Raw material selection for children’s knitwear: significance and structure of textile raw materials
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Abstract
Children’s knitwear stays in close contact with skin that is thinner and more reactive than adult skin, so the choice of raw material is probably the most important decision in the whole production chain. This article looks at how textile raw materials for children’s knitted products are structured (fibre, yarn, knitted fabric) and how they can be chosen in a systematic way. We compared the common fibres using data from the literature and from test standards, and ranked seven candidate materials with a weighted scoring model built on six criteria. Combed cotton, organic cotton and modal gave the best results for garments worn next to the skin, while cotton with 3–5 % elastane or with polyester makes sense for active wear. Pure synthetic fibres and fine wool ranked lowest for infants. Practical advice for manufacturers is given at the end.
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