known as TEA, has been continu-
ously in the helm of affairs for the past
27 years since establishment of TEA
in 1990. He is a true visionary, self-de-
termined, not only strong and decisive
but also humble and totally committed
in resolving the issues with exemplary
leadership qualities. One could visual-
ise his contributions from the growth
of Tirupur exports from a mere Rs.15
Crores in 1985 to Rs.26,000 Crores in
2016-17 because of his meticulous ef-
forts. He played a vital role in organis-
ing a seminar jointly by TEA, UNIDO
and ITC, Geneva on “Competitiveness
through Export Clustering Strategic
Considerations” in Tirupur in which
representatives and delegates from 7
Countries participated. TEA, then, re-
ceived global acclamation as an asso-
ciation for cluster development. Dr. A.
Sakthivel started out as a young am-
bitious entrepreneur in 1973. Through
sheer hard work, dedication and in-
novative trade practices he has sown
the seed and nurtured Poppys group
of Companies to be one of the leading
knitwear exporters of India with an an-
nual group turnover of US $50 million.
The success of Poppys Group is a re-
flection of the unstinting commitment
and encouragement of Dr. A. Sakthivel
whose efforts have been vital to the
development of the group as one of the
best administered in Tirupur.
Poppys Group has opened up global
markets for its products. It exports to
over 50 countries worldwide and is a
trusted supplier to global brands. Pop-
pys also has an enviable product range
that includes knitted and woven wear
for men, women and children. Poppys
Group has embarked successfully in
diversified businesses of travels, hospi-
tality and packaging.
Dr.A.Sakthivel was a prime mover of
so many visionary projects executed
in Tirupur. To name a few, Tirupur
Export Knitwear Industrial Complex
(TEKIC), Inland Container Depot
(ICD), TEA Public School, New Tiru-
pur Area Development Corporation
Limited (NTADCL), NIFT – TEA Fash-
ion Knitwear Institute, India Knit Fair
Association (IKFA) and Netaji Apparel
Park (NAP) are his visionary projects.
Dr.A.Sakthivel was instrumental in
implementing the third water project
in Tirupur which was executed by
NTADCL, formed under Public Private
Partnership model with a total outlay
of Rs.1,200 Crores. This project ena-
bled uninterrupted water supply at the
door steps of households and industries
in Tirupur, apart from supplying water
to way side villages in Panchayat Un-
ions.
Dr.A.Sakthivel was also President of
the Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (ICCI), Coimbatore for the
first time an outsider from Coimbatore
elected as President of ICCI. During
his tenure as President, he was instru-
mental in building a Platinum Jubilee
hall for ICCI as it was Platinum Jubi-
lee at that time. Kongu Region still re-
members, even today, the contribution
and service rendered by him for trade
and industry.
Dr.A.Sakthivel was the first Chairman
of Apparel Made-Ups Home Furnish-
ing Sector Skill Council (AMHSSC)
started in the year 2013. Under the
dynamic leadership and the efforts
put forth by him for the past 5 years,
AMHSSC had positioned itself to the
highest stage where the Council is now
considered one of the best Sector Skill
Councils in the entire Country. So far
training has been imparted to 6.5 Lac
people and 1.5 lac RPL. Dr.A.Sakthivel
is the Chairman for India Knit Fair As-
sociation (IKFA) for the last 24 years
and he initiated a trade fair complex
building to conduct International trade
fairs. So far 47 International fairs have
been conducted and as a result, Inter-
national buyers and Buying agents are
able to have good access to knitwear
exports thereby paving the way for
business development.
I N T E R V I E W
Dr. A. SAKTHIVEL

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
11
I N E R V I E W
Dr. A. Sakthivel was also the Chair-
man of Tamilnadu Branch, Indo-
American Chamber of Commerce. He
played a significant role in making
IACC a partner organisation to sup-
port the Government of Tamilnadu
in hosting the Global Investor Meet
(GIM 2019) held during 2019 at Chen-
nai Trade Center, Chennai. He is the
Chairmanof Government Affairs Com-
mittee, IACC.
Dr.A.Sakthivel, Chairman Indo Amer-
ican Chamber of Commerce (IACC)
had joined the High Level State Gov-
ernment trade delegation led by Hon-
ourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
Shri Edappadi K. Palaniswamy to
United State of America and Dubai
from 2nd Sep to 10th September 19.
As Indo American Chamber of Com-
merce has partnered with Tamil Nadu
state in this industry delegation, Dr.A.
Sakthivel, Chairman, IACC has organ-
ised Investors; Meet and arranged sev-
eral meetings with Investors in New
York, San Francisco and Los Angeles
for the Honourable Chief Minister of
Tamil Nadu. During this meet along
with Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,
Industry Minister, Chief Secretary,
Industry Secretary and other officials
of Tamil Nadu and it is imperative to
mention that the investors meet would
bring in investments worth Rs.9000
Crores wherein 41 Companies signed
the agreements resulting in job oppor-
tunities for more than 37,000 People.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister felicitat-
ed and appreciated Dr.Sakthivel for
his role to conduct these meetings ef-
fectively at New York, San Jose and
Dubai
Dr.A.Sakthivel is the Chairman of
Kongu Global Forum, which is an as-
sociation formed with representatives
from the business community compris-
ing 7 districts of Western part of Tamil
Nadu – Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur,
Nilgiris, Salem, Erode and Namak-
kal, catchment areas for Coimbatore
airport. With the persistent efforts of
KGF, flight connectivity to both do-
mestic; international destinations has
increased drastically.
Dr.A.Sakthivel‘s involvement and ded-
ication in AEPC, TEA & FIEO plays a
vital role to help the growth of export
sector in India, especially in SME’s,
and his service has been recognized in
India and also Internationally.
Dr.A.Sakthivel also served as a Direc-
tor in UCO Bank, IDBI and ECGC.
With his vast experience and guidance
these organizations could bring about
impressive policy changes for the bet-
terment of the trade and industry.
Dr.A.Sakthivel was conferred “Padma
Shri” award in the year 2009 by the
Central Government in recognition of
his exceptional service to the export
sector. He was also conferred Degree of
Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa)
on 24th November 2011 from Bhar-
athiyar University, Coimbatore for his
pivotal role in inspiring and motivat-
ing youngsters to become exporters.
His determination and dedication in
the various visionary projects and ini-
tiatives, his immense contribution to
the growth of trade and industry and
to the development of the society is
highly commendable. Also noteworthy
to mention here that he has been a re-
cipient of awards “KnitSarathi”, “Kon-
guNattu SathanaiyaalarViruthu” and
“KonguMamaniViruthu”. ’’.
India’s share and future in the global
knitting industry
India’s share in Global Knitted gar-
ment exports is 3.3%. Global knitted
exports in the last 9 years have in-
creased with 1.6% India stands in the
global textile industry India textile;
clothing industry has been stagnant
since the last 7-8 years though our
competitors like Vietnam; Bangladesh
have grown man folds. The reasons
for this stagnant growth are many
like Duty disadvantages in the EU
market, Economy of Scale, Technol-
ogy gap, access to MMF raw material,
concentration on cotton products etc.
But recently many Buyers/Brands are
looking for alternate sourcing destina-
tions other than China. This has given
the opportunity for Indian exporters to
capture this opportunity and boost the
exports. Govt. has taken many path-
breaking actions like introduction of
PIL scheme which will give much need-
ed support to the industry in diversify-
ing in the MMF segment and Techni-
cal Textiles. I am very positive that the
coming time will enhance the Apparel
exports but the Apparel exporters need
to take corrective measures like in-
crease the economy of scale, diversify
in MMF and Technical textiles prod-
ucts, investment in technology etc..
Covid-19 effects in Indian Textile Mar-
ket Apparel Industry is among the
worst hit industries due to COVID-19.
Apparel exports are facing the chal-
lenges of depressed global apparel de-
mand and smaller lot orders after the
pandemic resulting in 24.5% decline in
India’s Apparel exports during April-
February, 2020-21. The Apparel sector
has been able to recover partly from
the recession in the global apparel de-
mand. However, the challenges in ap-
parel exports still persist. Also, India
has emerged as the 2nd largest pro-
ducer of PPE globally. This has given
the huge opportunity for India in PPE
products
Potential and opportunities for India
in the global textile market
There is huge potential and oppor-
tunities for India Apparel exporters
like diversification in MMF; Technical
Textiles products by availing benefits
PLI scheme, Duty Free access to big
markets like Japan & Korea. Buyers
are looking for the alternate sourcing
destination other than China and In-
dia fits well in all requirements of the
buyers with compliant factories, pres-
ence of all kinds of raw material and
huge labour force. As stated there is
a huge potential and opportunity for
Indian apparel manufacturers in PPE
products and Medical Textiles.
Future plans for AEPC
AEPC has been doing an excellent job
in protecting and promoting the in-
terests of the apparel exporters from
across the country. It was a testing
time for the Council during the coro-
“If your actions inspire others
to dream more, learn more, do
more and become more you are
a leader”.

