Scuba is a thick, smooth, spongy double knit. In our records all of it is CVC or PC, nearly all with elastane, and nearly all heat set. Here is the route from greige scuba to the cutting table.
At a glance
12Parts in our records
320Median required GSM
18%Within GSM tolerance
92%Heat set
Scuba is a thick interlock-based double knit, often a bonded interlock, with a smooth, firm face and a spongy hand, named after the look of diving neoprene. It holds its shape for structured skirts, dresses and jackets. In the trade it is often polyester-spandex; in our records it is CVC or PC with elastane.
| Type in our records | Parts |
|---|---|
| Ly Scuba | 3 |
| Scuba | 3 |
| L/Scuba | 3 |
| L/Scuba Bonded Interlock | 2 |
| Ly Interlock Scuba | 1 |
By fibre: what our records show
| Fibre or blend | Parts | Median required GSM | Within ±5% GSM | More than 5% light | Median length shrinkage | Median width shrinkage | Heat set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVC / PC | 12 | 320 | 18% | 64% | 5% | 2% | 92% |
All 12 scuba parts in our records are CVC or PC, and 18% finish within GSM tolerance.
Our records hold fewer parts of this fabric than of the common knits, so read the figures as a guide, not a rule.
What makes scuba different
Scuba is a compact double knit, commonly polyester, CVC or PC, and often with Lycra. In our records all of it is CVC or PC, nearly all with elastane, and nearly all heat set.
The face and back arrangement depends on the construction; it is not automatically one fibre on each side. Both parts may be dyed, or one may be left undyed for a special effect.
The key points are even dye penetration, dimensional stability, flatness and a firm hand.
Low GSM compliance comes from the very compact construction plus Lycra recovery: small changes in stitch length, width, relaxation or compaction make large GSM changes. It is controlled through stitch length, Lycra feed and greige GSM in knitting, then heat setting, width, overfeed and compaction.
The sequence before the dyeing machine
Every chart below follows the same sequence before dyeing. Steps a fabric does not need simply drop out; they are drawn dashed.
- Greige inspection, then batching. A fabric that stays a tube is turned inside out here.
- If it needs heat setting, singeing or mercerising: slitting first. None of these is ever done on a tube.
- If it needs heat setting: heat setting in open width.
- If it needs singeing: singeing in open width, after checking the flame cannot damage the fabric.
- If it is mercerised: mercerising, then drying.
- If the fabric was opened: back sewing, to make it a tube again with the face side inside (the loop side, for terry).
- Loading into the dyeing machine, then scouring, bleaching and dyeing, single part or double part as the fibre needs.
Flowcharts by fibre
CVC / PC scuba knit
In our records: 12 parts, 18% within GSM tolerance, median length shrinkage 5%, heat set 92%. Full process: CVC / PC dyeing process.
Dyeing and finishing: CVC / PC scuba knit
Common faults and buyer complaints
GSM variation. Control knitting and finishing.
Width and shrinkage. Heat set, then control width and compaction.
Crease marks. Reduce tension.
Poor recovery. Control Lycra feed and heat setting.
Uneven face and back. Control knitting and dyeing.
Pilling. Improve yarn and finishing.
Textile engineer with 14+ years in dyeing and fabric development. He writes every guide on Dyeing Solution from real production work. Full profile