Production Process of 100% Cotton Jersey Fabric: A Refined Transformation from Raw Cotton to Finished Product

As a single-sided weft-knitted fabric made from 100% cotton fibers, the quality of 100% cotton jersey fabric depends on strict control and scientific coordination at every stage, from raw material processing to finished product finishing. The entire production process covers major stages such as raw material selection, spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing, and inspection and packaging. Each step has a decisive impact on the final product's feel, appearance, physical properties, and wearing characteristics.

Raw material selection is the starting point of the process. 100% cotton jersey fabric requires high-quality cotton fibers, commonly combed cotton or high-quality carded cotton. The former removes short fibers and impurities through a combing process, resulting in yarn with uniform evenness and stable strength, giving the fabric a delicate and smooth surface; the latter is lower in cost and suitable for regular casual jersey fabrics. When selecting raw materials, attention must be paid to the length, fineness, maturity, and impurity content of the cotton fibers to ensure that their spinnability and dyeing uniformity meet the requirements of subsequent processes.

The spinning process transforms the cotton fibers into yarn that meets the requirements for knitting. After multiple processing steps including opening, carding, drawing, roving, and spinning, cotton fibers are straightened and twisted into yarn. Combed cotton spinning often employs compact spinning or ring spinning processes to improve yarn smoothness and strength, and reduce hairiness. In the drawing and roving processes, the draft ratio and roller spacing must be properly set to ensure the fibers are parallel and straight, reducing yarn evenness. The final cotton yarn should have suitable twist and softness to adapt to the weaving tension of the circular knitting machine and the required loose structure of jersey fabric.

Weaving is the core step in forming all-cotton jersey fabric, usually carried out on a single-sided circular knitting machine. The process includes yarn feeding, yarn feeding, loop formation, drafting, and take-up. The needles on the circular knitting machine cylinder form continuous plain stitch loops of yarn according to a set pattern, with the warp and weft rows interlocking to form a single-sided mesh structure. During the weaving process, precise control of machine size, yarn tension, pulling force, and machine speed is required to prevent defects such as missed stitches, holes, horizontal stripes, or uneven density. The unique loose and breathable properties of jersey fabric stem from its relatively low weave density and open structure of the plain knit weave, necessitating the rational setting of process parameters while ensuring fabric integrity.

The dyeing and finishing process imparts the desired color and functional properties to the cotton jersey fabric. The standard process includes pretreatment (desizing, scouring, bleaching), dyeing, and finishing. Pretreatment removes sizing agents and impurities from spinning and weaving through hot water or enzymatic desizing; scouring removes wax and pectin from the cotton fiber surface; and bleaching improves whiteness and dyeing uniformity. Dyeing primarily uses reactive dyes, whose chemical reaction with cotton fibers creates strong colorfastness. Simultaneously, the liquor ratio, temperature, and fixing time must be controlled to avoid color variations and strength loss. Finishing processes include softening, pre-shrinking, and necessary mercerizing. Mercerizing enhances the luster and dimensional stability of cotton fibers, resulting in a smoother fabric surface. Pre-shrinking reduces dimensional changes during subsequent washing, improving the stability of the finished product.

Inspection and packaging are the final stages of the process. Finished products undergo visual inspection, width and weight measurement, colorfastness and physical property testing to ensure they are defect-free, dimensionally accurate, and meet performance standards. After passing inspection, they are folded, rolled, or packaged according to customer requirements, and then packaged with moisture-proof and dust-proof packaging for storage and transportation.

Overall, the production process of 100% cotton jersey fabric involves a series of interconnected and meticulous operations. From raw cotton selection to spinning, weaving, dyeing, finishing, and inspection and packaging, each stage must adhere to strict process standards and quality control to achieve its natural, skin-friendly, breathable, soft, and consistently high-quality knitted fabric characteristics, meeting the demands of the underwear, T-shirt, and loungewear industries for high-quality 100% cotton jersey fabric.