Manufacturing Process

Manufacturing medical compression stockings requires that strict guidelines be followed and is submitted to several strict controls. The three main objectives are to reach optimal therapeutic efficiency, product reliability and best comfort.

There are six steps in the manufacturing process :

Yarn covering
Knitting
Sewing
Boarding
Dyeing
Packaging

1. Yarn covering

The yarns that will hold the "active principle" of the compression medicine must be prepared before being knitted. Yarn covering will enable to master the "strength-stretch" parameters and to protect the elastic yarn.

The covering will consist of covering elastic yarns (natural latex, elasthan) and natural fibers (cotton, wool) or synthetic (microfiber) by a regular helicoidal roll-ups of one or two yarns. Once covered, the yarns must rest for at least two weeks in order to stabilize.

2. Knitting

The medical compression articles are knitted on circular machines. These machines are especially made for medical stockings. The different sizes are achieved on machines with different diameters.

The knitting process is made under operators supervision. They are in charge of the visual and technical controls of the products.

It takes about 3 minutes to knit a medical stocking.

3. Sewing

Several cutting and sewing operations are realized to put the article together (hem sewing, toe closing, assembly, elastic sewing...).

These tasks are very precise. Comfort and solidity of the product will depend on the quality of those operations.

4. Boarding

During the knitting process, the articles are more or less stretched. This creates size differences between two consecutive stockings. Boarding process will give a stabilized size to the articles.

The boarding process is made of two steps. First, the knitting relaxation is done before the dyeing process. The knittings go through a forming machine or are steam ironed. The second step is the pre-boarding. It is an operation to prepare the article for the dyeing process.

5. Dyeing

A dyeing cycle lasts about 5 hours and counts four steps : washing, dyeing, pre-spinning or spinning. Each dyeing process is carefuly controlled. The color is verified with samples under a normalized light. These processes will provide high esthetic shades of colors for our products.
Once dyed, the articles are formed in the same machines used for pre-boarding. This process gives a better hold of the color and a clean look.

6. Packaging

After the dyeing and boarding processes, the articles are put in pairs and are all carefully controlled.
Labels are sewed in. Then, the stockings are folded up, placed in a plastic protection and put in a box. Boxes are labeled and put in stock.