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Spinning Process
There are many steps in the process to turning raw materials to yarn.
Here we introduce some of the typical processes along with the technologies that KONDOBO is proud of.
Reliable Quality Control
and
Advanced Technology
Our greatest emphasis is not on mass production, but on quality.
From the raw cotton stage to shipping, we implement thorough
quality control at every stage of the production process and
we the latest technology to create our products.
Although we use the state-of-the-art technology,
we sometimes use old machines in order to prioritize quality.
We continue to pursue high quality cotton
by continuously evolving the knowledge and technology
which we have cultivated over more than 100 years.
Process
Blowing, Opening, Beating
Determining high yarn quality
Cotton is made of natural fiber. Therefore, the length and thickness of its fibers vary from time to time, and quality cannot be maintained with the same settings at all times. We inspect the characteristics of the cotton, decide what composition to blend each time, and unravel and mix each raw material. During this process, we use the latest sensor equipment to detect and remove impurities such as leaf litter, stalks, sand, and dust that may be mixed in with the cotton. It is no exaggeration to say that the quality of the yarn is determined by this process which is set up with the utmost care.
Process
Carding
Gently unraveling fibers
Cotton fibers are unraveled, and impurities and short fibers that cannot be made into yarn are removed while the fibers are drawn parallel to each other. KONDOBO uses old-fashioned machines to gently unravel cotton fibers at low speed to avoid damaging the fibers as much as possible. In addition, as impurities such as neps (knots formed by intertwined fibers) will adversely affect the quality of the yarn, the gauge is adjusted to a very fine one. The pulled fibers are gathered into thin sheet-like layers and formed into a rope-like shape called a sliver.
Process
Combing
Bringing out the best in cotton
The slivers created in the previous process are gathered, stretched, and overlapped into a wrapped form. From this state, the fibers are further unraveled and short fibers are thoroughly removed to form a shiny, flexible sliver. While this process is time-consuming and requires the removal of a large number of fibers, only the very best quality of the material is used, resulting in a smooth texture that can be enjoyed with the cotton’s original beauty and softness. The removed staple fibers are called comber noil and this cotton is used to make yarn again and for other new production purposes.
Process
Drawing
Neutralizes unevenness and maintains uniform quality
Since the slivers made in the previous process have uneven thick and thin portions, six to eight of them are drawn together to form a single sliver to neutralize the unevenness and ensure uniform quality. Even if this doubling process is repeated several times, it is difficult to reduce the unevenness to the utmost limit, and furthermore, stretching the fibers multiple times at the rubber roller part damages the fibers. Therefore, we identify the optimum conditions for doubling.
Process
Roving
Technology and production methods developed over a long history
The uniformed sliver is further stretched to a specified thickness and twisted once per inch to make a roving that is like a very thick yarn. Twisting is done to prevent the roving from breaking during the next spinning process, and is kept to a minimum because too much twisting prevents the yarn from unraveling when it is stretched. The roving is rolled up into a distinctive double-cone shape called a roving bobbin. This is because the softness of cotton causes it to lose its shape when rolled into a rectangular shape. High-precision techniques are required to wind as many coils as possible with uniform tension in a shape that allows for a longer replacement cycle in the next process.
Process
Spinning
Spinning a wide variety of yarns
Rovings are stretched and twisted to the desired thickness to make yarn, which is then wound onto a bobbin. This spinning process produces the yarn. KONDOBO emphasizes small-lot, high-mix production rather than mass production, utilizes a variety of spinning machines to give yarns various features and characteristics to meet the needs of our customers. As the term “single weight control” implies, we strictly judge whether each and every weight that spins yarn is working properly, and the machine settings are all done by hand to the very fine precision of less than 2/100 of a millimeter.
Process
Winding
Final check of quality
This is the final process in a spinning mill. Yarns spun in the spinning process are wound from bobbins onto cheeses in order to obtain the desired size, length, and shape. Using a machine equipped with the latest sensors, the machine detects defects such as neps and slubs that could not be removed by the spinning process, and automatically cuts out the defects. Then, the yarns are again connected to each other by the force of air and wound. We deliver high quality yarns under thorough quality control.
Continuing to focus on
a single thread
Until now, we have been producing mainly
general-purpose yarns, but in recent years we have
taken on the challenge of developing new types of yarns.
We continue to develop new yarns through trial and error
under the notion that “we’ll never know unless we try.”
Involving not only skilled technicians with excellent
techniques but also young technicians with flexible ideas,
our development is unbound by stereotypes.
We continue to focus on a single thread and take on new challenges.
That is our style of craftsmanship.
Constantly Clean Factories
As the stage for our creations, we always endeavor to maintain cleanliness at our factories. Even our guests who visit are impressed by how clean they are kept.
The reason for this is so that we can immediately notice when something unusual occurs. Of course, it is possible to get dirty in the course of work, but each and every one of us working at the site feels that it is important to clean the place well.
We always keep our surroundings neat and clean so that we can always spin our precious yarn in a spotless environment.
In-house Maintenance
The factory has a mix of new and old machines.
The latest machines have greatly improved workability, with automatic completion of settings and reduced changeover time. They can now be configured in ways that were previously impossible making it possible to achieve a higher quality.
On the other hand, the old machines are still being used with careful maintenance. Although the machines are not highly productive because of the time and labor required to perform all settings manually, they have the advantage of allowing us to make detailed adjustments and settings ourselves which suits our manufacturing philosophy of pursuing high-quality products that do not damage fibers.