Lymed materials

Lymed’s materials are highly exceptional in pressure garment manufacturing. High-quality materials, hand-picked by Lymed, do not contain rubber or other known allergens. Fabrics are tested annually for durability, color fastness, and other properties. Fabrics pass the most gruesome tests – their resistance to abrasion is more than 150 000 Martindales! The fabrics include UPF 50+, which means that the fabric protects from 98% of UV-rays. The inside of Lymed fabrics is designed to be slippery, reducing extra friction during donning and doffing.

Lymed products are made from flat knitted warp knits. Warp knit tends to have a better ability to retain pressure and build challenging shapes into a garment. One of the big benefits is the fact that it doesn’t unravel. Lymed products are made with three Oeko-Tex standardized polyamide-elastane knits, with a choice of seven different colors.

Lymed’s fabrics are designed to withstand long-term use in pressure garment applications while remaining comfortable, breathable, and easy to care for. The fabrics are designed to be smooth, which makes donning easier.

We use three different fabrics with varying levels of rigidity, from which different pressure levels can be achieved to support specific treatment goals.

Lymed products are made from flat-knitted warp knit fabrics composed of a polyamide-elastane blend. Characteristics of warp knits include excellent resistance to pressure and the ability to manufacture pressure garments with complex shapes. In addition, warp knits cannot unravel.

The pressure level or compression class is selected according to the intended use and the goals of the overall treatment or rehabilitation plan, as well as the area of use of the product. The choice of material can affect the feel of the product and thereby the perceived effect during use.

Product-group-specific, compatible pressure and fabric options ensure the product’s performance. Deviating solutions in fabric selection may in some cases be possible. Requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis from a manufacturing perspective. The fabric options of standard-sized products cannot be changed.

Polyamide

Polyamide is a light, flexible, and elastic synthetic material, which is easy to dye. Polyamide has very low absorbency and is resistant to dirt, chemicals and perspiration. Polyamide is one of the strongest synthetic fibers – it is highly durable and can handle repeated machine-washing, while retaining its shape and drying quickly. Polyamide can be stretched and regain its original shape without causing knee bags for example.

Elastane

Elastane is a synthetic, polyurethane based fiber known for its elasticity. It can stretch even three to seven times its length repeatedly and return to its original length. Elastane is soft, light and abrasion resistant. Elastane fibers are used in fabrics to increase elasticity and comfort. Elastane is used in a blend with other fibers, not by itself. In pressure and compression garments, the ability of elastane fibers to stretch and recover is the key characteristic. Compact materials with great elasticity and recovery can be achieved with the help of elastane.

How pressure is created with products

The effects of compression and pressure garments are based on the implementation of pressure designed into the product.

The fabric itself does not generate any pressure; instead, pressure is created through the negative relationship between the circumference measurements of the treated area and the product’s circumference, based on the fabric’s elasticity and recovery properties.

The pressure provided by the product is generally divided into two different types according to the treatment goals. Compression garments are designed with progressive compression, providing the strongest support in the extremities, which gradually decreases towards the midsection. In even pressure garments, the pressure is evenly distributed throughout the product.

The pressure level or compression class of a product is selected based on the treatment need and goal, as well as the intended area of use. Lymed products are available with either even pressure or compression, depending on the product group and its specified purpose of use.

The unit used to measure the pressure produced by pressure garments is millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

A product’s pressure class indicates the minimum and maximum pressure within which the actual average pressure typically falls. The realization of pressure on the treated area is influenced by the structure of the tissue and the user’s level of activity. Firmer tissue or activating muscles provide counterpressure to the product, in which case the pressure applied to the tissue may be higher in practice.

When the product is worn, the actual pressure can be measured using pressure meters designed for pressure garment use. Pressure meters can also be used to monitor pressure during use and to assess the need for product replacement.

Manufacturing of compression and pressure garments

Most textile materials are made by weaving or knitting yarns together. Compression and pressure garments are mainly knits.

Knitted fabrics are divided into two basic types:
1) Warp knit fabrics
2) Weft knit fabrics

Knitting methods are divided in:
a) Circular knitting
b) Flat knitting

Warp knits are more varied, and they can get highly complex. All Lymed products are made of flat knitted warp knit. Warp knits have a better ability to form and maintain pressure, build complex shapes into a garment and, in addition, they do not unravel. Flat knits can be made from thicker yarns, which results in a fabric more suited to providing and maintaining pressure.

Circular knit is made with a machine that knits the fabric in a continuous circle (tube). Most of the standard size compression socks are circular knits, resulting in a smooth, seamless product. Circular knitting has some challenges, like building a shape with tight curves into a garment because it is difficult to add or subtract loops suddenly. Flat-knit products must have one or more seams to manufacture a cylinder-shaped product.

Pressure garment materials also have some misconceived terms that are not based in the textile industry. A great example is the term “flat weave”, which should not be used when describing compression and pressure garments.

Based on textile material alone, or even the amount of elastane in the fabric, it is nearly impossible to determine how the product performs, what is its resistance to pressure or how well it does its functions as a pressure garment. If different product materials need to be compared, it is more appropriate to compare the material’s recovery and stretching properties (i.e. the maintenance of pressure/compression) as well as the feel of the material – whether it feels comfortable, thin or thick, smooth or rough.

On a general note, it can be said that products, which have more seams, can be produced to fit better than a completely seamless product – regardless of the material. Seamless and one-seam products fit best in simple body parts without great variation in circumferences, such as arm sleeves.