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
12
Protective Equipment (PPE). At the
start of the pandemic, there was neg-
ligible production of PPE items in the
country around March 2020. Within a
couple of months under the leadership
of AEPC and with the active support
of the government, Indian apparel ex-
porters found a new business opportu-
nity and made India the world’s second
largest producer of PPE. Further, the
Council has taken up promoting man-
made fibre (MMF) based garments in
a big way to align domestic production
in tune with the global demand. Based
on the request of AEPC government
has announced a Production Linked
Incentive (PLI) scheme for the MMF
segment and technical textiles and
soon we believe we can significantly in-
crease India’s share in global apparel
trade. We continue to identify bottle-
necks and opportunities and get these
resolved and for that AEPC is willing
to go the extra mile and take a new
avatar.
Potential of Indian Knitting industry to
serve global apparel demand/ mar-
ket.
In the last 9 years India’s knitted gar-
ment exports have shown a CAGR
growth of 4% which shows that we are
constantly increasing our knitted gar-
ments exports. India has the capability
to serve the global knitted garment de-
mands coupled with the positive senti-
ments for India, increasing R&D in
knitted products, investment in tech-
nology etc.
Message for aspiring textile profes-
sionals
The aspiring textile professionals must
understand the global textile industry,
garments that are in high demand,
markets where demands can be met,
new trends in the industry, should be
flexible and alert to rejig their produc-
tion capacity to suit the emerging de-
mands and fashion. They should focus
more on MMF garments rather than
garments made of natural fibres like
cotton as India already has a strong
foundation in the cotton industry but
need to build its production capacity in
the MMF segment.
Significance of knitting industry in
global and Indian Fashion industry
Knitted garments contribute to 50.5%
in global garments exports and India’s
share of knitted garment is 53.4% in
total garment exports, this shows the
significance of knitted garments in
both Global and India’s apparel exports
navirus pandemic and it came out in
flying colors as it was able to resolve
most of the issues faced by the ap-
parel exporters due to the lockdown
and other restrictions on a real time
basis. The entire secretariat worked
tirelessly both in terms of firefighting
the crises that came one after the other
and in recommending timely measures
to the government for safeguarding the
apparel industry, which is the second
largest employment generating sector
in the country after agriculture. The
Council effectively executed all the
strategies planned by me as its Chair-
man and the Board, and thus was able
to lead the apparel exporting industry
safely out of one of the most difficult
times in our memories. To overcome
the limitations in physical movement
during the pandemic anddifficulty in
hosting trade shows across the world,
AEPC launched a 24x7x365 virtual ex-
hibition platform to showcase Indian
apparels to the overseas buyers from
the comfort of their homes.
The platform, which links the export-
ers and buyers at almost no cost when
compared to physical exhibitions, is
an example of being future ready and
AEPC has already done it. Another
example of transforming oneself un-
der changing scenarios is the Personal
INDIA- COTTON YARN EXPORTS IN 2019-20
I N T E R V I E W

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
13
C O V E R S T O R Y
APPLICATION OF KNITTING
TECHNOLOGY IN MEDICAL TEXTILES
KSHIPRA GADEY
Author, Textile Value Chain
Figure 1: Classification of knitted medical textiles
Abstract
Medical textiles include woven textiles,
non-woven textiles, braided textiles,
and knitted textiles. Nonwoven medi-
cal textiles account for more than 60%
of all medical textiles used, but they
are as disposable as conventional med-
ical textiles. Knitted fabrics are used in
high-tech medical textiles such as arti-
ficial blood vessels, hernia patches, car-
diac support systems, knitted medical
expandable metallic stents, and tendon
scaffolds, though they make up a small
part of the medical textiles. Weft and
warp knitting structures are two types
of knitting structures. This article revi-
ws some of the knitting structures and
materials used in medical textiles, in-
cluding non-implantable, implantable,
extra-corporeal textiles, and health-
care and hygiene products.
Keywords:Knitting; medical textiles
Introduction
Medical textiles are textiles that are
used in medical facilities for mass care
and patient management. It is a brand-
new area that combines textile manu-
facturing with medical science. Textiles
with high-added-value textile struc-
tures and goods are known as medical
textiles. Textile materials are extreme-
ly useful in the medical field. And, as
technology advances, synthetic fibers
are becoming more prevalent in medi-
cal textiles. Biodegradable fibers are
currently being researched and manu-
factured for use in medical materials.
Medical textiles are categorized into
four groups, based on their structure:
knitted fabric, woven fabric, braided
fabric, and non-woven fabric. Nonwo-
vens account for more than 60% of all
medical textiles in use. Most medical
textiles are almost disposable. Knitted,
knit, and braided fabrics account for
a smaller percentage of overall medi-
cal fabric. Knitted fabrics have a loose
structure, strong durability, high po-
rosity, and a versatile and changeable
structure nature as compared to woven
fabrics. Knitted fabric structures may
also be modified to suit various needs.
Medical textiles, especially high-tech
medical textiles, benefit greatly from
them. Medical dressings, bandages,
padding for medical mattresses, surgi-
cal clothing, and other high-tech items
are all made of weft-knitted fabric.
Mattresses, wrapping fabrics, and sur-
gical organs are all made from warp-
knitted cloth. For wound closure (su-
tures) or replacements, the products
that heal the body are used .
Knitted Medical Textiles
Knitted structures are widely used
in the medical field for treatment,
surgeries, implants, bandages, dress-
ings, ligaments, etc. These structures
are preferred majorly because of their
properties. Due to the use of synthetic
fibers, these structures can be tailored
to impart the desired properties. Knit-
ted Medical Textiles are classified into
three categories according to their use,
medical dressings, implantable textiles
and healthcare and hygiene products.
Non-Implantable Textiles
Medical dressings have three func-
tions: they insulate, avoid trauma,
they bind medications to the wound,
and they absorb liquids. When wound
dressings encounter the skin, they
must have the properties of good hygro-
scopicity, breathability and a high level
of comfort. Knitted medical dressings
have more extensibility, elasticity, fit-
ness, and versatility than non-knitted
ones. Weft plain stitch and rib stitch
are commonly used in medical dress-
ings for two-dimensional structures
because of their basic knitting technol-

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
14 C O V E R S T O R Y
Figure 3: Cardiac Support System
Figure 2: Artificial Blood Vessel
ogy, high durability, and low viscidity.
Aside from these, medical dressings
make extensive use of three-dimen-
sional structures such as weft multiply
composites, weft knitted spacer fabrics,
and warp knitted spacer fabrics. They
frequently have absorbent layers for
good heat and moisture transfer con-
trol. Cotton, viscose filament, alginate
fiber, jute cell, and chitosan are among
the products used in medical dressings.
Yarns and filaments account for a large
portion of the procedure's short fiber
loss.
In medical bandages, warp knitted
structures such as pillar stitch and
tricot stitch are progressively added.
Glass fiber is used to knit the bandage
on an Italian COMEZ crocheting unit.
Because of its biocompatibility and
degradability, water-soluble PVA fiber
has a lot of potential in medical band-
ages. It was knit on a DR10 EWH dou-
ble needle-bar warp knitting machine
with an 18-gauge needle gauge.
Implantable Textiles
Implantable textile are a series of mate-
rials made of textile technology, which
can be implanted into human bodies.
It is flexible, biocompatible, and easy
to weave. Implantable textiles mainly
include artificial blood vessels, hernia
patches, artificial ligaments, etc. It can
be woven into various structures for
use in the different parts of the body
and different functions.
Artificial Blood Vessel: For secure
structures and high compliance, warp-
knitted structures are commonly used
to knit artificial blood vessels. Exces-
sive extension, edge roll, and ladder
rarely come to an end. Knitted on a dou-
ble needle-bar warp knitting machine
with more patterns and ground bars,
an artificial blood vessel is formed. Tri-
cot and atlas stitches are widely used.
Polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene,
polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene,
and other synthetic fabrics are used
in artificial blood vessels. Silk fibroin
is also valued for its durability and
strength. Since it is used in a variety
of situations, the specifications may be
modified.
The Hernia patch is an effective her-
nia repair implant. Hernia surgery
commonly employs polymer meshes.
Hernia patch structures include warp
knitted pillar stitch, tricot stitch, and
atlas stitch. The basic structure of
Marlex is tricot stitch, while Propene is
atlas stitch. Pores are tiny in both. The
structures have higher strength and
greater stability. The materials include
non-absorbable polymers like polyes-
ter, polypropylene, expanded polytetra-
fluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride
and absorbable polymers polyglycolic
acid.
Artificial ligament: Artificial ligaments
may be used to repair a knee joint that
has been injured. Laboureau's analysis
of the Ligament Advance Reinforce-
ment Mechanism (LARS) is commonly
used in anterior cruciate ligament re-
construction. The structure is warp-
knitted, and the material is medical
polyester. A transverse knitted frame-
work connects the longitudinal fibers
together. The diameter of the ligament
varies depending on the number of lon-
gitudinal fibers, and it is used for vari-
ous circumstances.
The Cardiac Support System (CSD) is
a warp-knitted elastic mesh bag that is
cut and sewn to the heart's form. The
basic structure is the Atlas stitch, and
the material is a multi-filamentous
yarn that offers high strength and
fatigue resistance while remaining
flexible. The glossy fabric with warp-
knitted atlas stitch is easy to slip on
the surface of the heart for acute wall
support.
Urethral suspension sling: The sus-
pension sling is made of warp-knitted
mesh fabric. The warp-knitted struc-
tures include tension strength, elas-
ticity, flexibility, and a range of mesh
sizes. According to research, the aper-
ture size influences clinical outcomes.
If the aperture becomes wider, so does
the softness of the slings. The risk of
infection will be minimized.
Knitted medical expandable metal-
lic stent: Metallic expandable tracheal
stents are used to relieve serious air-
way obstruction. A single strand of
nitinol wire knits the Ultra flex stent
(Micro-invasive, Boston Scientific, and
Watertown, MA, USA). A coiled thread
compresses the stent along a supple
guide. The stent will self-expand to
its final diameter when the thread is
pulled.
Knitting structure and healthcare and
hygiene products: Thermostatic tex-
tiles in surgery, medical mattresses,
mattress covering material, and cer-
tain protective goods all fall under the
category of healthcare and hygiene
products.
Thermostatic textiles in surgery: One
of the most cost-effective and interest-
ing methods for making three-dimen-
sional fabrics is warp-knitting. It is
possible to produce many warp-knitted
spacer fabrics with various patterns
and characteristics. Thermostatic sur-
gical textiles are those that can keep
the patient's body temperature steady.
During the knitting process, a conduc-
tive yarn (a metal-coated polymer with
a fabric characteristic, a carbon fiber,
and a metal multifilament) is applied
to the fabric as a single yarn at a par-
ticular yarn tension. By inserting the
yarn in the center of the bars, these
conductive elements are fed without
deformation. As an insulator, the en-
closed air in the spacer fabric prevents
heat from radiating downward. Heat
can be created and consumed by the
human body without loss if the heat-
ing system's side is near to the body.
Thermostatic textiles can be used in

