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Sewability in Apparel Industry

Conference Paper December 2010

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International Conference of Applied Research in Textile
CIRAT-4, 2010
Monastir, Tunisia

Sewability in Apparel Industry

1
Z. Ondogan, 2 E. Utkun, 1 O. Pamuk and 3 E. Z. Yldz
1
Textile Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
2
Buldan Vocational School, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
3
Emel Akn Vocational School, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

Abstract: In the literature, sewability is known as the ability and the ease with which the 2-D fabric components can
be qualitatively and quantitatively be seamed together to 3-D garment.
Seam damage can be occured due to the fabric and the sewing parameters. The needle penetration force is one of
these parameters. The needle penetration force is an important factor and through this the sewing damage can be
determined by this factor in the sewing operations. The penetration force is related to the fabric resistance and if there
is a high resistance in the fabric, the risk of the damage is also higher.

Key Words: Sewability, needle penetration force, seam performance, L&M Sewability Tester

INTRODUCTION conversion of fabric to garment and actual

performance of a sewn fabric during wear of
The term sewability can be defined as the ability the garment (Behera, B.K., 1997).
and the ease with which the 2-D fabric
components can be qualitatively and Good seams are essential factors in garment
quantitatively be seamed together to 3-D garment. quality. The characteristics of a properly
constructed seam are; its strength, elasticity,
Some fabrics which meet all of the usual durability, stability and appearance, which
specification requirements cannot be sewn into depend on the type of seam and the stitches
acceptable garments because of the susceptibility per unit length of the seam, the thread tension
of their yarns to damage by the sewing needle. It and the seam efficiency of the fabric. What
appears that the problem is primarily a lack of garment manufacturers can do to improve the
mobility of the yarns; instead of moving when the quality of garments is to use better sewing
needle penetrates the fabric structure, these yarns threads, improved machinery, better garment
remain taut and hence are severed (Frederic, E.B., design and better trained personnel. The use of
1952). a better sewing thread would appear to be the
easiest, least expensive option. Appearance
Good sewability of a fabric indicated the ease of and performance of the seam are dependent
formation of shell structures on the surface of the upon the quality of sewing threads and their
fabric producing pucker-free garments. The dynamic behavior. (Gurarda, A., 2008)
integration of various parameters related to
sewing thread, fabric and sewing machine settings Sewing machine needle sewing work is
at their optimum level results in good sewability carried out once absorbed, the planting of
(Nayak, R., 2010). consecutive operations is called the seam.
Hand or machine stitching with the
In this study, the importance of the sewability and consolidation, strengthening or decoration is
the sewability tester is discussed. expected to fulfill their duties. Planting
process, a continuous linear form part of a
SEWABILITY material with a connecting thread, is to
strengthen and adorn (Erdo an, M.., 2004).
Fabric quality alone does not fulfil all the criteria
The fabrics must have enough resistance to the
for production of high quality garments. The
mechanical forces during the different
conversion of a two-dimensional fabric into a
processes. The construction properties of the
three-dimensional garment involves many other
fabrics have fatal importance for the garment
interactions such as selection of a suitable sewing
thread, optimization of sewing parameters, ease of
 CIRAT-4, 2010

