Determination of the effects of knitted fabric sewing parameterson seam damage under multiaxial loading

The body’s movement during use exposes garments to tension and stress in different directions. To set the sewing parameters for clothing made of knitted fabrics, especially those commonly used for daily wear and sports, the damage caused by the seams to the fabric under multiaxial loading should be examined when determining sewing performance. This study examined the impact of sewing parameters on damage to knitted fabrics under multiaxial loading to identify the factors affecting sewing quality and performance. For this purpose, to perform the sewing damage tests, the single jersey, Pique, and interlock fabrics in three colours (white, red, and black) were cut into 30×30 cm-sized swatches. Samples were sewn parallel to the loop bar (lengthwise) and the fabric’s loop line (widthwise) using two different stitch lengths, four needle sizes and four stitch types. A total of 576 samples were subjected to stress and strain on a seam damage testing apparatus as per DIN standard 53 882. Following the tests, the samples were examined under a microscope, and images were taken. The resulting data was analysed using the SPSS 26.0 statistical program. The Pearson Chi-squared and Fisher Exact Test were used to compare qualitative data. According to the test results determined that more significant seam damage occurred along the lengthwise samples of the fabric than the widthwise for all three fabric types. The study found that as damage increased with needle size, stitch type affected sewing damage, with the lockstitch causing minor damage, and fabric colour and stitch length had no impact on sewing damage.