Elastic, Tape & Paper

Why are these together?

The rest of the catalogue is fabric: lining, interlining, tulle, leather. This group is not. What is here is what you need in order to work with fabric.

There are two separate families inside it, and knowing the difference makes order planning easier:

• Materials that go into the garment: elastic, cord elastic, hook and loop tape. These stay in the product, go to the customer, and share the product's life.
• Materials consumed in production: marker top paper, marker under paper. These never enter the product; they stay on the spreading table and their job ends when the cutting does.

Because the second family is a consumable, its arithmetic works differently: per lay rather than per unit. So although they sit in the same group, their ordering logic is separate.

Elastic: flat or round?

There are two elastics, and the difference between them is not thickness but the shape of the section. That single difference completely separates where each one goes.

The rule in short: flat if load is being carried, round if something narrow has to be passed through or knotted. A waistband wants flat elastic; a strap going through an eyelet wants round.

There is one more distinction in flat elastic, and skipping it is expensive: a woven elastic does not narrow under tension and can be stitched through. On a braided elastic the stitch cuts the core and the elastic dies along that line. Any job where it is stitched directly to a waistband calls for a woven one.

How to choose the width

Width comes down to two things: the load being carried and the comfort wanted. A narrow elastic digs in; a wide one rolls when the wearer sits. The right answer is between the two:

• 1 – 1.5 cm: cuffs and hems, lingerie, childrenswear.
• 2 – 2.5 cm: skirt and dress waists, pyjamas. The most common range.
• 3 – 3.5 cm: sweatpants and trouser waists. Spreads the load without rolling.
• 4 – 6 cm: wide waistbands, activewear. Shaping, but prone to rolling when seated.

There is no single figure for the cut length: for the same waist measurement, a firm and a soft elastic get cut differently. The method — wrap the elastic around the waist, bring it to the tension where it sits comfortably without sliding, measure that length, and add 1 – 1.5 cm at each end for joining.

Hook and loop: which part goes where?

Hook and loop tape is not one piece but two complementary tapes: hook and loop. Which goes where is the most important decision with this product and the one most often skipped.

The rule: the hook side goes where it will not rub against anything. The loop side stays outside, on the surface that makes contact.

• The hook side should not touch skin — the surface irritates.
• The hook side should not face knitwear; a hook pulls a loop of yarn and starts a ladder.
• Whichever part is exposed when the fastening is open should be the loop side; an exposed hook side catches on everything around it.

One further distinction: the sew-on and adhesive types are different products and do not substitute. Trying to sew adhesive-backed tape gums up the machine, and on cloth it is not a permanent answer either — it lifts at the edges after repeated washing. On a fastening that is pulled constantly, stitching is essential.

In short: hooks in, loops out. Leave a fastening open and run your hand over it — the side that catches is in the wrong place.

Marker papers: below and above the lay

There are two papers and their names describe their jobs: one goes under the fabric plies, the other over them. Both are used on the same lay but they solve different problems.

Width follows the same rule for both: the paper has to be wider than the fabric. The widths are already set against fabric widths — 152 cm for 150 cm cloth, 162 for 160, 182 for 180. Buying under and top paper in the same width prevents confusion in the store.

Skipping the top layer on a vacuum cutting table means switching off the machine's most decisive feature. Left open, the air passes over the lay rather than through it; the plies do not compress and the precision drops to hand-cutting level.

The products in this group

Common mistakes

• Stitching directly through a braided elastic. The stitch cuts the core and the elastic dies along that line.
• Sewing elastic with a straight stitch. The thread breaks when the cloth stretches; you need a zigzag or three-step zigzag.
• Pressing an elasticated area or putting it in a tumble dryer. The elastane is permanently damaged — that is usually what a "gone loose" waistband means.
• Leaving the hook side of the tape exposed. It catches on everything and ladders knitwear.
• Buying marker paper narrower than the fabric. The pieces at the edges are left unprotected — and the critical pieces usually get nested at the edges.

When you order

For elastic, say the width and where it is going: an elastic for a casing and one to be stitched directly want different structures.

For hook and loop, say up front whether you need the sew-on or the adhesive type — they are different products.

For marker paper, tell us your fabric width and whether you cut by hand or with an automatic cutter; automatic tables can call for different properties.

Samples, stock and delivery are settled on the phone.