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1. KAMAL HOSIERY MILLS
 INTRODUCTION TO THE
WORLD OF SOCKS

2. CONTENTS
 INTRODUCTION
 ORGANIZATION CHART
 HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE SPECIFICATION
 SOCK PRODUCTION FLOW CHART
 FAULTS AND FAILURES

3. HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE
SPECIFICATION

4. ORGANIZATION CHART
CEO
DIRECTOR OPERATIONS
DGM PRODUCTION
KNITTING LINKING
PRESS PACKING
OPERATIONS
MECHANICAL
YARN MANAGEMENT
BATCHING
STITCHING
GREY
TURNING
BLEACH STORE
RFP
ACESSORY STORE
CARTON FILLING
BATCH MOVEMENT

5. KNITTING FLOW REPORTS

6. LINKING

7. PRESS

8. PACKING

9. THE SIZE CHART

10. HOW TO MEASURE SOCKS
FLAT LEG AND FOOT
 PLACE NAIL AT EXTENTION
OF HEEL
 LINE THAT POINT UP WITH
SUITABLE POINT ON
RULER
 ALLOW SOCK TO FALL
NATURALY WITHOUT
STRETCHING
 MEASURE LENGTH
 IF SOCK IS CREASED IT IS
ALLOWABLE TO SMOOTH
OUT BEFORE MEASURING

11. HOW TO MEASURE SOCKS
LATERAL STRETCH
 WELT
 PLACE FINGERS INSIDE WELT
AND
PULL APART UNTIL FABRIC
STOPS
MEASURE DISTANCE ON RULER
 LEG AND FOOT
 GRIP VERY EDGE OF FABRIC THEN
PLACE ONE EDGE ON RULER
PULL OTHER EDGE APART AND
MEASURE ON RULER

12. HOW TO MEASURE SOCKS
LATERAL STRETCH
 MATHBIRK LATERAL STRETCH
DEVICE
 DEVELOPED FOR SOCKS
 DEAD WEIGHT RELEASED AND
MEASUREMENT RECORDED
 DIFFICULT TO MEASURE SMALL
WELTS AS SOCKS CAN SLIP OFF
 HAS TO BE CALIBRATED TO
ENSURE ACCURACY
MAINTAINED

13. HOW TO MEASURE SOCKS
VOLUMETRIC FIT
 SELECT CORRECT BOARD FOR SIZE
 PULL SOCK ONTO BOARD UNTIL
SMOOTH
 ALIGN HEEL PICK OF SOCK PARALLEL
TO BOARD MARKINGS
 HEEL PICK SHOULD BE ALIGNED TO
CENTRE LARGE LINE
 IF BELOW THEN SMALL IF BEYOND
THEN BIG
 QUOTE DIFFERENCE AS +/_
 ALSO IMPORTANT TO ASSESS SOCK IS
NOT TO LARGE AS SOMETIMES
HEEL SITS ON BOARD WELL BUT IF
PULLED WILL ALLOW HEEL TO GO TO
FAR UP THE LEG
SHOULD ONLY GO TO EDGE OF HEEL

14. PRODUCTION DETAILS

15. UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFICATION
MACHINE DETAILS
 SHOULD STATE NUMBER OF NEEDLES AND DIAMETER
 PREFERABLY THE TYPE OF MACHINE
 IMPORTANT IN DEFINING THE WEIGHT,FIT AND TYPE OF
SOCK THAT WILL BE PRODUCED
 BEWARE OF GAUGE AS CAN BE MISLEADING
BETTER TO UNDERSTAND NEEDLES AND DIAMETER TO
DETERMINE LOOK OF SOCK
 96N 4” IS CHUNKY MANS SOCK DESCRIBED AS 6gg
96N 3.25” IS FINE BABYSOCK DESCRIBED AS 36gg

16. MACHINE TYPES
 DOUBLE CYLINDER
 TWO SETS OF NEEDLES
 TRUE RIB CAPABILITY
 STITCH INTEREST DESIGNS
 PLAIN SOCKS WITH RIB TOP
 SINGLE CYLINDER
 ONE SET OF NEEDLES
 HIGH PATTERN CAPABILTY
 SPORT AND TERRY SOCKS
 PLAIN SOCKS WITH MOCK
RIB

