Jiede Fabric is a Professional Custom Fashion Apparel Fabric Manufacturer & Supplier Since 2013.
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Jiede Fabric is a Professional Custom Fashion Apparel Fabric Manufacturer & Supplier Since 2013.
1. Definition & Principle
Eyelet embroidery — also called cut-out or perforated embroidery, and known historically as broderie anglaise — is a compound embroidery technique. Using an eyelet punch or eyelet needle fitted to the embroidery machine, holes are formed in the fabric to the design; the rim of each hole is then immediately edged with thread so that the cut yarn ends are enclosed, and the solid areas of the design are worked with satin stitch outlines and dot or mesh fills.
Its core is the contrast of solid and void. A single surface carries both the solid flower — areas filled with stitching — and the open flower — the punched holes. The holes let light through and read as transparency; the built-up stitching reads as relief. From a distance the motif is complete; up close it is a texture in which thread and hole pass through one another. No plain embroidery or print can replace this: a print can only imitate the colour of a hole, whereas the hole in eyelet embroidery genuinely transmits light.
One distinction matters. Ordinary embroidery only adds thread to a surface; eyelet embroidery adds thread and breaks the surface at the same time. If a rim is not edged sufficiently, the yarns on either side of the hole will fray away. This is why the demands it places on digitising accuracy, machine condition and tension control are markedly higher than those of plain embroidery, and why this document concentrates on production points.
It should also be distinguished from mesh-based openwork. In embroidered tulle or water-soluble embroidery, the open area exists because the ground is a net or is dissolved away; in eyelet embroidery the hole is cut out of the fabric itself, so the finished cloth keeps the flatness and body of a woven base and the rim is locked by stitching into a crisp outline.
2. Process Overview
The route comprises nine main stages. The stability of each stage determines the yield of the next; digitising, punching and rim edging are the three that decide the final result.
3. Step-by-Step Process Detail
Stage 1 · Design & Digitising
Purpose: to translate the design into a stitch program the machine can execute exactly, and to hold the process limits of punching from the outset.
· Layering: split the design into three groups — hole positions, rim edging, and surface fill — each expressed in a separate colour and layer, so the machine can run them in sequence and the sequence can be adjusted later.
· Expressing the holes: in the digitising software a single-run stitch is laid around each hole rim (stitch length approx. 1.5 mm), followed by a radial star tack inside the hole, so that the accumulated stitches pierce or break through the cloth. The stitch count required depends mainly on the thickness and weave density of the base — thicker, tighter cloth needs more stitches.
· Size and spacing floors (machine embroidery): a single hole should not be smaller than 2 mm × 2 mm, and a round hole should be at least 4 mm in diameter; rim-to-rim spacing should be at least 1.5 mm so that the edging of neighbouring holes does not interfere. Corners must be radiused (R ≥ 1 mm) and angles sharper than 60° avoided, otherwise the edging puckers or runs unevenly at the corner.
· Hole density: in dense areas the open-area ratio is generally kept within 40%–50%. Above that the fabric loses strength noticeably and distorts at stressed points in the garment.
Key point: repeat registration must be verified, and the measured shrinkage of the base plus the shrinkage from stitch density must be fed back into the program. Taking a geometric patchwork design as an example, the patch outlines, the punched openwork bands and the dot and diamond-mesh fills must sit on separate layers, and the continuous holes along the bands must be checked one by one for consistent size and spacing.
Stage 2 · Base Fabric Selection & Greige Inspection
Purpose: to provide a ground with stable construction that will not fray when it is pierced.
· A tightly woven, structurally stable base is preferred — fine-count cotton poplin or plain weave, and cotton-synthetic blends. The tighter the base, the shorter the cut yarn ends at the rim and the more readily the edging encloses them.
· Loose or highly elastic bases (some knits, fine gauze) should be avoided. Where openwork must be worked on a light or elastic base, the customary route is to laminate a water-soluble film and use a punch tool designed for the purpose, then wash the film away after punching so that hole shape and rim quality are preserved.
· On receipt, inspect thread density, weight, skew, shade and defects, and retain a greige sample as the reference for later shrinkage, shade and hole-position comparison.
Key point: taking a cotton base as the example, 100% cotton at roughly 226 g/m² sits in a comfortable mid-to-heavyweight range — the cloth is tight enough to hold body and its rims resist fraying after punching, while the hand remains soft and comfortable. Batch differences in the base show up directly as differences in rim neatness and surface sheen, so one order should be run on one base batch.
Stage 3 · Pre-treatment & Pre-shrink Setting
Purpose: to remove sizing and oils carried in from weaving and transport, stabilise width and shrinkage, and prevent the punched positions from shifting in the finished cloth.
· Desizing and scouring: clear sizing agents and impurities so that thread sits consistently on the base and so that the cloth does not contract abruptly at the later washing stage.
· Pre-setting: heat-set under even tension to stabilise width and thread density.
