Four-Way Stretch What Improves It and What Damages It
Practical actions that raise or lower Four-Way Stretch during knitting, dyeing, finishing and garment care.
Actions that help
Correct construction choice and controlled setting improve performance, and they also keep the fabric near 30-60% typical extension. Working figures for Four-Way Stretch normally sit around 30-60% typical extension in mainstream production. Note ISO 13934-1 cyclic extension on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Actions that damage it
Excess heat, over-aggressive softener and missing washing-off steps all reduce results. Record elastane content alongside Four-Way Stretch, because blends shift the measured value. A result outside 30-60% typical extension usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
Finishing influence
ISO 13934-1 cyclic extension results shift noticeably after finishing, so retest after the final process rather than before. Keeping reference values for Four-Way Stretch lets suppliers quote without extra sampling rounds. Ask for conditioning details together with ISO 13934-1 cyclic extension, since both affect the reading.
Garment care influence
Home washing temperature and drying method change performance over the first ten cycles. Working figures for Four-Way Stretch normally sit around 30-60% typical extension in mainstream production. Note ISO 13934-1 cyclic extension on the tech pack so nobody tests against an older revision.
Summary
Keep process settings documented so repeat orders land inside the agreed range every time. Record elastane content alongside Four-Way Stretch, because blends shift the measured value. A result outside 30-60% typical extension usually points to process drift rather than to the fibre itself.
