3D Merino (Knitwear)
Limited milling or felting offers a three-dimensional aspect to fabric.
The technology
Knitted fabrics or garments are screen printed using a colourless polymer along with acid or reactive dyestuff.
The polymer is a polyurethane which is capable of preventing wool knitwear from milling or felting. The polymer is applied from a thickened print paste which prevents spreading and loss of definition and is fixed by heat curing or batching for 10 to 12 hours at room temperature.
Subsequent washing causes felting or milling in the non-printed areas which creates a subtle pattern on the fabric.
If felting is taken to the limit then seersucker effects can be created.
The features
- Felt-no-felt patterns for worsted knitwear.
- Milled-non-milled patterning for woollen-spun knitwear.
- Effect is durable to hand-washing.
- Additional coloured patterns can be added to create subtle or dramatic effects.
- Late-stage design options for fully fashioned and jersey knitwear.
- Can be applied to the whole garment or specific areas for accent.