manufacturing. The sewability is one of these sewing threads (Gurarda, A., 2005).
properties.
The frictional characteristics of the fabric are
The selection of sewing thread for a fabric determined by a number of factors. Of prime
depends on the dimensional and mechanical importance is the method of dyeing and
properties of the fabric and the sewing thread, finishing, for example, solvent-scoured fabrics
their compatibility, the sewing process and the from which lubricants have been removed,
end use of the garment. Similarly the quality and possess high frictional characteristics and poor
performance of a sewn garment depends on sewability, and fabrics to which lubricants and
various factors such as seam strength, slippage, softeners have been added have low forces for
puckering, appearance and yarn severance. All penetration and good sewability (L&M
these factors combined together contribute to catalogue).
sewability of the fabric which is considered to be
one of the most important aspects of clothing The seam performance and quality depends on
science (Behera, B.K., 1997). various factors such as seam strength,
slippage, puckering, appearance and yarn
The tensions generated in the needle and bobin severance. Sewing needle penetration forces
thread are an important factor in determining the and fabric deformation during sewing are
quality of a lockstitch seam. Improper tensions effective for seam performance, too (Gurarda,
can cause various problems, such as puckered A., 2007).
seams, thread breakage and unbalanced seams
(Ferreira, F.B.N., 1994) The seam efficiency of a garment is affected
by the neddle penetration forces. Seam
Experience has demonstrated that the strength of damage caused by the needle penetrating
many woven fabrics is considerably reduced by through the fabric can occur severe sewability
the sewing operation. The result of such reduction problems.
is the shortening of the overall life of a garment.
The measurement of the loss in fabric strength The sewing needle penetration force is the
due to needle damage consists of sewing a seam quantitative measure of the damage which
in the fabric, breaking the fabric at the line of appears in a garment as the result of the
stitching, and establishing a ratio between the sewing process. A high penetration force
orginal and seamed fabric strength. (Gurarda, A., means a high resistance of the fabric and thus
2008) a high risk of damage (Gurarda, A., 2007).

Seam damage can be a serious cost problem, often

showing only after the garment has been worn SEWABILITY TESTER
(Gurarda, A., 2007).
The L&M Sewability Tester has been
Seam damage caused by the needle penetrating developed as a result of research carried out in
through the fabric can create severe problems the Clothing Section of the Textile
when attempting to sew the fabric. The risk for Department at the University of Leeds (L&M
seam damage depends on fabric and sewing catalogue). Figure 1 shows the L&M
parameters. The most important parameters that Sewability Tester.
have an influence on the seam damage of the
fabrics are:

fabric construction (fibre content, yarn

construction, structure, tightness);

chemical treatments of the fabric

(softeness, dyes, finishes, washing);

needle thickness and design;

sewing machine settings (presser foot

design and pressure, sewing speed); and
Fig. 1. The L&M Sewability Tester
 CIRAT-4, 2010

The L&M Sewability Tester is used to test fabric The sewability index (value), is the ratio
sewability. (Manich, A. M., 1998) It enables between the sewability and the thrusting force.
consecutive readings of force for penetration of The sewability index increases with the
the fabric by a selected needle to be measured on number of points that exceed the nominal
a small sample of fabric at a rate of 100 force level previously set and decreases when
penetrations/min (L&M catalogue). the mean thrusting force increases. This
parameter could therefore be considered to be
The equipment is simple to use, requires only a relative value of the thrusting-force
small fabric samples and tests can be made in a dispersion or unevenness (Manich, A.M.,
few minutes by a single operator (L&M 1998).
catalogue).
If the sewability value is zero, and sewability
The fabric specimens are 30-40 mm wide and a is considered to be very good. When
minimum of 100 perforations must be carried out. sewability values range between 0 and 10%,
The specimen length is thus about 350 mm. If the fabric sewability is considered good;
additional perforations are performed, then a 250- between 10% and 20%, even though no great
mm fabric length is necessary for each 100 difficulties arose during sewing, the sewability
additional perforations (Manich, A.M., 1998). is considered fair (Gurarda, A., 2008).

This device measures the thrusting force exerted The expected properties of the fabrics can
by a sewing needle on the fabric. A strip of fabric vary according to the using areas of the
passes through a zone in which a sewing needle finished product. The most important
operates. The number of thrusts is set. The properties are as follows:
thrusting force of each perforation is recorded
(Manich, A.M., 1998). - strength,