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
15
C O V E R S T O R Y
C O V E R S T O R Y
ANALYSIS OF JAPAN’S KNITTING
MACHINERY EXPORTS IN 2016-20
Japan is one of the leading exporters of textile manufac-
turing machineries in the world. Its total export of various
knitting machineries between 2016-2020 was USD 2472
Million. China was one of the leading importers from Ja-
pan. Other nations also sourced their machineries from
Japan. Due to the global pandemic of Covid-19, exports
from Japan witnessed a decline.
Japan is one of the leading exporters of knitting machines
Figure 1: knitting machines, stich bonding machines & machines
Research Analyst, Textile Value Chain
in the world. In between 2016-2020, Japan exported
knitting machines, stitch bonding machines & machines
for making gimped yarn tulle that were valued USD 2,471
million in the whole world. China was among the top 10
importers from Japan who purchased the above machines
of total value USD 461 million. China’s highest import
between the given period was in the year 2018 when it im-
ported those machineries worth USD 113 million. Due to the
pandemic, this export to China dwindled. The total export
from Japan to China was USD 47 million in the year 2020.
China was followed by Bangladesh & Vietnam with the respec-
tive import of USD 341 & 262 million from Japan. India stood
8th in the list of importers of above machines from japan.
Hong Kong made it to the list of top 10 importers of above
knitting machines with the total import Value of USD 72 mil-
RADHIKA BODDU
several medical environments, includ-
ing the prevention of hypothermia and
emergency conditions such as rescuing
colds.
Mattress covering material: Weft-
knitted spacer fabric is knitted with
two surface layers and spacer filaments
connecting the two surface layers on a
circular weft knitting machine with an
electronic jacquard unit. The thickness
ranges from 1.5 to 5.5 millimeters. Due
to its good permeability, moisture ab-
sorption, elasticity, elastic controllabil-
ity, and temperature regulation, weft-
knitted spacer fabric is a good mattress
covering material.
Conclusion
To meet the demands of medical appli-
cations, a large number of structures
and materials are constantly being cre-
ated. However, there are still problems
with embedded devices in the human
body, as some textiles have been shown
to cause rejective reactions and sys-
tem malfunction after long-term use. A
wide variety of knitted medical textiles
and materials are needed to meet cer-
tain essential requirements in medical
fields, due to a rise in the ageing popu-
lation, a large number of accidents, and
a demand for a higher quality of life.
References
1. h t t p s : / / w w w . a c a d e m i a .
edu/13612313/Medical_Textiles
2. https://www.researchgate.net/
publication/321207804_Applica-
tion_of_Knitting_Structure_Tex-
tiles_in_Medical_Areas
3. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/
abs/10.1002/ccd.26910
Table 1: Knitting machine, stitch-bonding machines and
machines for making gimped yarn, tulle, lace

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
Figure 5: Machinery in textile operations
like making gimped, lacembrtrimmings
Figure 4: Flat Knitting and stitch-Bonding machines
Figure 3: Circular Knitting Machines with less than 165mm
Figure 2: Circular Knitting Machines (with cylinder diameter
lion between 2016-2020. Except Turkey and Hong Kong, all
the nations in the above list witnessed a steep fall in their
import in the year of 2020 due to the pandemic of Covid-19.
India imported machineries worth USD 9.64 million which
was less than the imports of previous years.
Between 2016-2020 India was the leading importer of cir-
cular knitting machines (with cylinder diameter <=165mm)
from Japan. Its total import valued USD 1 Million, which
is more than half of the world’s total import of those ma-
chines in the same duration. Denmark ranked 2nd in this
list of top 10 importers with the total import of USD 0.646
Million. Malaysia ranked 10th in this list with the total im-
port of 10 US Dollar Thousand from Japan. Except India, no
other nation imported the above machineries from Japan
in 2020. This machinery has a very low export. Most of this
total export was done in 2016. In the later years, the export
rate of this machine fell down.
Machines with less than 165mm Diameter were majorly
exported to China between year 2016-2020 by Japan. Ex-
port to china of less than 165mm Día knitting machine has
contributed 46.948 Million USD of total export according to
2016-20 survey report. Whereas India stands on 8th posi-
tion in this list with USD 15.2 Million followed by Colombia
and Indonesia.
Unlike other machineries that witnessed a decline in their
exports, Circular Knitting Machines with cylinder diameter
greater than 165mm did not face any decrease in the export
due to the pandemic. Colombia’s highest import was in the
year 2020 in spite of the global pandemic. Even Turkey’s high-
est import of the above machineries was in the year 2020
which was worth USD 7.5 million, much greater than the value
of its import in the previous 4 years. In Flat knitting and stitch-
Bonding machines, China proved to be the leading importer
from Japan in the year of 2016-2020 with a Cumulative figure
of USD 373 Million followed by Bangladesh & Vietnam, respec-
tively.Myanmarranked10thinthislistwithatotalvalueofUSD
19,358 Million. Even the export of this machinery shrunk due
to the Covid-19 pandemic. The highest export between 2016-
2020 was done to Bangladesh in the year 2017 which valued
USD 113.562 million. Basic machinery in textile operations like
making gimped yarn, Tulle, lace, embroidery, trimmings Etc.
are extensively imported by USA Between 2016-2020 which
worth 184.037 Million USD of total Japanese machinery export
which was followed by Taipei Chinese & India. India’s import is
worth USD 46 Million. Export to Taipei drastically tailed off in
the year 2020. The total value of machinery imported by Taipei
was USD 0.49 million which was much less than the export in
the previous years.

