Single Jersey Curling and the Finishing Sold as a Fix
Single jersey curl stems from unbalanced yarn torque and asymmetrical loop tension; durable flat performance demands structural yarn balancing rather than temporary resin finishes.
Edge Gumming
Selvage Stabilization
Finishing lines apply a narrow band of adhesive along the raw edges of knit fabrics to prevent rolling and fraying. This practice, called edge gumming, secures the loops of single-jersey fabrics during stenter drying and subsequent handling. It ensures that the fabric remains flat for efficient cutting and sewing.
Adhesive Mechanics
Mechanical nozzles deposit a fast-drying synthetic resin or latex solution onto the fabric edges as it enters the stenter frame. In edge gumming, the adhesive penetrates the knit structure and hardens under the heat of the drying chamber. This locked edge prevents the natural curling tendency of unbalanced knit loops.
Cutting Preparation
Garment factories rely on these stabilized borders to feed the knit fabric smoothly into automated cutting machines. Without edge gumming, the curls at the selvage would cause the fabric to bunch up or misalign under the cutting blade, resulting in deformed garment panels. The adhesive strip must be applied with uniform width and thickness to avoid interference with the guide rollers.
Once the cutting is complete, the gummed edge is discarded as waste since it is too stiff to be incorporated into finished garments.
Process Parameters
Finishing mills must control the type and amount of adhesive used to avoid gumming up the stenter pins or clips. If the edge gumming is too thick, it can damage the cutting blades or cause the fabric to crack during handling. The resin must be water-soluble or easily removable if the edges are to be preserved for specific sewing operations.