A nominal value of thrusting force is selected - flexibility,

according to the fabric type, and then the number - softness,
of times this value is exceeded is recorded. Fabric
sewability corresponds to the number of points - appearance,
that exceed the nominal value of thrusting force - drape,
previously set, related to the over-all tested points
and expressed as a percentage. The sewing - permeability
operation will be more difficult as the sewability - shrinkage.
parameter increases.
Apart from these properties, another features
A threshold value was determined based on the like sewability have great importance for the
fabric mass per unit area. Threshold Setting is apparel manufacturing.
given in Table 1.
The neddle penetration forces of the fabrics
Table 1. Threshold Setting Table are evaluated by using the sewability tester.
The advantages of using the sewability tester
FABRIC are as follows:
THRESHOLD SETTING (g)
DENSITY
Single Double Warp 1. Since the testing of every single roll
g/m oz/yd
Jersey Jersey Knits of cloth is a practical possibility with
0- the L&M Sewability Tester, finished
100 0-3 - - 50 fabrics can be made routinely tested
100- before despatch to a maker-up.
150 3-4.5 50 100 100 Problem batches or individual
150- problem rolls within a batch (due
200 4.5-6 50 100 100 perhaps to finishing errors such as
200- premature exhaustion of lubricant in
250 6-7.5 100 150 150 the dye-bath) can be detected and
250- then corrected by refinishing while
300 7.5-9 - 150 150 this is stil possible. Good customer
 CIRAT-4, 2010

relations are preserved and costly claims Fabrics, Textile Research Journal, Vol. 75,
for faulty fabric avoided. No. 8, pp.628-633.
Gurarda, A., Meric, B. (2007). The Effects
2. Routine testing in the same way by a of Elastane Yarn Type and Fabric Density on
maker-up prior to cutting out leads to Sewing Needle Penetration Forces and Seam
higher efficiency in the sewing room, Damage of PET/Elastane Woven Fabrics,
minimises customer complaints and Fibres & Textiles in Eastern Europe, Vol. 15,
avoids time-wasting profitless work on No. 4 (63).
satisfactory material. Again, the material Gurarda, A. (2008). Investigation of the
can be returned for correction while it is Seam Performance of PET/Nylon-elastane
still possible. After the fabric has been Woven Fabrics, Textile Research Journal,
cut, nothing can be done improve bad Vol. 78, No. 21, pp.21-27.
sewability. Manich, A.M., Domingues, J.P., Sauri,
R.M., Barella, A. (1998). Relationships
Tests carried out before agreeing to between Fabric Sewability and Structural,
purchase fabric can forestall many Physical, and FAST Properties of Woven
production problems. Wool and Wool-blend Fabrics, Journal of the
Textile Institute, Vol. 89, Part 1, No. 3,
3. New knitted structures can be developed pp.579-589.
for higher levels of sewability by using Nayak, R. (2010). Sewing Performance of
the instrument on development samples. Stretch Denim, Journal of Textile and
Apparel, Technology and Management, Vol.
4. Assesment of the relative performance of 6, I. 3, pp.1-9.
different finishing agents becomes
simple. The L&M Sewability Tester Catalogue.

5. Some difficult-to sew fabrics can be

sewn more easily with the correct choise
of neddle. The sewability tester is an
ideal means for identifying the most
satisfactory types of neddle in these
cases.

Problems in knitting, finishing and making-up can

be made easier to solve when the sewability tester
is used as a trouble-shooting tool (L&M
catalogue).

REFERENCES

Behera, B.K., Rathee, P. (1997). Sewability of

Denim, International Journal of Clothing Science
and Technology, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp.128-140.
Erdo an, M. . (2004). Sewing Machines,
Lecture Notes.
Ferreira, F.B.N., Harlock, S.C., Grosberg P.
(1994). A Study of Thread Tensions on a
Lockstitch Sewing Machine, International
Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol.
6, No. 1, pp.14-19.

Frederic, E.B. ( 1952). Development of a

Sewability Test for Cotton Fabrics, Textile
Research Journal, Vol. 22, pp.687-692.
Gurarda, A., Meric, B. (2005). Sewing Needle
Penetration Forces and Elastane Fiber Damage
During the Sewing of Cotton/Elastane Woven

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