Worsted mill · Piece-dyed route: two workshops on one map

Pre-setting pays off downstream: crabbing before rope scouring and dyeing cuts shrinkage and fuzzing in the stages that follow, the weave staying defined. The fabric is heated fully immersed and stays saturated throughout, so the permanent set forms at the fibre's fullest moisture state. QL's crabbing machine WPF-ZN and continuous WPF-LXZH both set the fabric on this principle, ready to feed straight into WPF-XN rope scouring downstream.

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Both routes deliver a genuine permanent set — the difference lies in production mode and in how depth of set is controlled. Batch crabbing (WPF-ZN) uses one bowl with twin reciprocating cylinders, dwell time set precisely per batch, low liquor ratio, and identical heat history across the whole roll — suited to varied styles needing fine, lot-by-lot control. Continuous crabbing (WPF-LXZH) runs the fabric fully immersed through five baths in series, each independently dosed, with no stop-start loading — suited to high-volume continuous runs, and it can link straight into the drying section for a single pass. For qualities needing very deep setting, batch crabbing is the steadier choice; for continuous, high-volume output, continuous crabbing runs smoother — talk to QL and we'll work it out together based on your quality and production rhythm.

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The choice comes down to whether the fabric is likely to crease under rope processing. Rope scouring (WPF-XN) cleans more thoroughly and suits most everyday fabrics that are not crease-sensitive, but rope processing carries the inherent risk of pressing permanent creases into certain fabrics. Mohair, silk and synthetic-fibre fabrics, which crease easily and do not take well to being gathered into rope form, are better suited to open-width scouring (WPF-JXPX) — the whole piece sewn end to end into a loop and run in open width throughout, with none of rope scouring's crease marks and more even treatment.

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Either arrangement works — the choice comes down to how mixed each batch is. When a batch routinely mixes different colours and weights that must run at the same time without cross-contamination, a combined scouring-and-milling machine with independently set channels suits better; when batches are uniform and run in steady volume, separate machines — a milling machine followed by a scouring machine — work just as well and let each stage run at its own pace. It is one path or the other, chosen by how the batches are structured, not both together. QL covers both routes: the four-channel WPF-4XS for one machine, or the WPF-1S wool milling machine with the WPF-XN scouring machine — tell us your batch mix and we'll help you choose.

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All three set-ups are valid, and the choice depends on the process goal. Separate machines — a rope wool-milling machine followed by a rope scouring machine — keep the flow simple for steady, uniform batches. A combined scouring-and-milling machine handles both steps on one platform, with each channel set independently, suiting batches that mix different colours and weights. Milling followed by scutching and open-width washing opens the milled fabric out of rope form and washes the soap liquor out in open width, avoiding the creases of going back into rope form — well suited to crease-prone fabrics. These are three alternatives at the same point in the line, not a sequence. QL's line-up spans the WPF-1S, WPF-XN, WPF-4XS and WPF-JXPX — contact us to match your fabric.

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Yes — for machine-washable shrink-resist finishing, deep shades, or pre-printing treatment, you generally need an extra fabric-level chlorination shrink-resist and lustre stage beyond the regular process, and it must descale the fibre surface before dyeing; dyeing first and descaling after strips the colour back out. Fabrics without those requirements can skip this stage. QL currently sources and refurbishes pre-owned equipment for this stage — contact us with your fabric type and shade requirements.

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Both work — it's a choice between adding QL's WPF-LXZH drying section or keeping the drying equipment you already run, not one replacing the other by default. The WPF-LXZH continuous drying section is a contact-cylinder tower built to address wool's usual risk with cylinder drying — glazing and a stiffer hand — with PTFE-coated cylinders, tier-by-tier temperature zones, an expander on every tier, alternating double-face contact, and cold-air cooling before plaiting. It suits a fully continuous line off QL's crabbing section. If your workshop already has adequate drying equipment, keeping it is just as valid — the two sections are designed to run separately.

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Steam pre-shrinking and decatizing are not rivals — they are neighbouring steps on the same line. Pre-shrinking is about dimension: it releases the fabric's latent residual shrinkage and locks the width before the fabric leaves the mill. Decatizing is about surface and handle: it fixes the temporary lustre and flatness from earlier steps into a set that survives garment making. A quality line runs both, pre-shrinking first, decatizing after. QL covers both stages: pre-shrinking with the WPF-LTYS or WPF-WDYS, decatizing across the WPF-JXZN-MAX, WPF-LXZN and WPF-LXZN-P range.

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Steam pre-shrinking comes first, decatizing follows. Pre-shrinking releases the fabric's latent residual shrinkage and locks the width before further processing; decatizing then fixes the temporary lustre and flatness from earlier finishing into a set that holds through garment making. The two serve different purposes and sit in a fixed order on the line — pre-shrinking is not swapped with or skipped in favour of decatizing. QL covers pre-shrinking with WPF-LTYS/WPF-WDYS and decatizing with the WPF-JXZN-MAX/WPF-LXZN/WPF-LXZN-P range.

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Pre-shrinking and decatizing are two sequential steps on the line, not an either-or choice. Pre-shrinking solves a dimensional problem — releasing latent residual shrinkage and locking the width; decatizing solves a surface-and-handle problem — fixing the temporary lustre and flatness from earlier steps into a lasting set. Skip pre-shrinking and shrinkage resurfaces later; skip decatizing and lustre and flatness relax back. A quality line runs both. QL's pre-shrinking machines line up with the WPF-LXZN decatizing range to cover both steps — tell us your fabric and width and we can help you configure the line.

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Width control is the dividing line between the two. On the WPF-LTYS, the chain frame holds the fabric on pin clamps from infeed all the way to delivery, so width stays locked to the process-defined value and dimensional drift is eliminated across the whole steaming-and-cooling cycle. Free-belt machines cannot replicate that process-grade width-locking, which is why WPF-LTYS is the safer choice once width drift becomes a recurring problem.