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
17
C O V E R S T O R Y
WASTE MANAGEMENT IN
KNIT INDUSTRY
SAYALI BHAMARE
Head of Department, B.Voc Fashion Design,
K.V.N. Naik College, Nashik
Abstract
Concerns about the handling of textile
waste have risen in recent years all
over the world. Textile demand growth
is influenced not only by population
growth, but also by economic and fash-
ion cycles. The textile industry's rapid
fashion cycle has resulted in a high
level of consumption and waste genera-
tion. This can cause a negative envi-
ronmental impact since the textile and
clothing industry is one of the most
polluting industries. Textile manufac-
turing is a chemical-intensive process
and requires a high volume of water
throughout its operations. Wastewater
and fiber wastes are the major wastes
generated during the textile production
process.
Keywords: knitting, textile, waste.
Consumption and growth of knit In-
dustry in the last decade
Many companies in the world market
manufacture knitted fabric. They in-
clude weft (circular) knitting and warp
(flat) knitting in their manufacturing.
The manufacturing done by all these
companies can include fashion and ap-
parel knitting, technical knitting and
household knitting. The material used
by them may include : cotton and syn-
thetic yarns, pile yarns, elastomeric
yarns, laces and some others. In re-
cent times, these industries are using
artificial intelligence to promote their
production. Also, eco-friendly fabrics
are in demand due to rising awareness
of global warming and the necessity to
protect the environment.
The knitted fabric market size was
grown by 2.1% since 2014, it became
$55.8 billions in 2018. In 2017, the
global apparel industry size was $684.6
billion and grown to $758.7 billion in
2018. This includes highest demand
of fashion and apparel segment due to
high demand of clothing and accesso-
ries by young consumers and their high
expenditure on it. It resulted in posi-
tive impact on knitted fabric industry
in the period of 2014-2018.
Waste generated by Knitting Industry
The worldwide increasing demand in
knitting fabrics also results in increas-
ing the waste production and its envi-
ronmental hazards. It causes reduction
of clean water resources, increasing en-
ergy costs, increasing use of chemicals
and many other drawbacks. The use of
toxic chemicals leads to air pollution
as well as water pollution. Companies
producing knitted materials have to do
packaging of final products, it leads to
solid waste. Due to the higher demand,
machines need more electric supply.
The sound emerging from those ma-
chines can cause hearing problem to
workers.
In this industry around 1500 types
of chemicals are used including dyes,
transferring agents, finishing agents,
surfactants, softeners, auxiliaries etc.
This causes 17-20% industrial water
pollution. Only 70% toxic chemicals
can be detected amongst them and 30%
cannot be cleaned. Number of chemi-
cals are released in air causing air pol-
lution. Some chemicals can cause skin
diseases through final products. In
June, 2005, users were detected with
skin allergies and it was expected to
grow to 60% by 2020. Some organic
pollutants are biodegradable and they
consume oxygen while their degrada-
tion. Acidic, Basic and Metallic salts
pollutants are inorganic so their chem-
ical and biochemical interplay in water
are different.
Water is used in each stage from pro-
cessing to packaging. A small industry
producing 8000kg/day also needs 1.6
million litres approximately. A 16% of
this, is used for dying and half of it is
used for printing. 200,000 litres of wa-
ter is contaminated during convention-
al dying and finishing process per 1000
kg of fabric.
Along with chemicals and water, elec-
tricity is consumed on huge amount.
This includes energy to heat, dry and
operate the machines. This causes
greenhouse gases emission and car-
bon footprints. According to the report,
18.8-23 MJ thermal energy and 0.45-
0.55 kWh electric energy is required.
Thermal energy is used in chemical
treatment process, predominantly for
heating water and drying textile ma-
terial. Electric energy is used for spin-
ning and weaving processes.
Another important thing in production
is packaging and transportation of raw
material as well as final products. To-
day many products of packaging are
made from petroleum based raw ma-
terials. Also non-recyclable plastic are
used in some areas. Transportation
needs non-reusable fuel which is ab-
stracted from natural resources. Ash-
es-mud, paper tubes and cones, non-
reusable dirty fabrics, carton boxes are
solid wastes gained from packaging

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
C O V E R S T O R Y
18
and transportation.
Waste Management in Kintting Indus-
try Sectors
Sustainability is the key to reduce
global warming. There should be some
changes done in traditional practices.
In industries, the use of organic chemi-
cals should be increased. Every harm-
ful substance has its non-harmful al-
ternatives, which should be applied.
These are also easily water soluble.
Use of Amylases, Pectinases, Dicyana-
mide (partially), Polycarboxylic acid,
liquid ammonia, cataleses, formic acid,
etc can be used as alternaives which
are less harmful. Dyes can be replaced
with natural-organic dyes. which are
also skin-friendly. This will also pre-
vent wastewater pollution. Natural
dyes are acceptable in consumers as
rising awareness of global warming
and natural stuffs. Re-Heating the so-
lution, EVAC vacuum suction, ultra-
filtration processes can be used for
chemical recovery.
Wastewater problems are increasing
in developing countries. There should
be a policy which consists of wastewa-
ter treatment and its reuse. Also com-
panies need to take care of automatic
shut-off shalves, flow-control valves,
water conservation measures in dyeing
equipment, use single stage of process-
ing. Reducing water, chemical and en-
ergy consumption can be achieved by
reusing wastewater.
Energy protection is very important
step in dealing with the problems of
the global environmental deteriora-
tion and conservation of energy. Com-
panies may think about the policy
which includes modifying the produc-
tion processes, updating machineries,
chemical prescription and also by us-
ing latest technology. High tempera-
ture and poorly working pipes causes
energy losses. Insulation decreases the
surface temperature and it makes suit-
able working environment. LED lights
and less-power machineries can be re-
placed by old-school heavy machiner-
ies, so it will definitely save lots of en-
ergy power for future. Also solar-power
can be used wherever possible.
Companies need to set the target of
recycling and reusing packaging stuff.
They can reduce their carbon foot-
prints by using recycled-old material
and material obtained from natural
things without any chemical or pesti-
cide. Recycled papers or old clothes can
be used instead of plastic which can
be proved as non-toxic environmental
policy. Non-usable textile waste can be
converted into insulation material for
construction, automobile sectors.
CONCLUSION
The lifelong effect of ecological and
biodegradable products can be promi-
nent because of their re-used, recycled
raw material. This will help in overall
environmental performance of this in-
dustry. All the countries should have
all these, and many more policies in
favour of eco-friendly production. This
is a need of present and future genera-
tions.
References
1. https://web.a.ebscohost.com/
2. https://journals.sagepub.com/

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
19
C O V E R S T O R Y
HEALING LOOPS
Author,
Textile Value Chain
Abstract
India is an efficient nation with a very
rich culture and heritage. It has a his-
tory that is beyond what technology
can answer. One such example is of
Ayurvastra. It is the med cloth that can
cure diseases and infections. It is con-
structed by weaving organic yarns into
a fabric and then imparting medicinal
properties into that fabric by dyeing
it with medicinal herbs. This fabric is
not much popular among people from
non-textile backgrounds as it looks
outdated in front of the modern dress-
ing culture that consists of a lot of new
varieties and designs of fabrics that
have better aesthetic properties. The
modern-day clothing culture mostly
consists of knitwear. Though ayurvas-
tra was traditionally made with woven
fabric, it is now made with knitting to
match with the modern clothing cul-
ture. Knitted ayurvastra has its own
benefits and can be potentially used on
an everyday basis to prevent our bodies
from certain diseases and infections we
suffer due to our lifestyle.
Keywords: knitting, ayurvastra
Introduction
The word ‘Ayurveda’ is a Sanskrit word
that literally means lifelong knowl-
edge. ‘Ayurvastra’ means ayurvedic
fabric. This fabric is imparted with me-
dicinal properties that could cure nu-
merous diseases way before technology
could. This fabric is traditionally made
by weaving the organic natural yarns
into a fabric and then dyeing it with
medicinal herbs that consist of the
ability to cure numerous diseases. Due
to the changing trends in the clothing
culture ayurvastra was on the verge of
losing its charm. Textile experts soon
came up with ayurvastra from knitted
fabric. Due to this kind of ayurvastra,
Ayurveda lovers can now wear ayurv-
astra while they don’t can wear mod-
ern clothes and are not limited to the
traditional ones.
Skin has the ability to absorb toxins
from the water, and it also has the abil-
ity to absorb herbs contained in natural
dyes. The medicinal properties of these
herbs are released into the body, im-
proving the skin's ability to block and
resist harmful substances. Ayurvastra
clothing comes in a number of colours
due to the use of about 200 herbs. Each
colour is made from a mixture of one or
more predominant plants/herbs, such
as Turmeric in Turmeric clothing, as
well as 40 or more others, all of which
are carefully mixed and prepared me-
dicinal herbs, plants, flowers, roots,
and barks.
Organic cotton, which is grown with-
out the use of artificial pesticides and
fertilizers, is the most commonly used
fabric. Silk, wool, coir, linen, hemp ba-
nana, nettle, bamboo, and other natu-
ral materials were also used in the
preparation of Ayurvastra.
Process of Ayurvastra
The dyeing method tries to keep the
medicinal properties of the textiles in-
tact. Dye fixation is carried out with
the aid of natural and non-toxic re-
sources of high medicinal value. This
approach employs novel strategies to
ensure that the consistency and quan-
tity of colors are constant over long pe-
riods of time. All natural textiles such
as cotton, jute, linen, and silk, as well
as woven and knit fabrics, can be dyed
using this innovative technique.' Herb-
al dyeing is used on textiles such as
raw fiber. Fabric that is woven. Fabric
that has been knitted or fabric that is
not woven. Depending on the applica-
tion and ailment, the fabric will take
anything from three to seven days to
produce.' Ayurvastra is produced in one
of two ways. The cotton is first medi-
cated before spinning, and the cloth is
then dyed after weaving. In each of the
processes, the following four steps are
essentially incorporated:
• Bleaching – The raw yam is
washed with a natural bleaching
agent before being dipped in Ayur-
vedic concoctions for anything from
4 hours to several days at a tem-
perature regulated setting. Both
scouring and bleaching the grey
doth are done with camel/buffalo/
cow/sheep dung.' A natural gum
aids in the encapsulation process.
It is then allowed to dry before
being carefully washed to remove
any loose parddes. To remove the
sizing and gums used in the spin-
ning process, the hand loomed doth
KSHIPRA GADEY

