Preventing Center Crease Marks in Lycra Single Jersey: Open-Width Slitting vs Tubular Winders

Overcoming Edge Creases and Bowing in Elastic Knitted Fabrics

When knitting single jersey with 4% to 8% elastane (Lycra/spandex), using a conventional tubular winder creates sharp side fold marks that become permanent during stenter heat setting.

Why Tubular Winders Fail on Lycra Knits

Edge Pressure Lines: Heavy winding rollers press the tubular edges together under high tension, causing localized fiber flattening.

Fabric Skewing and Bowing: Asymmetric tension across tubular rolls introduces spiral torque, making garment panel cutting misaligned.

How Open-Width Slitting Solves the Problem

Open-width circular knitting machines feature a synchronized rotating cutter blade that automatically slits the fabric tube down one side before rolling. The cloth is gently flattened across a curved spreader bar and batched directly into open, tensionless rolls.

Operational Benefits for Export Knitters:

Zero Crease Waste: Eliminates 3% to 5% edge scrap loss during fabric cutting.

Uniform Heat Setting: Stenter entry width is flat and smooth, allowing optimal spandex heat stabilization.

Lower Dyeing Shade Variations: Center-to-selvedge shade consistency is guaranteed without edge dark marks.