T400: Are You Familiar with This Type of Elastic Fiber/yarn?

Elastic fibers have become an integral part of daily life, serving as an essential textile material in various apparel. Without it, there would be no elegant stockings for fashion-conscious women; no diverse and colorful swimwear for summer; no figure-enhancing leggings to flaunt one's curves. Indeed, elastic fibers have made an indelible contribution to showcasing human figures and enhancing the comfort of clothing.

When people think of elastic fibers, spandex often comes to mind. However, we are discussing a different kind of elastic fiber here — T400, which does not contain spandex.

T400 solves many issues associated with traditional spandex yarns, such as difficulty in dyeing, excessive elasticity, complex weaving processes, unstable fabric dimensions, and aging during use. T400 can be directly woven on jet, water jet, or projectile looms without the need for covering the yarn first, which reduces yarn costs and enhances the uniformity of product quality.

High-resolution photos of T400 fibers reveal that each filament's dual-polymer composition produces a dog-bone-shaped cross-section. This bicomponent fiber is made from two different types of polyester fibers. The distinct micro-morphological structures of the components lead to varying shrinkage upon wet heat treatment. This results in intense longitudinal stress in the fiber, coupled with a twist away from the longitudinal axis, giving the fiber a permanent three-dimensional curl.

This fiber maintains its curl during dyeing and finishing processes, offering better elastic recovery than previous polyester fibers and preventing relaxation phenomena. The product also boasts excellent shape retention and wrinkle resistance.

Advantages of T400:

• High Tensile Strength: The three-dimensional curl structure of T400 fibers provides exceptional elasticity (2-5 times that of standard PET filaments).

• Elastic Recovery: Even after 500 stretching cycles, the elastic recovery rate remains above 95%.

• Soft Feel and Comfortable Wear: T400 fiber is a grooved hollow fiber, which not only enhances fluffiness and softness compared to regular polyester but also improves moisture-wicking and sweat-dispersion.

• Effective Dyeing: Dyeing temperatures can range from 100°C to 130°C. At 120°C, it can produce a dual-tone effect, and at 130°C, it achieves an even dyeing effect, with colorfastness levels reaching 4 or higher, equivalent to general polyester dyeing characteristics.

• Smooth Fabric Surface and Good Wrinkle Resistance: T400 fiber has outstanding memory properties, maintaining the given shape after setting. The fiber can undergo secondary setting at lower temperatures. When stimulated by specific external conditions, the fiber can revert to its original form, showing a rapid memory response to mechanical deformation and quick disappearance under external stress. Consequently, T400 fibers and their blends provide easy wrinkle smoothing and maintain excellent fabric smoothness.

  
  

Applications of T400:

T400 fiber is ideal for use in both lightweight woven and knitted fabrics. It lends a smoother texture and softer feel to the fabric than deformed yarns, making it suitable for all types of men's, women's, and children's clothing. It redefines denim with an outstanding appearance, superior elasticity, and unprecedented performance. Whether you're looking for bleached, washed, or abraded effects, T400 meets your needs, delivering the desired aesthetic.

Garments containing T400 fibers offer comfort and maintain their original shape even after multiple wears. T400 fabrics are also suitable for casual pants, shirts, and more, providing cool, comfortable wear, shrink resistance, durability, and high colorfastness. Additionally, garments made with T400 fabric can withstand high-strength bleaching and washing, significantly extending the wear life of the apparel.