20
M A R C H 2 0 2 1
is washed in natural mineral-rich
water and sea salts.
• Mordanting – A variety of natu-
ral mordants are used to make
the colors bright and quick, such
as Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa)
bark, Kenduka (Diospyrose ebe-
num), Haritaki (Terminalia che-
bula) fruit extracts, and so on.
Clays containing alum. Iron clays
are used as a mordant as well.
Mordants such as copper, chrome,
zinc, and tin, on the other hand,
are avoided for environmental pur-
poses.
• Medication (Dying) – Depend-
ing on the illness or ailment being
treated, the organic cotton yarn or
cloth is medicated in a carefully
managed mixture of herbal medi-
cine preparations called Kashayas.
Instead of dyeing, the term drug
is used because the drugs them-
selves provide natural colour to
the fabrics. The temperature of the
Kashayas, the length and number
of medicinal soaks, the herbal mix,
and the equipment are all closely
monitored. The medicated cloth is
allowed to cool before being washed
several times to remove any loose
particles and dried in the shade. In
the printing of the textile article,
Kachuka Aata or Guar gum is used
as an adjuvant. Ayurvedic cloth-
ing can be rendered in a number of
ways, including red, yellow, green,
blue, orange, and brown. Ivory and
black,' she says.
Ayurvastra and knitting
Ayurvastra is produced in one of two
ways. The yarn is either processed
prior to weaving or the fabric is dyed
after weaving. Herbal dyes are often
applied directly to textile fibers before
weaving, such as raw cloth, or to wo-
ven, knitted, and non-woven fabrics,
such as stitched garments.
In this world of fast fashion, the tra-
ditional clothing style of ayurvastra
seems outdated. Knitted ayurvastra
garments not only enhance the health
but also keep the wearer updated with
fashion trends.
Traditional ayurvastra is made with
woven cloth. But to keep up with the
increasing demand for knitted gar-
ments, various companies have made
knitted ayurvastra available. This
kind of ayurvastra is made from most-
ly organic, and sometimes from vegan
or sustainable yarns. These yarns are
obtained in organic ways, i.e. without
the use of any chemicals. They are fur-
ther processed into knitting, and once
the fabric is ready it is dyed and im-
parted with medicinal properties with
the help of herbs and medicinal plants.
Colors obtained are natural colors and
they are capable of curing numerous
diseases and infections. Wearing an
ayurvastra regularly has a lot of health
benefits. These benefits stay lifelong if
that cloth is worn for a long time.
Knitted ayurvastra offers a good va-
riety to ayurvastra lovers. Ayurvastra
that is generally made in cotton or silk
is limited to Indian wear due to the look
of the fabric. Everyone wants to look
fashionable and trendy which might
sometimes not be possible with regular
ayurvastra but it is definitely possible
with knitted ayurvastra which offers a
lot of varieties in t-shirts, shirts, skirts,
pants, etc.
These fabrics have medicinal proper-
ties as good as the woven ayurvastra.
They can be easily used for casual
wear. Apart from clothing, ayurvastra
is gaining a lot of popularity abroad
in the form of yoga mats and sleeping
mats. All the ayurvastra products are
popular due to their effective results
and benefits.
Use of knitted ayurvastra should be
encouraged not only prevent the envi-
ronment but also the health hazards
that we shall face in the coming future.
Benefits of knitted ayurvastra
Following are the benefits of ayurvas-
tra knitwear.
• Ayurvastra knitwear is a good
option for ecofriendly and body
friendly clothing.
• It helps in curing a number of
chronic as well as acute diseases.
• Our skin absorbs medicinal ben-
efits of natural herbs instead of
chemicals.
• Knitwear generates a lot of syn-
thetic waste; ayurvastra knitwear
is a good option for organic knitted
clothing.
• No use of chemicals also means
less chemical effluents and less
water pollution.
• Use of ayurvastra t-shirts while
sleeping will give appropriate
sleep and prevent skin infections.
Conclusion
Ayurvastra is the doctor of future.
Its scope is endless. It keeps people
healthy in various ways. Traditionally
it was made on the woven fabric. Re-
cently, various companies have made
knitted ayurvastra available to keep
up with the increasing consumption of
knitted garments.
References
1. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/
2. https://ijrap.net/admin/php/uploads/888_
pdf.pdf
C O V E R S T O R Y

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
21
C O V E R S T O R Y
Warp knitted articles made on KARL
MAYER machines that makes staying
at home more beautiful
KARL MAYER offers warp knitting
machines for textile products that keep
its customers one step ahead. Two ma-
chines are likely to be of particular
interest to Indian warp knitting mills
now: a four-bar tricot machine to made
on-trend fashion items with a crinkle-
effect look and a three-bar weft inser-
tion machine to produce chic curtains
with a woven-like look.
It’s wonderful to stay at home
Tough times call for soft, comfortable
outfits, and wide-cut clothing made
from soft fabrics, with textures that
promise a feeling of cosiness thanks to
a voluminous look, are flourishing and
inspiring creative minds.
The textile product developers at KARL
MAYER were also inspired by the trend
towards “stay-at-home” wear that also
provides a feel-good guarantee. They
have created a collection of lightweight
warp knitted textiles that brought chic
to home wardrobes with a multiform
crinkle-effect look and bright colours,
but that will also cause a stir on the
streets and at parties in post-coronavi-
rus times. KARL MAYER’s newcomers
include dense fabrics with small repeat
waffle or wave patterns, seersucker
makes or origami-like designs, as well
as transparent fabrics on which curved
architectural lines stand out like veins.
The on-trend textiles are produced on a
HKS 4-M EL in E 28. To implement the
3D effects, the universal high-perfor-
mance tricot machine processes a poly-
amide wrapping yarn with elastane
cores. Various lappings make different
elastic properties and patterns possible
with the same threading. In addition
to high flexibility, the HKS 4-M EL of-
fers maximum efficiency. The extraor-
dinary design variety combined with
a high working speed makes the HKS
4-M EL the machine of choice when
it comes to manufacturing short runs
and developing new products.
Living with more effects
KARL MAYER’s WEFT.FASHION TM
3 benefits from the high productivity
of the warp knitting mill to produce
curtain articles featuring the most
popular weaving-like looks. The de-
sign potential offered in this process
is manifold. KARL MAYER’s textile
developers had already started testing
out the possibilities on the prototype.
Initial work concentrated on the basic
structure, while further trials looked
at incorporating simple effect yarns as
full inserted wefts. The created sam-
ples – wafer-thin, extremely transpar-
ent and feather-light qualities with a
basic organza structure and decorative
thread covering the entire surface –
were shown at Heimtextil in Frankfurt
am Main in 2019 and met with great
interest.
In their latest project, KARL MAYER’s
textile developers looked further into
using effect yarns. They tested the pro-
cessing of a total of 40 variants of dif-
ferent designs on a series machine that
is now available. Among other things,
knots, burls, loops, graver hair, fring-
es, Lurex® spots, mini sequins, twists
and pleats made the thread material
truly eye-catching in a full inlay. The
gauge of the design threads was just
as varied as their appearance. Rough
representatives had thicknesses of up
to dtex 5,500, while the most delicate
had a thickness of dtex 500.
Perfect machine running across all
effect yarns
As the focus of the processing tests
was on effect yarns, a simple pattern
was chosen for the base fabric. Ground
guide bar GB 1 ensures high longi-
tudinal stability with a pillar stitch.
NEW TRENDS IN WARP KNITTING
A.T.E.,
KARL MAYER

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
GB 2 implements an inlay under two
needles. This resulted in a voile-like,
structurally stable textile with a dense
surface but sufficient transparency for
a conventional curtain article. The dis-
creet view through was achieved by us-
ing a machine gauge of E 24 and a high
yarn gauge. Polyester dtex 50 f 24 was
used in both ground guide bars.
All of the 36 decorative threads used
could be easily integrated into this fab-
ric base. Neither the machine speed nor
the fabric appearance had to be com-
promised. “Even with variants where
we had reservations, for example be-
cause of the yarn thickness or design,
we reached our target of 1,500 rpm on
the machine,” says Jürgen Wohlrab
from KARL MAYER’s Textile Technol-
ogy Product Development department.
Perfect quality was also achieved by
balancing the stitch density, yarn
gauge and feed distance. Thin threads
must be firmly bound into the ground
by a higher number of stitches per
cm. Otherwise they can just be pulled
out, based on Jürgen Wohlrab’s expe-
rience. In contrast, thick, heavy and
fluffy effect yarns require a low stitch
density to prevent the pattern thread
from pinching or even the basic struc-
ture from bursting. This correlation
between stitch density and yarn gauge
becomes less important as the number
of weft threads per unit length decreas-
es. During KARL MAYER’s processing
tests, a decorative thread was regis-
tered approx. every 1.5 cm. In view of
the large spacing, the stitch density –
adjusted to 18 stitches/cm – could be
kept constant.
Further design potential for the fabric
ground and effect yarns
Pattern yarns not only render sophisti-
cated design effects possible thanks to
their diverse constructions, but also by
playing with the yarn tension during
integration. For example, base fabrics
with taut, fluffy variants can spring
into place after being removed from
the machine and thus form a striking
crepe-like surface. Jürgen Wohlrab
wants to test this in further investi-
gations. He also wants to use the pat-
terning possibilities of three-bar tricot
machines, which the WEFT.FASHION
TM 3 offers in principle, to design new
base fabrics. It would be conceivable,
for example, to produce textile struc-
tures with lengthwise stripes of vary-
ing density by using a mesh treading.
Used crosswise, it could be used to cre-
ate striking base curtains.
Through the targeted variation of
threading, yarn selection and textile
construction, it is also possible to open
up applications beyond the curtain sec-
tor, e.g. for upholstery and clothing,
such as light blouses, dresses or trou-
sers.
A specialist in producing warp knit-
ted home textiles
The WEFT.FASHION TM 3 is an ef-
ficient tricot machine with course-ori-
ented weft-insertion for producing me-
dium-weight home textiles. The basic
equipment includes three ground guide
bars and a system for inserting up to
24 weft threads. These are delivered
from a creel and laid across the entire
working width. The guide bars are con-
trolled by pattern disks.
The machine delivers an exceptional
cost-to-benefit ratio, runs extremely re-
liably, and is easy to operate. It is avail-
able in a gauge of E 24 with a working
width of 132”. Its product portfolio in-
cludes warp knitted curtains with in-
corporated effect yarns, maximum 3.25
m in length and imitating woven ma-
terial. Unlike weaving, warp knitting
does not require a sizing process, nor
the corresponding use of water, chemi-
cals or energy. Productivity is also ex-
cellent. On the WEFT.FASHION TM
3, depending on the article being pro-
duced, up to 60 m of curtain fabric can
be produced per hour. The machine
has already been ordered several times
since its production release at the be-
ginning of 2020.