Key point: an eyelet design is positional — the hole must fall where the design places it. Shrinkage must therefore be measured before the production program is finalised and fed back into the digitising; otherwise the motif is correct but the whole set of holes is offset, and repeats fall out of register. This is the biggest scheduling difference between eyelet embroidery and plain embroidery.
Stage 4 · Backing Selection & Hooping
Purpose: to keep the cloth flat, stable and undistorted during punching and edging.
· Backing: backing paper, water-soluble film or hot-melt film supports the cloth, improves flatness and three-dimensional definition, and prevents a light base from being dragged out of shape when it is pierced. The backing must be matched to the base weight — too soft gives no support, too stiff compresses the cloth into a boardy feel.
· Hooping tension: the cloth must be taut but never stretched. Too much tension distorts the holes and changes their shape; too little leaves the surface wrinkled and invites skipped stitches and missed embroidery.
· Machine aids: cloth readily curls into the needle-plate hole and debris accumulates during punching, so machines are commonly fitted with a related aid (such as a needle-plate filler) to clear debris and protect the surface.
Key point: the acceptance criterion for hooping is “holes undistorted, surface flat and free of wrinkles” — not “as tight as possible”.
Stage 5 · Eyelet Punching
Purpose: to form clean, open holes in the base exactly to the design.
· Method: an eyelet attachment (punch blade or eyelet needle, usually fitted to the first needle bar) is mounted on the embroidery machine and pierces or cuts the base along the hole outline.
· Yardage embroidery (large multi-head machines): hole shapes are regular, rounded and clean, with virtually no residual yarn inside, and productivity is high; however, the frame and fixing method mean that positioned embroidery on cut panels is not possible.
· Panel embroidery (flat machines / piece work): allows positioned eyelet embroidery on cut panels, which suits garment-specific placement; hole consistency and internal cleanliness depend more heavily on digitising set-up and operator skill.
· Laser punching: laser systems introduced in recent years cut quickly and can seal the edge (an advantage on synthetic bases), but on cotton bases they tend to scorch and yellow the rim, and their efficiency and stability are still maturing, so they have not become the mainstream route.
Key point: the cloth must be punched through but not shredded. Under-punching leaves yarn ends inside and the holes read dull; over-punching cuts away too much of the fibres at the rim, so the hole frays even when edged. Consistency of hole size is the core measure at this stage.
Stage 6 · Edge Stitching (Locking the Hole Rim)
Purpose: to enclose and fix the cut yarn ends, forming a reinforced rim that is also the decorative outline.
· Stitch type: buttonhole stitch (flat edge), satin stitch (smooth edge) and chain stitch (raised edge) are all in common use, chosen for the intended effect.
· Stitch width is generally 0.5–2 mm (main outline 1–2 mm, decorative runs 0.5–1 mm); pitch 0.3–0.8 mm, with 0.5–0.8 mm on straight runs and the lower end, 0.3–0.5 mm, on curves and rims.
· Securing the hole: the customary practice is to run a single securing stitch down the centre of the edging, which further anchors the hole so that it cannot shift or close up during later embroidery, washing and wear.
Key point: edging density is the dividing line between a reliable and an unreliable eyelet fabric. Too dense puckers the surface as shrinkage accumulates; too open gives insufficient reinforcement, and the rim frays and unravels in washing. Where the rim curvature changes — at radiused corners in particular — density should be increased locally to avoid a gap in the edging.
Stage 7 · Main Motif & Fill Embroidery
Purpose: to complete the motif and fills in the solid areas outside the holes, setting up the contrast between solid and open work.
· The motif is outlined in satin stitch (for example the outlines of square and triangular geometric patches) and filled with dot stitch, diamond-mesh stitch and similar techniques, giving fine layering and a resilient surface.
· Sequence principle: the test is that already-punched holes are not distorted by subsequent stitching. Large fills are generally worked after punching and rim edging; alternatively the sequence is interleaved at the digitising stage so that the cloth is not pushed around at the hole positions during stitching.
· Thread colour: when the thread matches the base, the fabric reads quiet and refined and the holes work through light and shadow rather than colour; a contrast thread sharpens the difference between hole and stitching and makes the decoration more prominent.
Key point: shrinkage in filled areas pulls the surrounding cloth with it, which affects hole position and spacing. Shrinkage should be allowed for at the digitising stage and corrected from measurement on the first trial run.
Stage 8 · Trimming, Washing & Finishing
Purpose: to remove residue and stabilise the width, shrinkage and hand of the finished fabric.
· Trimming: cut loose threads and clear residual yarn from inside the holes; where water-soluble backing was used, it must be washed out completely, together with any loose colour.
· Finishing: softening and low-temperature setting at low tension, to unify hand and lustre and stabilise width.
· Shrinkage: shrinkage in dense embroidery areas and the weight lost through the open areas mean the finished width and weight differ from the greige; both must be measured and allowed for before bulk production.
