The KARL MAYER GROUP, the Südwolle Group and another player in the natural fiber sector have joined forces in a project to explore the exciting possibilities of merino wool for knitting technology. The project was triggered by increasing market demand for textiles made from sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. The collaboration aimed to develop innovative fabrics made from renewable raw materials for use in underwear and functional sportswear. The focus of the work was on the use of wool, a material with excellent comfort properties and the look and feel of lightweight single-jersey garments. Fabric qualities made from natural fibers are atypical for warp knitting, so the challenges during the project work were correspondingly diverse.


Merino wool yarns with good running properties

With regard to the choice of material, Südwolle Group's product development team recommended the Hidalgo yarn from its product portfolio. The yarn was created using the BETA-SPUN technology developed in-house, in which a filament is twisted around a merino core. When natural fibers such as wool, cotton or silk are combined with sustainable fibers such as biodegradable polyamide as the filament, the spinning process can produce durable, lightweight yarns that disintegrate completely without residue after use. The yarns made from the two components also bring good running properties for use in warp knitting.

"The polyamide content of the yarn increases its strength, reduces hairiness and makes it an excellent choice for warp knitting technology," confirms Gabriela Schellner from KARL MAYER's textile product development department.



Dimensional stability coupled with the look and feel of single jersey

The Hidalgo yarn, made from merino wool, was processed on a warp knitting machine using a carefully thought-out lapping selection to produce a lightweight, soft fabric that, above all, retains its shape. KARL MAYER's textile specialists had experimented in advance with two different single-knit fabric qualities for this purpose, thus adopting a new approach for tricot machines.

The foundation stone has been laid

The initial results are promising. "The best thing about the project was the positive surprise of our experts at the good running properties and excellent fabric quality," confirms a member of Gabriela Schellner's team.

Further trials are now needed to perfect the technology. Development partners are needed, including fabric producers, brands and apparel manufacturers, with whom the fabric qualities, machine equipment and orientation to the end applications can be refined. Further project work is also intended to break through the boundaries of what is possible with merino wool and knitting technology, and to develop exciting new solutions for the textile industry - on this the KARL MAYER GROUP and the Südwolle Group agree.