Joining fabric: An alternative method

Feb 2, 2023

By Vibe Fabriclore

fabric manufacturers are developing various advanced patterns that are creating essential demands upon the way clothes are joined. These manufacturers are interacting with elevated pressures in terms of the economy and environment. This is to increase the speed of processing, lowering cost as well as amortizing the capital equipment for more than single use. As an upshot, such manufacturers are looking for opportunities along with alternative methods for joining the clothes that we wear.

Well, if we speak in layman's terms, the process that has been developed as an alternative to sewing is known as an alternative method of joining. These methods next to sewing comprise adhesive bonding, advanced thermal, and conventional thermal welding. The methods that are used as an alternative to joining which are widely used in place of sewing are -

Welding
Adhesive
Molding
Fusing

Welding

Welding is a process used in the textile industry to fuse thermoplastic fabrics without using heat. There is a narrow range for welding's usefulness, but when it's used, it's essential. These are some of their most common uses:

Modifying garments by adding embellishments.
Edge finishing is the process of sealing the edges of sewn garment portions and other garment components to avoid fraying and the need for further sewing.
Treatment of seams in watertight garments in order to prevent water seepage.

Do you know, that the thermoplastic fiber content must be at least 65% for welding? Vibration between two hard materials causes heat generation at the point of contact. By inserting plies of thermoplastic materials between the vibration points, sufficient heat is generated internally in the contacting materials at temperatures between 110 and 170 degrees Celsius.

Adhesive

An adhesive can be distinguished by its two types:

Silicon paper with a thin adhesive film covering is used to adhere fabric layers together.
One material that, when heated, melts and helps connect fabric plies.

Welding is different from the second kind of adhesive because it generates heat inside the materials. However, fabrics with a thermoplastic content of less than 65% are usually glued together rather than welded.

Molding

Since molding cannot connect several plies of fabric, it is not accurate or often utilized as a method of fabric joining. However, this method enables us to provide a certain silhouette for the garment without the need for a seam, it is referred to as an alternative type of fabric connection. Moreover, it is said that knitted textiles with less than 65% thermoplastic fibers may be molded for a variety of uses. This is because of their adaptability to size changes, knit fabrics are often opted for. The required shape is achieved by first stretching or shrinking the fabric in a mold. Then, the fabric is heated to relax the thermoplastic fibers inside. After then, the temperature is brought down to a more reasonable level. In this way, the shape of the fabric is altered irrevocably.

Fusing

Even though there are other methods for joining fabrics, fusing is by far the most common. Fusing may be used as a substitute for sewing when interlining is needed. Before attaching the outer fabric, the interlining with the resin or polymer coating is sewn into place. After that, they use heat and pressure to ensure a secure bond. When heated, the resin melts, and the interlining is stuck (attached) to the main fabric by means of pressure. The resin components then solidify once the connection has been made, permanently sewing the interlining to the main cloth.

FAQ

Which method is used to join the pieces of fabric?

Seams are created when two or more pieces of fabric are stitched together, usually using thread. The use of glue or another adhesive is possible, however.