100% Cotton Stretch - Stretching

Textile and fashion insiders know that a small percentage of a popular synthetic can add stretch to a fabric. Interestingly, nearly 40% of consumers have no idea what gives a fabric stretch. What these consumers do know is that they like cotton and 61% are willing to pay more for apparel made of cotton. The question arises, why use a synthetic blend for comfort stretch when 100% cotton can do the same job for less money and provide an easier care garment?
“There are several ways to achieve stretch using a 100% cotton fabric,” says Don Bailey, Vice-president, Product Development and Implementation for Cotton Incorporated. “But we found that a slack mercerizing with sodium hydroxide is a good way to go. All the necessary equipment and chemicals can be found in most any continuous woven plants.”
Slack mercerization is one of five simple steps in the creation of 100% Cotton Stretch. The first step is the weaving of the filling stretch fabric, which calls for a wider reeded sley. Next comes preparation, which is a standard singe, desize, scour and bleach process. The third step is mercerization, which can be done using either chain mercerization or a saturator with roll accumulator. Dyeing, the next phase, can be done by normal methods. Finishing is the final step; and here laboratory testing should be done to determine the optimal levels of resin for maximum stretch and recovery of the final product.
Aside from being easy to manufacture, 100% Cotton Stretch is also less expensive. Cotton will generally be a less expensive option to synthetics, as far as raw materials are considered. “On the spinning side, there are two major dvantages to using cotton over synthetics,” says David Clapp, Director, Fiber Processing for Cotton Incorporated. “Cotton uses conventional spinning and that’s going to be a cost-savings over the core spinning needed for synthetics.” In addition, spinning and weaving 100% Cotton Stretch requires no heat settings and negates the potential for yellowing that can occur from the spinning oils essential to making synthetic yarns.
For manufacturers, 100% Cotton Stretch is a simple process that stretches production dollars. For consumers, it makes easy care even easier. “Our Lifestyle Monitor™ research tells us that consumers can never get enough cotton or easy care garments,” says Teresa Zugay, Account Executive, Global Product Supply Chain for Cotton Incorporated. “100% Cotton Stretch achieves both those goals since, unlike synthetics, 100% Cotton Stretch is neither degraded by chlorine bleach nor by heat from tumble drying or ironing. Best of all, the stretch in 100% Cotton Stretch is maintained for the life of the garment.” But, perhaps the most compelling benefit for consumers and manufacturers alike is that 100% Cotton Stretch is 100% cotton.