Wales per Inch (WPI) Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions buyers ask most often about Wales per Inch (WPI).
What does it mean?
number of vertical stitch columns per inch. Working figures for Wales per Inch (WPI) normally sit around 20-40 depending on gauge in mainstream production. Note knitting machine setting on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
What value should be specified?
Start from 20-40 depending on gauge and adjust for the end use of the garment. Record elastane content alongside Wales per Inch (WPI), because blends shift the measured value. A result outside 20-40 depending on gauge usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
How is it tested?
knitting machine setting. Keeping reference values for Wales per Inch (WPI) lets suppliers quote without extra sampling rounds. Ask for conditioning details together with knitting machine setting, since both affect the reading.
Why does it change between lots?
Process variables such as finishing temperature and elastane batch cause the normal spread of results. Working figures for Wales per Inch (WPI) normally sit around 20-40 depending on gauge in mainstream production. Note knitting machine setting on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Can results be compared across suppliers?
Only when the same standard revision and conditioning are used; otherwise measurements are not equivalent. Record elastane content alongside Wales per Inch (WPI), because blends shift the measured value. A result outside 20-40 depending on gauge usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
