Knitted fabrics exhibit complex anisotropic behaviour that influences garment fit, durability, and sustainability, yet the dimensional and mechanical performance of linked seams and intact knitted assemblies remains underexplored. This study introduces a novel methodology based on ASTM D2594-20 to characterise the dimensional accuracy, growth, and stretch properties of single jersey fabrics and linked seams constructed from cotton and merino yarns. Specimens were tested under controlled relaxation treatments (soaking, laundering, steaming) and subjected to growth and cyclic loading tests in the coursewise and walewise directions. Results reveal that single jersey fabrics (SJFs) consistently shrank from their set dimensions, while linked seams retained superior dimensional integrity, particularly in the walewise direction. Cotton fabrics exhibited significant permanent extension and poor recovery, whereas merino demonstrated enhanced resilience and elastic recovery. Elongation tests confirmed that seams retracted more consistently than adjacent fabric (−8% to −22% versus up to 79% elongation) and further results challenge the assumption that coursewise stretch is inherently dominant when fabrics are intact. These findings provide critical insights for fully-fashioned knitwear design, enabling improved dimensional predictability, reduced waste, and enhanced garment performance.
Scott et al. (Wed,) studied this question.