APPAREL MANUFACTURING – II 3(3+0)

Lesson 36 : Alternative Methods of Joining Materials

Moulding

Moulding is included under the heading of alternative methods of joining materials, since this process actually eliminates seams, which are created, by a different method. The development of moulded garments brings together a number of technologies. These include automatic knitting machinery, thermoplastic yarns, texturising processes to give fabrics made from these yarns an acceptable handle, stretch fabrics and heat setting.

Moulding causes the fabric of the garment to be permanently stretched or shrunk or both, by heating it until it begins to soften, deforming it into the required shape and then cooling it so that a new permanent shape is formed. Generally knitted fabric is quite suitable since it is capable of being both stretched and compressed &synthetic content must be at least 65%.

Initially this technique was applied to ladies trousers, which was made with no sewing other than a seat seam. An appropriate size of knitting machine was used to knit tubes for legs ad a hem was knitted at each end. Each tube was heated and moulded over a suitably shaped form to provide a hip, knee and ankle shape. A section of each was cut so that they could be joined together at the seat to make a pair of trousers. Another application is moulding of bra cups, which of-course lacked success due to some practical problems of stretching & extra fabric requirements.