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How a seamless liner is actually made

A liner is a thin layer of knit between a brace shell and skin. Everything that matters about it is decided by four things: whether it has a side seam, how the edges are finished, how the knit behaves when stretched, and how it comes out of the wash.

Seamless is not a marketing word

Most knitwear is cut from a flat panel and sewn up the sides. Under a brace, every sewn seam is a ridge pressing into the torso. A circular knit body removes that seam entirely — the tube comes off the machine as one piece.

Circular knit — what we do

The body is knitted as a tube on a circular machine, in one pass. There is no side seam at all, so there is no ridge line down the ribcage. The sleeve join on SS-04 is the only place with a seam, and it is finished flat.

Cut-and-sew — the usual alternative

A flat panel is cut and sewn up both sides. Cheaper per piece and easier to source in small runs, but the side seam adds a bulk line and a second layer of fabric — exactly where a brace shell presses hardest.

What changes for the wearer
PointCircular knit (our liners)Cut-and-sew
Side seamNone — knitted as a tubeOne seam each side
Layer at the ribcageSingle layerTwo layers plus seam allowance
Ridge under a braceNo seam ridgeSeam ridge along the side
Edge finishingKnit bind-off at neckline, armhole and hemOverlock or folded hem
Small runsNeeds the right machine gaugeEasy from very small quantities

If a style you need is not economical on a circular machine, we will say so instead of quietly switching the construction.

The five steps, in order

  1. Yarn inCotton/elastane or polyester/elastane, selected per style and per climate. Composition and weight go on the spec sheet, not in a slogan.
  2. Circular knittingThe body is knitted as a tube in one pass. Flap panels on SS-01 are knitted in the same yarn, so the flap behaves like the body when washed.
  3. Flat seam finishingWhere there is a join — sleeve, flap, neckline bind-off — it is finished flat and low-bulk, so the edge does not become a hard line against skin.
  4. Stretch and recovery checkThe knit is stretched on the bench and released. What we look for is whether it returns to the same measurements, not just whether it stretches far.
  5. Inspection and packingEvery piece is checked for dropped stitches, seam flatness and measurement, then polybagged and size-stickered. Cartons split by size and colour.
Close-up of the axilla flap panel on a SpineShield brace liner

Five steps, and each one is a point where a liner either stays flat under a shell or starts to bunch. The photograph shows the step that matters most for comfort under a brace: the flap panel at the underarm, knitted in the same yarn as the body.

Machine and inspection photographs are taken on request during a factory visit or a video call. We do not publish stock images of other factories' floors.

What we measure, and why

Buyers ask for the same three things on every first order. We keep them in the spec sheet rather than in a paragraph, so you can check them against your own brace before you commit.

Checks we run on a sampling round
CheckHow it is doneWhat we report back
MeasurementsFlat measurement of every size in the size runA size table in centimetres, per style
Stretch & recoveryKnit stretched on the bench, released, re-measuredStretch direction, and whether it returns to size
Seam flatnessVisual and touch check on the inside of every joinPhotos of the seam from the inside
Wash behaviourSample washed to the care instruction, then re-measuredAny change in measurement, plus the agreed care wording
Shade consistencyDyed lot compared against the approved shade cardPhotos of the lot against the card

The labelling we can confirm: fibre content, care and origin labelling is handled per order; test reports are shared on request.

We do not claim certifications we do not hold. If your market or your customer needs a specific certificate or test report, tell us in the first email and we will tell you straight whether we have it or can get it — before you order, not after.

Where we draw the line

Being clear about what these garments are is more useful to you than a page of claims. Your customer will ask, and you should have the answer ready.

These are garments. Our liners are knitted torso garments for wear under orthoses. They are not medical devices, they are not sold as medical devices, and nothing on this site describes a medical use or a medical outcome.

What you are buying. A knitted torso garment, worn as the layer between skin and a brace. It reduces friction at the edges and moves moisture away from the skin. That is the whole of the claim, and it is the part that matters to your customer.

No certificates are claimed on this site. If a document exists for a specific order, it is shared with that order. If it does not exist, we say so.

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