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For knit fabric, the net-belt type (WPF-WDYS) is the preferred choice; the pin-chain type (WPF-LTYS) can also process knits, but that is not its primary use. The difference is in transport: the pin-chain machine clamps the fabric on pins throughout and locks the width, suiting woven fabrics where width tolerance matters. Knits generally need to relax freely at open width, which the net-belt design allows since it does not clamp the width. The choice comes down to whether width-locking is required.

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Choose a decatizing method by throughput and set depth. Discontinuous, the WPF-JXZN-MAX, is batch-loaded with long steam contact for a deep, thorough set. Continuous, the WPF-LXZN, runs non-stop for higher throughput, with set depth tuned by steam-rise travel and an optional humidifying unit. Continuous-pressure, the WPF-LXZN-P, adds 0–3 bar on top of continuous travel to combine high throughput with a deeper set. For kier (autoclave) decatizing, QL sources and configures a refurbished European machine for you. Tell QL your throughput and set-depth targets and we'll help you pick.

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Choose by fabric and finish first, then by line pace. The continuous decatizing machine WPF-LXZN runs non-stop and covers worsted, woollen, silk, man-made blends, woven and knitted on one machine. Fringed scarves and shawls can only be decatized continuously, since batch decatizing cannot handle them. It also serves as pre-treatment before batch decatizing and as final finishing after it, taking down excess lustre for a softer, fuller handle, and it can be linked with a QL pre-shrinking machine into one continuous finishing line. The batch decatizing machine WPF-JXZN-MAX, with its Ø2000 cylinder, micro-pressure uniform steaming chamber and inside-outside steam injection, gives the deepest, fullest set, loading 500–1,000 m per batch, for premium worsted and woollen finishing. Both are built by QL and work together well: the continuous machine for bulk pace and special categories, the batch machine for depth of set. Bring your fabrics and throughput to QL: WhatsApp +1 380 900 2442, or +86 189 2110 8080.

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Decatizing machines fall into four main types by steam contact and pressure: discontinuous (batch-loaded, long steam contact, deeper set), continuous (non-stop fabric travel, higher output, with set depth tuned by steam-rise travel and an optional humidifying unit), continuous-pressure (continuous travel plus vessel pressure, combining output with a deeper set), and kier/autoclave decatizing (fabric batched into a pressure vessel, the deepest set, batch process). QL's own new machines cover the first three — WPF-JXZN-MAX, WPF-LXZN and WPF-LXZN-P; for kier decatizing, QL sources and configures a refurbished European machine for you.

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No, a discontinuous decatizing machine and a kier (autoclave) decatizing machine are not the same, and cannot simply substitute for each other. Discontinuous decatizing is an atmospheric batch process, with fabric and wrapper alternately wound onto a perforated steam cylinder; kier decatizing loads the fabric roll into a pressure vessel, a pressurised batch process that typically sets deeper. The two are often blurred together, but sit as separate process steps in a customer's line. QL's WPF-JXZN-MAX is the atmospheric discontinuous machine; for kier decatizing, QL sources and configures a refurbished European machine for you.

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Choose by fabric and by how deep the set must be. The atmospheric continuous decatizing machine WPF-LXZN handles continuous final decatizing of worsted, woollen, silk and man-made blends; its enlarged steam-rise chamber extends steam dwell, and an optional humidifying unit adds penetration where a fuller set is wanted. The pressure continuous decatizing machine WPF-LXZN-P raises the vessel to 0–3 bar so saturated steam acts on the fabric under pressure, reaching a light-kier grade of set while the fabric keeps moving, with woven-and-knitted tension control that is particularly effective on elastane stretch fabrics. Heavy, high-density or long-hold qualities point to the pressure version; routine qualities and frequent changeovers point to the atmospheric one. Both are QL machines. Bring your fabric list to QL: WhatsApp +1 380 900 2442, or +86 189 2110 8080.

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Under 0–3 bar, saturated steam acts on the fabric directly, and a single pass attains the dimensional stability that once required a separate kier decatizing stage — light-kier-grade setting depth at continuous throughput. Where the kier stays in the line, the machine also runs as high-speed pre-treatment before it, or as final treatment after it, removing post-kier over-stiffness. How the pressure version WPF-LXZN-P fits your line — as a kier replacement or alongside it — is best worked out with QL: tell us your fibre and existing line layout.

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Continuous decatizing is the right choice in three situations. First, lines that must run non-stop and switch between many qualities on one machine: worsted, woollen, silk, man-made blends, woven and knitted are all covered. Second, fringed scarves, shawls and other categories that can only be decatized continuously, since batch decatizing cannot handle them. Third, as pre-treatment before batch decatizing or final finishing after it, taking down excess lustre for a softer, fuller handle. QL's continuous decatizing machine WPF-LXZN carries QL's own Decatizing Uniformity Technology, removing side-to-side shading and end-to-end variation; set depth is tuned by the enlarged steam-rise travel and an optional humidifying unit, and where a deeper set is wanted QL also builds the pressure version WPF-LXZN-P and the batch WPF-JXZN-MAX. Tell QL your fabrics: WhatsApp +1 380 900 2442, or +86 189 2110 8080.

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It depends on the handle you're after — if the order calls for a fuller, cloud-like softness rather than just standard smoothness, an air-flow (tumble) softening step before final inspection is worth adding. It works by tumbling the fabric in warm or ambient air, opening the fibre structure mechanically rather than with chemical softeners, commonly used as a final step for knitwear and fleece-type fabrics. If the order just needs a normal, flat handle with no loft requirement, this step can be skipped. Send QL your line details and we'll help work out the right configuration for this step.

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