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
23
C O V E R S T O R Y
INTRODUCTION
Knitting is a technique for spinning
wool to create a cloth or fabric that is
used in a variety of garments. Knit-
ting may be performed with either a
hand or a keyboard. Stitches are yarn
loops in a row, either flat or in the cir-
cle, created by knitting (tubular). For
every given time, the knitting needle
normally has a lot of working stitches.
Knitted fabric is made up of a series
of linked loops that weave in and out
of the next and previous line. Every
new loop is pulled through one or more
loops from the previous row and put
on the gaining needle as each row is
created, allowing the loops from the
previous row to be pulled off the other
needle without unravelling. Knitted
fabrics with diverse properties, such
as colour, density, thickness, heat re-
tention, water resistance, and integ-
rity, are made possible by variations in
yarn (varying in fibre content, weight,
uniformity, and twist), needle size, and
stitch type. A swatch is a small piece of
knitted yarn. Knitting is a method for
creating a two-dimensional garment
from a one-dimensional yarn or thread,
similar to weaving. Threads in weav-
ing are often straight and run paral-
lel either lengthwise (warp threads) or
crosswise (weft threads) (weft threads).
Knitted fabrics, on the other hand, fol-
low a meandering direction (a course),
creating symmetric loops (also known
as bights) symmetrically above and
below the yarn's mean path. Knit fab-
rics have much greater elasticity than
woven fabrics because of these mean-
dering loops and can quickly be ex-
tended in various directions. Knitted
garments can extend up to 500 percent
depending on the fabric and knitting
pattern. Knitting was made for fabrics
that needed to be elastic or flex in reac-
tion to the wearer's gestures, such as
socks and hosiery. Woven garments,
on the other hand, stretch primarily
along one of a connected pair of direc-
tions that run approximately diago-
nally between the warp and the weft,
thus contracting in the other direction
(stretching and contracting with the
bias), and are not very elastic unless
they are woven from stretchable fibre
like spandex. Knitted garments are
also more form-fitting than woven gar-
ments because their elasticity helps
them to contour to the body's shape
more closely; most woven garments, on
the other hand, only have sewn darts,
flares, gussets, and gores, which re-
duce the elasticity of the woven fabric
even more. Short rows or raising or
decreasing the number of stitches can
be used to add extra curvature to knit-
ted garments without seams, as in the
heel of a sock; the effect of darts, flares,
and other details can be achieved with
short rows or by increasing or decreas-
ing the number of stitches. Weaving
thread is typically much finer than
spinning yarn, resulting in a knitted
fabric with more bulk and less drape
than a woven fabric. Knitting has seen
a revival in popularity in recent years,
with a variety of approaches emerging,
ranging from innovative international
runway fashions to the use of knitting
in interiors in the form of light shades,
cushions, floor coverings, chairs, and
blinds, all focused on the versatility of
stitch structure. Knitting has also been
used by conceptual artists to produce
projects of all sizes, ranging from large-
scale public sculptures to miniatures
and wearable art, all of which question
our preconceptions of the craft. The In-
ternet and the development of a virtual
group of knitters who subscribe to the
many prominent and well-established
blogs, online journals, and magazines
have aided and encouraged knitting's
increased popularity. Many Internet
bloggers and photo bloggers post pho-
tos of their work on a regular basis,
provide links to other websites, and ac-
tively encourage readers to participate
in discussion forums.
Designsing
Knit designers are fabric designers,
and yarn selection is critical to the
fabric creation process. This chapter
discusses yarn variety, working with
colour and texture, and describing
the different types of yarn available,
including natural, synthetic, and hy-
brid yarns, as well as specialty yarns.
Knitted stitches all create a textured
INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES IN
KNIT PRODUCTION
SHIVANI THATTEKAR
PG Department of Textile Science and Apparel Design,
SNDT University, Juhu

C O V E R S T O R Y
M A R C H 2 0 2 1
surface, but the results vary depending
on the yarn used, the tension used, the
stitch combination used, and the yarn's
performance. You will achieve more
versatility in your work once you have
a working knowledge of various yarn
properties and an understanding of
how one stitch interacts with another.
Any of the following techniques can be
used to create textures in knitting.
• Boucles, chenilles, smooth silks,
ribbons, tapes, fake fur, marled
wool, mercerized, and specialty
yarns are some of the more exclu-
sive yarns.
• Lace, tuck, weave, slip stitch, or a
mixture of techniques may be used
to create a stitch pattern.
• Knitting with ridges, bobbles, knit-
ted flaps, and cables in three di-
mensions.
• Additional surface decoration,
such as embroidery, Swiss darn-
ing, applique, and smocking, is
worked into the knitting after it is
completed.
• Combining hand knitting with
machine knitting, crocheting, or
tatting with other crafts
As an innovative aspect of design,
each technique has infinite potential.
Knitting has the benefit of always of-
fering something new to learn and
make. When learning about knitting
and building techniques, it's helpful
to play around with different gauges,
yarn sizes, and colour combinations to
see what you can come up with. Always
keep track of your ideas while you work
so you can go back to them later, such
as when sampling knitting gauges and
stitch patterns.
Knitting is becoming increasingly com-
mon as a social activity. Groups gather
on a regular basis in churches, cafés,
and on the street to sit, knit, and talk
while exchanging ideas and patterns.
Some knitting groups get together to
socialise, learn, and develop new skills,
while others knit for charity, therapy,
or social change. e. Knitting and activ-
ism, also known as "knit bombing" or
"graffiti knitting," has spread around
the world, with environmental groups
making knitted installations and "knit
bombing" the atmosphere to demon-
strate their concern for the environ-
ment and other social and political
causes.
Knit-ins, knitting retreats, and knit-
ting festivals such as Unravel and
Knit Country, both in the UK, have
bolstered these communities. Exhibi-
tions, live presentations, and seminars
are all part of the knitting festivals’
well-organized event programmes,
which provide the ability to buy yarns,
equipment, and knitting supplies from
exhibiting stalls. The annual World
Wide Knit in Public Day, created by
Danielle Landes in 2005, is the larg-
est group event to date. It featured
more than 25 events from around the
world in its first year. This event has
grown in popularity and recognition
year after year, and now includes over
800 activities. It encourages knitting
groups across the globe to interact with
each other, attracting a generation of
new young knitters. It also results in
many collaborative knitting projects,
with large scale public installations
and interdisciplinary projects between
artists and craft workers developing
within and between groups. Knitting’s
resurgence in the twenty-first century
has changed our perceptions of the art.
This book delves into the world of knit-
ting by exploring the methods, practis-
es, and modern fashion concepts that
have resulted in a multitude of exciting
new designs and innovations. It looks
at new concepts and trends in the field
of knitted textiles and design, with
work from some of today’s most excit-
ing international knitwear designers.
If you’re a student, artist, practitioner,
or home knitter, you’ll find inspiration
in this book, which is packed with sam-
ples, diagrams, and garment designs
that show the flexibility of knitting
and offer a range of techniques that
can be explored and adapted for both
hand and machine knitting. Knitting
includes a broad area and a wide va-
riety of methods and processes, from
hand knitting to seamless knitting
technology, whether using traditional
techniques or modern technology. The
manufacturing, design, and sampling
methods used in the fashion knitting
industry are discussed in this chapter.
It also examines the various career op-
tions available in the industry, as well
as the international trade exhibitions
where a variety of exhibitors—from
spinners to designers—display knitted
textiles and manufacturing machinery.
Weft & Warp Knitting Technique
Knitting is divided into two types:
weft knitting and warp knitting. The
Wales in weft knitting are perpendicu-
lar to the yarn’s direction of travel. The
Wales and courses in warp knitting
are approximately parallel. The entire
fabric can be made from a single yarn
in weft knitting by adding stitches to
each wale in turn, travelling through
the fabric like a raster scan. In warp
knitting, on the other hand, each wale
needs just one yarn. Warp knitting is
usually done by machine since a stand-
ard piece of knitted fabric may have
hundreds of Wales, whereas weft knit-
ting is done by both hand and machine.
Tricot and Milanese are warp-knitted
fabrics that are resistant to runs and
are widely used in lingerie. Multiple
yarns may be used to knit weft-knit
fabrics, which typically results in fas-
cinating colour patterns. Intarsia and
stranded colorwork are the two most
common techniques. The yarns are
used in well-segregated regions in in-
tarsia, such as a red apple on a field of
green; in that case, the yarns are held
on different spools and only one is knit-
ted at a time. Two or more yarns alter-
nate repeatedly within one row in the
more complicated stranded method,
and all yarns must be carried along
the row, as seen in Fair Isle sweaters.
Double knitting creates two different
knitted garments at the same time .
The two fabrics are normally combined
into one, giving it a lot of warmth and a
pleasant drape. Weft and warp knitting
are the two primary types of knitting.
Weft-knitted fabrics are made up of a
horizontally spreading looped struc-
ture of interlocking stitches or courses
that can be knitted with a single con-
tinuous length of yarn. Fabrics suitable
for fashion garments are produced as a
result of this process. The framework,
on the other hand, allows work to be
quickly dismantled. The most popular
form of knitting is weft-knitted fabrics,
which can be made by hand with knit-
ting needles or on a domestic or indus-
trial knitting machine. Warp knitting
creates very stable fabrics that cannot
be unravelled by zigzagging and join-
24