17. MACHINE DETAILS
HINTS AND TIPS
 THE COMBINATION OF NEEDLES AND DIAMETER AFFECTS FIT
AND APPEARANCE OF SOCK.IT CAN AFFECT THE FINAL WIDTH OF
THE SOCK AND TO SOME EXTENT ANY DESIGN
 A MANS SOCK KNITTED ON168N 4” WILL FIT BETTER THAN SAME
SOCK FROM 144N 4”
 A 144N M/C WILL KNIT FASTER AND SO IS FAVOURED BY
KNITTERS.
PARTICULARLY IN FAR EAST
 AS A ROUGH GUIDE FOR A PICTURE SOCK
 NEEDLES AND DIAMETER
BABY 96 – 120N 2.75”-3.75
CHILDRENS 120-156N 3.50”- 3.75
LADIES 144-168N 3.75”-4
MENS 156-168N 3.75”-4

18. TOE SEAMING
THERE ARE VARIOUS METHODS OF CLOSING THE TOE
 OVERLOCKING….GENERALY USED IN CHEAPEST SOCKS
 ROSSO MACHINE SEAMING…….CAN GIVE A GOOD SEAM
 HANDLINKING…..TRADITIONALY USED FOR TOP QUALITY
 CLOSED AT KNITTING………CAN GIVE THE BEST RESULT

19. STEAM BOARDING
HELIOT BOARDING M/C
 COMBINATION OF STEAM
PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE
USED TO GIVE SOCK A SHAPE
AND SMOOTH APPEARANCE
 SOME MACHINES HAVE
AUTOMATIC LENGTH CONTROL
MOST RELAY ON OPERATIVE
TO SET POSITION ON THE
BOARD
 WE ALSO USE FLAT BOARDS
UNDER A PRESS
 ALSO POSSIBLE TO USE A HOT
LEG ELECTRICALLY HEATED
FOOT SHAPE

20. UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFICATION
YARN DETAILS
AS A SOCK IS A FULLY FORMED ARTICLE AFTER KNITTING THEN
AN UNDERSTANDING OF YARNS IN USE IS IMPORTANT
THEY CONTROL NOT ONLY THE ESTHETICS OF THE SOCK
BUT FIT COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE
THE COUNTS USED ARE CHOSEN TO WORK WELL WITH NEEDLE
SIZE AND MACHINE CAPABILITIES

21. YARN DETAILS

22. UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFICATION
YARN DETAILS
WELT
 USUALLY THE SAME YARN AS BODY PLUS AN ELASTOMER
TO GIVE STRETCH AND GRIP WITH COMFORT
LEG & FOOT
 FACE YARN CHOSEN FOR APPEARANCE HANDLE CONTENT
AND PERFORMANCE
 BACKING YARN CHOSEN TO GIVE STRETCH RECOVERY AND
FIT
USUALLY ELASTOMERIC BUT CAN BE TEXTURED NYLON OR
POLYESTER
 ALSO IN USE ARE OFTEN PATTERNING YARNS FOR DESIGN
HEEL & TOE
 GENERALLY AS THE LEG BUT OFTEN ADDITIONAL HEAVIER
YARNS ADDED FOR DURABILITY

23. UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIFICATION
YARN HINT AND TIPS
ELASTOMERS
WELT
 THE BEST ONE IS LYCRA T902C FROM INVISTA
 IT WAS A DEVELOPED WITH A SOFTER GRIP FOR COMFORT
IT SHOULD BE THE YARN OF CHOICE FOR BABY SOCKS
 OTHER ELASTOMERS ARE AVAILABLE INCLUDING RUBBER
RUBBER DOES SUFFER FROM DEGRADATION IN WEAR AND
WILL LOSE ITS GRIP MORE QUICKLY
BACKING YARN
 LYCRA SEEMS TO GIVES MOST CONSISTENT KNITTED
SOCK
 HEAT SETTABLE QUALITIES SHOULD BE USED FINAL SOCK
TENDS TO COLLAPSE AND LOOK SMALL
 ALTERING THE COVERING YARN CAN GIVE BETTER DESIGN
CLARITY AND PREVENT GREYING OF WHITES

