Abstract

The circular warp knit composite cord includes a circular warp knit tube with a plurality of wales of base yarn needle loops circumferentially spaced around the tube. The base yarns forming the wales of needle loops also form laps extending between and the interconnecting the circumferentially spaced wales of base yarn needle loops. Inlaid yarns are interlaced in selected ones of the wales of the base yarn needle loops and extend therealong to control longitudinal stretchability of the circular warp knit tube. If desired, a core element can be provided to extend longitudinally along the center of the circular warp knit tube. The knitting of the composite card is carried out on a circular warp knitting machine including circularly arranged and circumferentially spaced-apart needles supported for simultaneous longitudinal movement between an upper clearing level and a lower stitch loop forming level.