Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. is a professional underwear sourcing & supply-chain management company based in Xiamen, Fujian Province, in the Xiamen–Quanzhou–Jinjiang knitwear cluster of south-east China. Founded by Will Lin, who has worked in the apparel trade since 2004, the company has been exporting since 2009 and was incorporated in Xiamen in 2013. It runs its own liaison office in Jinjiang and works with a network of BSCI & OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified partner factories to serve retailers and brands across Europe, the US and Australia.
Many underwear manufacturers would encounter a problem, that is, the underwear they produce is moldy. This moldy situation not only occurs in the manufacturer’s storage warehouse, but also occurs in the way the manufacturer delivers to the customer. How to solve this situation? First we need to understand why cotton fabric underwear gets moldy in transit?
Why Do Underwear Get Moldy In Transit?
The conditions for mold growth must have nutrients, sufficient moisture and suitable temperature. When these conditions are met, mold will grow. Underwear itself contains various fibers and nutrients, which provide conditions for mold; during the transportation of underwear, some are at sea, and some are transported over long distances. The humidity in each area is different, which will cause different degrees of mildew.
How To Prevent Mildew In Underwear During Production?
Pre-processing plan
The textile fabric used can be treated with anti-mildew prevention in the early stage to control the growth of mildew from the source. The specific operation is to deal with the dyeing and setting process, that is, during the dyeing, setting and dipping process, add iHeir-BJ textile mildew inhibitor to the water tank above the fabric setting machine according to the proportion of 3%. For the level 0 mildew resistance standard, please refer to AATCC30 Standard Test Method for the Evaluation of Textile Resistance to Mildew and Rot.
Post-prophylaxis
Control of textile fabric:
The fabric selected by the factory need to be checked for humidity before incoming materials, and tested with an iHeir-6 anti-mold tester. When the humidity is greater than 12%, they must be dried, otherwise there will be a risk of mold. All fabric should be kept clean and hygienic.
Production site control:
The materials in the turnover box in the workshop should be kept clean and tidy. It is recommended to cover the turnover box of raw materials that are not in use on the day with cloth or plastic film to block dust. Place in isolation.
Packaging Control:
The drying of underwear must be confirmed before packaging, and its humidity should not exceed 11%. In the IQC incoming inspection and spot check, if the humidity exceeds 11%, it should be dried in the oven. When packing, put a pack of H-4 anti-mildew desiccant in the packaging bag. It can effectively absorb moisture, or put a pack of iHeir Anti-mold Dryer F-3 anti-mildew bag in the packaging bag during the rainy season to play a dual effect of anti-mildew and moisture absorption.
Warehouse Control:
- The material warehouse and finished product warehouse should be inspected regularly. The items placed in the warehouse should not be piled on the ground, but placed on the material rack for placement. All materials should be kept clean, tidy and tidy, and the materials that are not commonly used should be placed in PP plastic bags. Do not leak in the air, the dust on the plastic bags is regularly cleaned to reduce the number of colonies in the warehouse workshop.
- Don’t stack finished and semi-finished products directly on the floor, use pallets to separate them, and be more than 10CM away from the wall. Do not rely on materials or materials on the wall. Materials contacting the wall will bring the risk of damp and mildew.
- At least 80CM wide aisles should be reserved for stacking finished products and semi-finished products to maintain air circulation. Do not block the aisles or stack finished products and semi-finished products too densely, so as not to affect air convection, cause air swirl, and make some areas appear tidal.
- The warehouse of finished products and semi-finished products should be sterilized once a month. First, keep the ground clean and hygienic. The warehouse of finished products and semi-finished products should be sterilized once a month for the first three months, and once every three months after three months. The specific operations are as follows: The operation is carried out the day before the holiday. After the workers get off work, all doors and windows are closed and tightly closed. Then the operator wears a mask and rubber gloves and sprays the iHeir-Spray anti-mildew antibacterial agent into the air evenly, especially in the corners and some dark and humid areas. The place is closed for 12-24 hours, then open the doors and windows for 30 minutes, and then enter the warehouse and add iHeir-Spray anti-mold and antibacterial agent 5% to the mop water once (Note: The rainy season should be once a month. ).
- Special attention when wet season: The finished and semi-finished product warehouses should pay attention to ventilation. When the outdoor humidity is greater than the indoor humidity, close the doors and windows, otherwise open the doors and windows, and record the humidity and temperature changes. If the indoor relative humidity is greater than or equal to 80% in the wet season. Dehumidification equipment should be installed to reduce the risk of damp and mildew on the product.
How To Prevent Mildew In Underwear During Transportation ?
The storage warehouse is moisture-proof. The environment of the storage warehouse is too humid, which can easily cause the underwear to become moldy. Strictly control the temperature, strength, humidity, etc. of the storage warehouse. It is not allowed to stack underwear on the ground. All underwear must be placed on wooden boards or shelves. It can make the ventilation effect between the shelves better, and can effectively keep the underwear on the shelves dry.
Unitex custom underwear supplier strictly control every link from production, packaging to storage warehouse to ensure that the underwear is kept dry and clean before packaging. Make sure that each piece of underwear is put in a desiccant in the packaging bag to prevent the underwear from being damp, moldy and deformed, which will affect the quality of the underwear. The desiccant has a good water absorption effect and has a good effect on inhibiting the growth of mold.
Unitex China underwear suppliers welcome to customize the comfortable breathable underwear.
· Xiamen Unitex Trade Co., Ltd. — OEM & ODM underwear sourcing partner