Several characteristics like maturity, micronaire, fiber length, flexibility, strength, moisture, and color of the fiber is measured to categorize cotton, which is purchased in bales. Cotton, satisfying the HVI cotton standards, is passed to the blow room where it is subjected to numerous tests and cleaning processes including metal detection.
Cotton is passed through cleaning, combing, and bolting processes, and finally becomes yarn in the open-end yarn machines. Number of properties including yarn-like structure and strength are determined in the lab. Depending of the length/weight ratio, the yarn is classified here. Length unit is 120 yards of yarn and 10 yards for cotton ribbons.
Sizing material is applied to warp; weft is processed by the steam in the fixing machines to increase strength before they proceed to the weaving machines.
Warp yarns are placed onto drums and are passed on to the weaving plant. Here, they become fabric using air jet looms. Some yarns are processed by supreme knitting.
Raw fabric is then passed through the semi-finished product quality control processes.
The initial process in finishing plant is the singeing process, where nap and pile are removed from the raw fabric. Sizing material is also removed from the fabric at this time.
After the fabric is processed through bleaching machines to remove any impurities, it becomes ready to go to the printing and dyeing department. The fabric is subjected to a number of different processes like mercerizing, depending on the type of dye that is going to be used. The fabric is then ready for the printing and dyeing plant. There are three different (rotary, flat panel and digital) printing processes that can be done at the plant. Reactive or pigmented dyes can be used depending on the customer's request. Printed fabric is steamed or fixed to make sure dyes are set in the fibers.Fabrics which are treated with reactive dyes are then washed to remove any excess pigment.
The treated fabric is subjected to a number of processes like weft straightening, after it is dried. Customer specifications, like shrinkage and flammability properties, are applied to the fabric at this point in the process.
Depending on the fabric type and quality, and per customer specifications, the necessary processes are applied to obtain the desired properties of tactile quality, surface flatness or shine.
Depending on the type of the fabric, raising material is applied on the drum drying machines and a fluff effect is given to the surface of the material using the brushing machines.
Interlining is produced by applying polyamide dust.
For in-line quality control, laboratory tests are done before and after each process, to determine the strength, shrinkage, and whiteness properties of the fabric. Finished fabric is quality tested once more before being passed on to the confection plant.
The final fabric is cut, sewn, stitched, and packaged as the finished product. All products are ready for shipment at this time. Quality control checks are done before and after each step in the confection plant.