Key point: of all stages, the rims are most sensitive to the mechanical action of washing. Vigorous agitation frays the rims and distorts hole shape, while high heat and heavy pressure flatten the relief and take the three-dimensional rim definition with it. Wash temperature, time and mechanical intensity must be confirmed separately for the base and the thread, then locked and recorded on the process sheet.
Stage 9 · Final Inspection & Roll Packing
Purpose: to confirm quality against standard and to protect the open structure during roll formation.
· Appearance: openness of the holes, residual yarn inside them, frayed or unravelling rims, thread breaks, skipped stitches and missing embroidery, alignment of hole positions (repeat registration) and shade variation across the piece.
· Physical data: width, weight, shrinkage and skew, together with rim integrity including performance after a trial wash.
· Needle detection: needles and punch blades are high-wear items in this process, so the risk of broken needles and metal debris is above that of plain embroidery. Every metre must pass through needle detection (metal detection), with no exception over the punched areas — this is a firm requirement.
· Packing: the holes snag and pull easily, so the fabric must be rolled on a paper core and wrapped in protective film, avoiding stacking and surface abrasion.
Key point: retain a sample from every batch as the physical reference for repeat orders, claims and process reproduction.
4. Typical Process Parameters (reference values)
The ranges below are those customary for comparable processes; they are given only to aid understanding and for initial discussion. Actual parameters must be confirmed per order by sampling according to base material and weight, hole size, thread specification and machine and blade condition, then locked and recorded on the process sheet. Note in particular that hole size, hole spacing and open-area ratio are hard constraints — once exceeded, no amount of machine adjustment downstream will recover the result.
5. Production Points to Watch
1. Design & digitising
· Hole positions must be separated on their own layer and run as a single stitch path; stitch count is trialled per order against base weight and thickness and must never be copied from another weight.
· Radius corners and hold the floors on spacing and open-area ratio; continuous hole runs such as punched openwork bands must be checked hole by hole for consistency.
· Verify repeat registration. Feed measured shrinkage and stitch-density shrinkage back into the program so the whole lot does not shift.
2. Base fabric & shrinkage
· Fix shrinkage first, then finalise the program; run one order on one base batch.
· Loose and elastic bases are very difficult to eyelet well. Always run a sample to verify rim stability before accepting such an order.
3. Tension & backing
· Judge hooping by “holes undistorted, surface flat”, not by how tight it feels.
· Match backing to base weight; where soluble film is used it must be washed out completely, since residual film stiffens the rim and clouds the visual effect.
4. Punching & edging
· Punch through but do not shred; set edging density zone by zone according to hole size and rim curvature, and increase it at radiused corners.
· Never omit the securing single stitch; inspect and replace blades on a set schedule, because a worn blade produces inconsistent holes directly.
5. Finishing & care guidance
· Keep tension low, temperature low and mechanical action gentle throughout finishing; avoid high-temperature pressing, which flattens the relief and the rim definition.
· Care guidance for the garment: hand wash or wash in a laundry bag on a gentle cycle, keep away from zips, hooks and metal trims (the holes snag easily), and avoid tumble drying and pressing directly over the embroidered face.
6. Inspection & safety
· Metre-by-metre needle detection is a firm requirement and must not be replaced by spot checks.
· Retain a sample per batch; rim integrity and performance after washing should be based on third-party testing or actual test results.
6. Typical Problems & Corrective Direction
7. Characteristics & Applications
Characteristics
· Transparency through contrast: the holes transmit light while the embroidery stays solid, so the motif reads complete at a distance and as thread-and-hole texture close up.
· Rich three-dimensional layering: edging stitches, the space of the hole and the fill texture stack into a surface that is physically raised and clearly tactile.
· Body with lightness: the density and weight of the base give structure, while the holes bring breathability and lightness — both at once.
· Stable rims: the rims are reinforced by edging, so they do not readily fray or distort in normal wear and care, provided edging density is sufficient.
· Surface-structure nature: the holes are an open structure, so snagging, scraping by sharp objects and high-temperature pressing should be avoided; the specific care method should follow the care label and test results of the final garment.
Applications
· Dresses, shirts and shirt dresses
· Tops, blouses, camisoles and vests
· Skirts and suits
· Bridal gowns, occasionwear and couture
· Childrenswear and babywear (subject to the applicable safety standard)
· Local trims and panels — cuffs, collars, plackets and hems
· Capes, veils and dress accessories
8. Notes
1. This document explains the principle of the process and the production points to watch. The values shown are customary industry ranges; actual production parameters must be confirmed per order by sampling according to base material and weight, hole size, thread specification and machine and blade condition.
2. Fibre content, width, weight and other specifications are governed by the order confirmation and are not warranted by this document. Because embroidery density and the distribution of punched areas vary, whole-batch weight and effective width may fluctuate slightly; the actual bulk swatch should govern before cutting.
3. Statements concerning care and durability of the finished article should be based on third-party testing or actual test results.
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