Velvet: Always stylish and right on trend
Velvet will be an indispensable element in the wardrobe of the fashion-conscious woman throughout the 2016/17 autumn/winter season
Velvet is a textile with a long history and a guaranteed future. This fabric, with its fleecy surface, was used as early as the beginning of the 14th century in Italy. It was one of the most important fabrics during the European Renaissance period, and continues to enchant the fashion world to this day
With its slightly shimmering look, soft handle and attractive drape, velvet is a perennial favourite – and used to a greater or lesser extent in the fashion world.
There will be a particularly high demand for these exclusive fabrics during the next autumn/winter 2016/17 season. Whether it be for floor-length, coatdresses, wide trousers reminiscent of the seventies, dresses with sophisticated, pleated skirts, sporty blousons, jump-suits or classic suits, velvet brings warmth to the cold seasons of the year and a touch of extravagance to grey days.
High-quality velvet fabrics can be produced by different processes, including warp knitting processes. On the one hand, stretch versions of the fabric can be produced with a pile height of 2 to 3 mm on an HKS 3-M high-speed tricot machine. In this case, ground guide bar GB 3 works a tricot construction in a lapping of 1-0/1-2 and processes elastane yarns. GB 2 processes multifilament yarns, made from e.g. polyester. It produces a counter-notation tricot construction of 1-2/1-0. GB 1 places a long underlap onto this construction which, as a result of fabric contraction caused by the elastane in the ground, protrudes from the surface as a loop. The loops are cut open during the subsequent shearing process.
The HKS 3-M can also produce velvet using another technique. In this case, this versatile, high-speed tricot machine uses the same patterning principle to produce a non-stretch fabric. The underlaps produced during the process are raised in a subsequent raising process to produce a uniform pile surface. E 28 is the most suitable gauge to use when producing velvet on the HKS 3-M. The configuration of this flexible machine offers a wide range of design possibilities. For example, the length of the underlap can be used to adjust the volume or fibre length in the fabric, which has an influence on the appearance as well as the handle. The weight and density of the fabric can also be adapted to specific end-uses by varying the type of yarn used.
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