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
25
C O V E R S T O R Y
ing yarn loops in a vertical direction.
Machines knit warp-knitted thread,
which has one warp yarn per wale. In
knitting, the wale is the vertical line
of loops from which each stitch hangs.
Corsetry, underwear, lingerie, sporting
fabrics, nets and tulle, curtaining, and
trims are all made from warp-knitted
cloth.
Technology for seamless knitting
Shima Seiki in Japan and Stoll in Ger-
many are the two major manufactur-
ers of V-bed knitting machines. Both
companies operate at the cutting edge
of knit technology, developing products
ranging from knit design software to
traditional computerised flat knitting
machines and seamless knitting tech-
nology. Shima Seiki provides a range of
“WHOLEGARMENT®” knitting sys-
tems, varying in gauge from very fine
to coarse. Stoll uses similar systems to
create “Knit and Wear®” garment tech-
nology in a variety of gauges, resulting
in multi gauge fabrics ranging from
fine to coarse, with the coarse gauge
giving a hand-knitted look. Knitting
machine technology is continuously re-
fined and developed in order to improve
efficiency and set-up times, increase
production rates, and enable machines
to knit a wider variety of stitch struc-
tures. The front, back, and sleeves of
a seamless garment are all knitted as
tubes, with each part using a separate
cone of yarn fed through separate yarn
feeders at the same time. A computer
programme shapes the garment, and
then the components combine during
the knitting process, resulting in one
garment. This method produces gar-
ments that are both comfortable and
have a flawless fit, according to Stoll,
“providing new freedom in form and
style, high fabric quality, and the re-
moval of bothersome seams.”
KNITTING TECHNOLOGY IN THE FUTURE
Many collaborative and interdiscipli-
nary ties exist between knit designers
and artists, scientists, and architects,
which stimulate ideas and lead to the
creation of new concepts and products.
Medical textiles, light-emitting tex-
tiles, and scan-to-knit technology, all
of which have enhanced and advanced
the production of smart textiles, have
all benefited from research of knitted
structures, as well as the efficiency of
fabrics and manufacturing methods.
By mixing methods and working with
new yarns and materials, fabric growth
can be achieved. It considers how con-
ventional and non traditional knitting
methods, as well as modern knit tech-
nologies, are used to produce exciting
and creative designs that defy our pre-
conceived notions of knitting. Knitwear
has resurfaced as a trend, product de-
sign, decor, interiors, and fine art me-
dium in recent years.
Knitting has been revolutionised as a
result of the application and investiga-
tion of modern techniques and materi-
als, such as plastics, metal, rubber, and
resin.
Many modern, cutting-edge fashion
and knit designers use the tool and
method of knitting, from Issey Mi-
yake, Yoshiki Hishinuma, and Yohji
Yamamoto’s groundbreaking designs to
Dutch designer Christien Meinderts-
ma’s “serious knitting” and the sculp-
tural approach of influential Swedish
designer Sandra Backlund.
Advantages
• We can make the fabric with the
fewest number of yarns possible,
even only one.
• The fabric’s extensibility and flex-
ibility can be easily controlled dur-
ing the knitting process.
• We may achieve the fabric’s de-
sired compactness.
• Knitted fabrics offer the wearer
more freedom of movement and
comfort.
• When we make fabric using the
knitting process, we waste the
least amount of yarn possible.
• We can easily create fabrics that
are suitable for both intimate wear
and technological applications
thanks to the knitting process.
• At the time of knitting, we can as-
sign the resultant structure the
shape we want.
• By selecting different yarns, we
can change the number of yarns
we’ll knit in the same fabric.
• Knitting provides us with a wide
range of design options.
• Knitted fabrics are highly perme-
able, allowing air to easily pass
through them. Knitted clothing is
also very useful in the summer.
Disadvantages
• Knitted fabrics have a lower de-
gree of dimensional stability than
woven fabrics.
• The production of glass fabrics us-
ing the knitting technique would
be difficult due to the increased
bending rigidity. Weaving, on the
other hand, allows us to quickly
produce glass cloth.
• Knitting machines have a limited
count set, while a weaving ma-
chine is a flexible machine that can
generate fabrics of any count.
• Knitted items have the following
essential properties:
• Weft knitted fabrics has a high
extensibility but a limited elastic
recovery, whereas warp knitted
garments have a stronger elastic
recovery than weft knitted gar-
ments.
• Knitted fabrics have a high tear
resistance.
• Knitted garments have a high de-
gree of crease resistance.
• Knitted garments are thick and
warm, making them ideal for wear-
ing in the winter.
• Knitted fabrics have a lower bend-
ing capability than woven gar-
ments when it comes to bending
length.
• Knitted garments have a poor ten-
sile strength despite having a high
bending modulus and permeabil-
ity.’
References
1. http://www.fpp.uchile.cl/content/
docs/Knitwear_Design.pdf
2. https://textilestudycenter.com/
knitting/

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
26 C A R E E R G U I D A N C E
ENTWINING YOUR CALLING
IN KNIT INDUSTRY
NALANDA OTURKAR GADEY
Career Counsellar and Overseas Education Expert,
Founder, Flyy Hiigh Consultancy Services
er price.
Knitwear Design course with the help of modern machinery
and technology emphasises in pattern making, stitching,
making illustrations, knitting, yarn making, etc. It also
includes study related to trend analysis, forecasting, mer-
chandising, marketing, etc. Knitwear Design programme
is designed to create professionals equipped to handle the
challenges in the Knitting Industry.
Required Skills
An individual needs a certain set of skills and interest to
pursue a successful career in any field. Knitting needs ar-
tistic ability, interest in fashion trends, knowledge about
market demands, observation approach, understanding
consumer requirement, research and analysis, practical
design skills (manual/CAD) and detailed study of textiles.
Courses
Several Universities and Colleges offer a variety of courses
like Certificate Program (1 year), Diploma (3 years), Bach-
elor of Design (4 years) and Master of Design (2 years)
which are all available in India as well as abroad.
Indian Colleges offering Courses in Knitwear
Knitting is a booming branch of textiles that is generating
employment and creating fashion since decades. There are
few esteemed Indian colleges and universities that offer
good courses in knitwear.
1. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
2. Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID)
3. Madras Institute of Fashion Technology (MFT)
4. Parul University
5. J D Birla Institute (JDBI)
6. Government Institute of Textile Chemistry and Knit-
ting Technology, Ludhiana
Career Opportunities and Average Salary per Annum in
Knitwear Design
Though India is one of the leading nations in the textile
production sector, the average income an individual re-
Career is the primordial necessity in an individual’s life.
You are known by who you become in the later years of
life. It is either one right choice that can fix everything
in your life or a wrong choice that can make everything
go wrong for that person. Thus, one should not make
that decision based on their score or expectations of
their parents from them. The path you pursue should
be the path you are passionate for! It should not only
help you earn money but also satisfaction, learning ex-
perience and joy.
Medical and engineering is an elite option for anyone
but in today’s competitive world, doing something out of
the box is more profitable than just imitating the crowd.
Fashion, textiles and knitting industries are a notable
career option.
Textile, apparel and knitting industries are much more
than just making fabric. They offer vast career opportu-
nities for an individual to explore as clothing being one
of the three major basic needs of human.
Opportunities in textiles and knitting are not only lim-
ited to a particular country or a textile cluster, but it
is a booming field with a lot of openings in the global
market. There are so many opportunities in the fibre,
yarn or fabric development. Similarly, a lot more op-
portunities for engineers in textile machineries, tech-
nicians, labour, and computer and design experts too.
Textile is the second largest source of employment after
agriculture providing employment to more than 20 mil-
lion people.
Let us know some part of Knitting Industry
A process in which a single yarn is processed, by hand
or by machine, to form a fabric is called Knitting. In
other words, Knitting is the process of making a textile
by connecting loops or stitches of one continuous thread
using large needles.
Knitwear is the new trend in the Fashion Industry even
abroad. The handmade knitting garments, though they
are sold internationally at higher price as it takes a lot
of time of the crafter/weaver to design a final product
where at the same time, mass-produced machine-made
garments at factory are available at comparatively low-

