In this article we look at Austrian knitter Willy Hermann, a leader in super fine circular knits, and its foray into super fine warp knits. The original article was written by German machine builder Karl Mayer and  has been edited lightly for Knitting Industry.

Warp and weft knitted fabrics producer Willy Hermann is said to be streets ahead of other manufacturers when it comes producing fine knitted fabrics. The long-established company was set up in 1934 and is currently being run by the third generation of the family, employing a workforce of 130 in two locations in Austria. The company’s headquarters are in Hard and it also has interests in a finishing company in Saxony, Germany to enable it to supply products of the highest quality.

Willy Herman operates a large circular knitting plant with roughly 210 machines and a small but perfectly formed warp knitting section. With its high specification production facilities the company caters for an exclusive niche market – the production of knitted fabrics in gauges of E 44 and finer.

Machines with up to 80 needles per inch are used to produce the company’s Superfine weft knitted fabrics and Karl Mayer’s HKS 2-3 in gauge E 50 is used in its warp knitting department - a high speed tricot machine with the finest needle spacing in the world.

“We are the biggest producers of fine knits. We are setting the standard and pushing the boundaries even further,” explained Hannes Hermann, Production Engineer Sales, R&D.

Superfine – a lucrative niche

Willy Hermann’s Superfine fabrics are super smooth and the knitted construction is virtually undetectable to the naked eye and the lightweight fabrics are also said to have body shaping characteristics. The products produced in Hard are also classified in accordance with Invista’s Lycra beauty concept and have high elastic recovery, are comfortable and are not bulky – a profile which means that these exclusive fabrics are increasingly taking over from conventional foundation garments.

“Lingerie just has to be superfine,” says Hannes Hermann, commenting on the trend. China in particular is demanding superfine fabrics as reimported ready-made articles and to cope with domestic demand there. But Europe is also an important market for Willy Hermann.

The yarn combinations, finishing techniques and stretch properties can all be adjusted to cater for the continuing demand for fine gauge fabrics in stylish collections. The company’s own design and pattern department is responsible for producing a wide range of designs bearing the company’s hallmark.

Close cooperation with the finishing company, comprehensive fabric inspection, and an in house laboratory also guarantee that high end fabrics are produced. As well as being fine and stylish, Willy Hermann’s textiles are also environmentally friendly. All the company’s products are certified in accordance with the Öko-Tex Standard 100. This label is an important factor for the market, since 80% of all the company’s knitted fabrics are used in lingerie, which is worn next to the skin. The company’s products are also used in swimwear, sportswear, outerwear and casual wear.

The production of E-50-gauge fabrics – easier than it sounds

Willy Hermann’s warp knitting department currently houses 16 machines, most of which are in Karl Mayer’s RSJ and HKS series. The key machine, Karl Mayer says, is the HKS 2-3 with a gauge of E 50.

The high speed tricot machine was delivered in the middle of 2012 and went into operation shortly afterwards. “In view of the experiences that our workers have had with superfine weft knitting machines, they approached this new machine with great respect,” explained Hannes Hermann.

“The HKS is a top-quality, reliable machine,” stressed the experienced production engineer. According to Karl Mayer, of particular importance is the fact that the machine is fitted with carbon-fibre-reinforced components, which has extended the temperature window and guaranteed trouble-free running.

“Finishing the superfine fabrics also proved to be easier than expected – in fact, almost child’s play when compared to processing E-50-gauge weft-knitted fabrics,” Karl Mayer says. “Every pattern is a ‘precision landing’,” said Hannes Hermann in conclusion.

Warp versus weft knitting – same fineness, different results

According to Karl Mayer, an E-50-gauge warp-knitted fabric looks finer than a weft knitted fabric produced in the same gauge – but this difference can usually only be detected by experts. It has been suggested that the reason for this slight difference is the higher contraction of the wales in the warp-knitted construction.

“However, the differences in processing are more surprising than the differences in the appearance. In this case, the warp-knitted textiles are much easier to both produce and finish. A comparison of the productivity rates also shows that the warp knitting technology is more efficient. When comparing the productivity of the HKS 2-3 in a gauge of E 50 with a circular weft knitting machine of the same gauge, the high-speed tricot machine, with a speed of 3,200 min-1 and an output of 46 m2/h, clearly stands out. At a maximum speed of 1,920 min-1, the weft knitting machine produces 19 m2 of fabric per hour,” Karl Mayer adds.

Market develops a taste for new fabrics and new possibilities 

The Interfilière show in Paris is one of the most important platforms for presenting the E-50-gauge warp-knitted fabrics produced by Willy Hermann. The first collection was exhibited one year ago – but with only moderate success, as Hannes Hermann explained.

At this year’s show, the company exhibited a broader range of fabrics and was delighted to get excellent feedback. “Asian textile companies were particularly enthusiastic about our collection and are also willing to pay a higher price for such exclusive fabrics,” said the grandson of the company’s founder with some satisfaction.

The warp-knitted fabrics being exhibited by Willy Hermann weigh between 90 and 160 g/m2, are said to guarantee cut free processing, i.e. making-up without having to process the selvedges, and are extremely soft. The fabric handle is determined mainly by the yarn run-in and the gauge. The results of a project, which is currently underway with the Modeschule Hallein (Hallein Fashion School) to study the design possibilities offered by these extremely fine knitted fabrics, should increase awareness of these fabrics on the market.

E 40 and E 50 – and even finer?

With the HKS 2-3, E 50, Willy Hermann is currently well placed in the market for superfine knitted fabrics. “The world of warp-knitted fabrics does not need anything finer at the moment, since the differences at these fine needle gauges are almost invisible to the naked eye,” explained Hannes Hermann when speaking about the future direction of the company. Instaed, the company intends to press on with new textile developments in the lingerie and clothing sectors using its existing facilities and aims to create another string to its bow in the form of technical textiles. An important step towards achieving its goal was its participation in Techtextil 2013 in Frankfurt.