Laddering

Definition and Overview

Laddering is a quality defect or damage during use that occurs mainly in thin knitted fabrics such as stockings. Starting from a broken yarn or a dropped stitch, the stitches unravel continuously in the vertical direction, creating a ladder-like line, which is why it is also called laddering.

Unlike the condition in woven fabrics where warp or weft yarns break, this is a phenomenon unique to knitted fabrics made of loops. In thin fabrics made with slippery filament yarn in particular, the damage can be more noticeable and may spread more easily.

Appearance and Conditions Where It Occurs Easily

A laddered area appears as a narrow, lighter line or as a line where stitches have opened in a row. Even a small snag or hole can become larger as the stitches unravel when worn and stretched.

It can be triggered by rough skin around the nails, accessories such as rings and watches, friction against rough surfaces, or the hook-like part of hook and loop fasteners. During production, needle condition, knitting settings, yarn condition, and needle damage during sewing can also be factors.

• Thin, loosely knitted fabrics tend to make laddering easier to see.
• In areas subject to high stretch, any laddering that occurs is more likely to progress.
• Snags caused by catching can become the starting point of laddering.

Applications and Planning Considerations

The term laddering does not refer to a material or product name; it refers to a phenomenon related to the durability and appearance of knitted fabrics. In thin stockings, tights, lingerie, and sheer knits, it is an item that requires attention in planning, production, inspection, and care labeling.

For lightweight items for spring and summer, lightness and sheerness are emphasized, while the balance with laddering risk must also be considered. If necessary, check the knitting density, yarn type, reinforcement design, and specifications of areas likely to experience friction through prototyping.

Handling and Sewing Precautions

During wear and washing, avoid contact with nails, accessories, and hook and loop fasteners. When washing, follow the care label on the product, and consider using a laundry net and gentle processing to reduce tangling and friction with other garments. Once laddering has occurred, it is generally difficult to restore it completely.

In sewing, it is important to choose a needle point shape and needle size suitable for the fabric, and not to use needles that are worn or bent. Check before and after sewing for needle holes, dropped stitches, or snags, and avoid damage caused by excessive thread tension or feeding.

Differences from Similar Terms

Snagging is a phenomenon in which yarn catches and sticks out from the surface or becomes pulled. A snag itself is not a state in which stitches have continuously unraveled, but if the damage progresses, it can lead to laddering.

A dropped stitch refers to a state in which a stitch that should have been formed during knitting is not formed, or has come off. Laddering differs in that it describes the result of stitches continuously unraveling and spreading in a line, starting from a dropped stitch or broken yarn.

Frequently Asked Questions