24. The Sock Production Process
Design Sock
Sample Produced
Assess Technically for
Production Feasibility
If OK If Issues
Sent to Customer
Quantities
Confirmed
If OK If Issues
Initial Production
Planned
Capacity
Booked
Yarn &
Components
Ordered
Sent to Customer
With Full Spec. &
Measurement Analysis
If Rejected
Production Planning Details Confirmed
Redeveloped
Style Accepted
Size Set
Produced
Redeveloped
Redeveloped
If OK

25. Production Process
Yarn In
Yarn Checked for
Shape/Quality/ Fastness
Quarantined until
Replaced or Amended
If OK If Issues
New Yarn
Packaging
In
If Issues
If OK Proceed
to Packaging
Production
New Pack
Style Loaded onto Knitting Plant
Samples Checked
Against Spec
If OK If Issues Amend
New
Sample
Yarn
Dyed
Ecru
Proceed to Seaming
1st Samples Checked
for Quality
If OK
If Issues
Setting
Amended
New
Samples
Ecru Only
Proceed To Dying
Proceed to Finishing
Handle Standard of
Application and Fastness
Dye as Shade
and Add Softener
If Issues
If OK
Amend
Proceed to Boarding

26. Finishing
Relaxation
Add Softeners
Such as Aegis
Check as Specification
or Applied Correctly
If OK If Issues Amend
New Sample
Proceed to
Boarding
Confirm Setting Size
and Appearance
If OK
If Issues
Amend
New Sample
Exam and Packaging
Socks Trimmed and Examined
Socks Paired and All Stickers Applied
Samples Checked Against Spec
If OK
If Issues
Proceed to AQL Agreement
Despatch
If OK If Issues
Amend
Quarantined Feedback
Issues and Undertake
Corrective Action
Recheck

27. THE SOCK PROCESS
HINTS AND TIPS
 YARN OR COMPONENTS CHECKED AGAINST INVOICE
BEFORE ACCEPTANCE
 IF NON CONFORMANCE FOUND AT QC CHECKING THEN
REJECTED PRODUCT MUST BE PUT INTO SEPARATE
QUARANTINE AREA
 KNITTING MACHINE SHOULD HAVE FULL SPECIFICATION
ON M/C WITH PHYSICAL EXAMPLE
 KNITTERS ALSO CHECK FOR QUALITY.REGULAR CHECKS
SHOULD BE MADE TO PREVENT FAULTY WORK
 QC FUNCTION INDEPENDENT OF PRODUCTION
 NEEDLE PROCEDURE IN PLACE AT KNITTING AND SEWING
 PACKERS TO HAVE PHYSICAL REFERENCE PACK
 ISSUING OF ALL YARN/ COMPONENTS TO BE BY
NOMINATED PERSONEL ONLY

28. THE SOCK PROCESS
HINTS AND TIPS
 YARN OR COMPONENTS CHECKED AGAINST INVOICE
BEFORE ACCEPTANCE
 IF NON CONFORMANCE FOUND AT QC CHECKING THEN
REJECTED PRODUCT MUST BE PUT INTO SEPARATE
QUARANTINE AREA
 KNITTING MACHINE SHOULD HAVE FULL SPECIFICATION
ON M/C WITH PHYSICAL EXAMPLE
 KNITTERS ALSO CHECK FOR QUALITY.REGULAR CHECKS
SHOULD BE MADE TO PREVENT FAULTY WORK
 QC FUNCTION INDEPENDENT OF PRODUCTION
 NEEDLE PROCEDURE IN PLACE AT KNITTING AND SEWING
 PACKERS TO HAVE PHYSICAL REFERENCE PACK
 ISSUING OF ALL YARN/ COMPONENTS TO BE BY
NOMINATED PERSONEL ONLY