27
M A R C H 2 0 2 1
C A R E E R G U I D A N C E
ceives is much less than the average income of an in-
dividual doing the same job in either the USA or UK.
Studies suggest that the lack of technical skills, educa-
tion and inexpensive lifestyle in India can be the cause
for the same. Below are the graphs (Source: https://www.
payscale.com/) that represent the average salaries of an
individual pursuing their career in apparel industry
through a particular job.
Figure 1: Graphical representation of average income of
an individual for a particular job in textile industry in
India, UK and USA in Indian Rupees (INR)
Register FREE, add your position and skill
requirement and get going!
Jobseeker will get in touch with you very soon.
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social media to get and grab the attention of
talented job seekers.
Want to hire quality staff
and skilled worker with specific
domain knowledge?
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Contact no.:+91 9987256702
Email id: texappjobs@gmail.com
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In the graphical representations above, we notice that the
salary given to a textile person is very less than the annual
income of the person doing that same job in the USA and
UK.
Few top Colleges among the World who offer Short/Long
term courses in Knitwear
1. London College of Fashion, University of the Arts Lon-
don, UK
2. Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London,
UK
3. Royal College of Art, UK
4. Parsons, The New School for Design, USA
5. The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), USA
6. Istituto Marangoni, Italy
7. Politecnico di Milano, Italy
8. Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisi-
enne, France
9. ESMOD (l'Ecole Supérieure des Arts et techniques de
la Mode), France
10. Bunka Fashion College, Japan
References
1. Top 12 Fashion Capitals of The World 2021 | WOW
Travel
2. https://www.payscale.com/
3. QS World University Rankings for Art & Design 2021

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
28 H R F O C U S
As an MSME owner, you would
have faced the challenge of recruit-
ing, high performing and high poten-
tial employees for the organization.
Since your company may not be well
known or your brand may not be pow-
erful enough; to attract key talent that
would prefer working for better known
brands. Even if you are able to attract
and hire such team members, you are
unable to retain them for long due to
a number of reasons. As a result, most
MSME owners go back to the tried
and tested formula of hiring average
employees who would stay with the
company for long. The cost of having
these average employees is paid by the
owner / founder in terms of his time,
effort and slow growth in business as
most critical jobs have to be done / su-
pervised very closely by him.
As an owner of Medium and Small
Establishments, you must have gone
through numerous cycles of attract-
ing – settling – motivating good per-
formers; only to find them fly away
for greener pastures. As a reaction,
some of you may have resorted to hir-
ing only the average, who will give you
the (false) sense of stability! But then
you feel stifled that the organization
is not moving forward as you wished.
So there is a dilemma in your mind on
what is the best course of action.
So how can you as the MSME Owner/
Founder retain high performing and
high potential employees?
The first step is to understand what
such employees want. In a pool of pro-
spective employees “high-performing,
high-potential” candidates are not
more than 10-15% of the total popu-
lation. Due to this, they are in high
demand and they know their value.
Although, research on the subject lists
out between 7 to 10 reasons why such
employees stay in a company, let us
focus on the two important ones that
are critical to Retention. Interestingly,
these two can be easily provided by the
MSME Owner/Founder.
Their Oxygen
The first factor is that such employees
are used to succeeding in tough situ-
ations and they thrive in these situa-
tions. They are constantly looking for
a challenge and get bored and leave in
case these challenging tasks are not
given to them. As the owner/founder,
you need to create these opportunities
which challenge these high potential
employees.
Sense of Achievement
The second reason is they seek auton-
omy in completing the task/challenge.
What they are looking for from the
Owner/Founder is the broad outcome/
level of achievement that is expected
from them and then be left alone to fig-
ure out how to complete the task with
the given resources and time. That
way they own the challenge and feel
extremely proud on achieving desired
outcomes.
As explained above, if in the past, the
Owner/Founder has employed only av-
erage employees, there is a constant
requirement of detailed instructions as
well as monitoring at each step. Such
employees are dependent on the Own-
er/Founder to make decisions. Imagine
if you put star performers in such a
work environment, the result is disil-
lusionment and disengagement of such
an employee and his exit is only days
away.
Great achievements have only been
possible where boundaries were re-
lentlessly pushed.
It requires a change in mind set to for
a MSME owner to manage and retain
high performers. Are you willing to let
go of the way you have been working
till now and take the risk of letting
a high potential employee do things
which only you have been doing till
now? Are you willing to be a coach and
mentor to self-driven employees so that
they are constantly challenged and
perform at a high level of effectiveness?
As they say, what got you here, will
not take you there!
Retain and Gain: Making your
Superstars Stay in the Company
Rajiv Misra
R Square Consulting

M A R C H 2 0 2 1
A U T O M O T I V E T E X T I L E
AUTOMOTIVE TEXTILE COMPONENTS
KHYATI SUTARIA
29
Abstract
History of textiles has changed in no
time with no limits, from clothing to
house textiles to industrial textiles.
Textiles used in transport falls un-
der the category of Mobitech techni-
cal textiles called Automotive textiles.
By building in the essential properties
which are necessary for good perfor-
mance and safety, nonwovens help re-
duce the weight of the car, enhance the
comfort and aesthetics and provide ad-
vanced insulation, fire retardancy and
resistance to water, fuels, extremes of
temperature and abrasion.
Keywords: Automotive, Car Roof, Car-
pets, Car Seats, Seats Cover, Non-Wo-
ven, Headliners.
Introduction
In Western Europe 1,50,000 tons per
annum of textile is used in the automo-
bile industry. Approximately 50 square
yards of textile material is used. Each
car requires approximately 12–14 kgs
of material. The second and third larg-
est markets for automotive textiles are
the USA and Japan. Two-third of tex-
tiles are used for interior trim, that is,
seat covers, roof or head-liners, door
liners, and carpets. Remainder goes to
the other parts of the automotive. The
world’s biggest nonwovens manufac-
turer estimates 42% of its sales tied to
the automotive sector.
USE OF KNITTED FABRIC IN
AUTOMOBILE
By building in the essential properties
which are necessary for good perfor-
mance and safety, nonwovens help re-
duce the weight of the car, enhance the
comfort and aesthetics and provide ad-
vanced insulation, fire retardancy and
resistance to water, fuels, extremes of
temperature and abrasion.
Circular knitted fabrics are used in the
interiors of cars for seat covers, door
panels, headliners, headrests, boot cov-
ers, sunroofs, and parcel shelves. Hav-
ing the virtues of high flexibility, com-
fort while traveling, stretchability, and
high-grade visual quality; these fabrics
will have good potential.
The following are the decorative parts
where knitted fabrics are applied
1. Automotive carpeting,
2. Automotive seating,
3. Seat covers,
4. Automotive headliners,
5. Car covers.
2.1 Automotive Carpeting
Moulded carpet generally refers to the
carpets used in the interiors of cars.
The molded carpet is designed to hug
the floor-pans, so there are no pockets
of loose fitting carpet. The process of
creating the moulded carpet requires
the original floor pans and having the
carpet laid upon the pans with a back-
ing in between. There are several styles
of moulded carpet, the most popular
include 80-20 loop. Carpets feel good,
it makes a car ride quieter, so that is
nice, and provides a homey feel.
2.2 AUTOMOTIVE SEATING
Most car seats are made from inex-
pensive but durable material in order
to withstand prolonged use. The most
common material is polyester. Polyes-
ter non-woven in the cover laminate
and polyester non-woven also in the
seat squab and Cushion.
A seat cover comprises a knitting of a
three-dimensional structure, conform-
ing in its external shape to that of a
seat and including at least main por-
tions, side portions and welt portions
integrally knit into a one-piece form.
The knitting further includes inte-
grally knit portions covering overhang
portions and corner portions of the seat
and/or rear and bottom portions of a
front back of the seat.
2.3 Seat Covers
Most cars driven require seat covers
as it is slightly uncomfortable to drive
long distances without good seat cov-
ers. The body tends to get fatigued if
you are driving without seat covers.
This may be due to the reason that seat
covers provide more cushion effect. It
is easier to clean the seat covers than
to clean company fitted seats. You can
easily change seat cover if it gets dam-
aged. It will be cheap, but if you have to
get company fitted seat covers changed
it will cost more. You can get a variety
of seat covers. It will give a premium
feel to ordinary cars.
2.4 Automotive headliners
Most cars come with fabric seats and
upholstery as standard fit. These com-
ponents are cheap, but are prone to
getting dirty. It typically consists of
a face fabric with non woven or foam
backing. Headliners consist of multi-
layered composite materials that bring
together multiple functionalities, in-
cluding the requested look, feel, stiff-
ness, and sound reduction needed in
cars. Most headliners consist of a tricot
knit fabric that is napped to provide a
soft touch and uniform appearance. Re-
cent headliner developments include
environmentally friendly products
made of recyclable backing-adhesive
and face fabrics.
2.5 Trunk liner
Synthetic mat designed to protect the
automobile trunk against damage from
dirt or spills and to pad cargo against
abrasion or shock. Specifically, a trunk
liner shields the vehicle carpet from
damage. Trunk liners are usually re-
movable, so they may be cleaned or re-
PG Department of Textile Science and Apparel Design,
SNDT University, Juhu, Mumbai

March 2021: Knitting- Interlooping Textile Industry

March 2021: Knitting- Interlooping Textile Industry

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