Abstract: A novel method of fabricating surgical gowns basically comprises the steps of fabricating main body robe portions for the gowns, each having a pair of arm sleeves terminating at respective wrist openings, knitting on a circular knitting machine a plurality of discreet individual annular cuff blanks for the gowns, and affixing, e.g., by sewing, one cuff blank to each sleeve of each robe portion in surrounding relation to the sleeve's wrist: openings. According to the invention, each cuff blank is knitted to have an annular main cuff body portion entirely of a single ply knitted construction, with an annular turned welt integrally knitted with one end of the cuff body. The material and fabrication costs associated with disposable surgical gowns and like medical garments may thereby be significantly reduced.

Abstract: Material and fabrication costs associated with disposable surgical gowns and like medical garments are significantly reduced by utilizing a circularly-knitted tubular fabric cuff formed predominantly of a single-ply knitted construction with a small annular turned welt presenting a finished outer cuff edge. The circularly-knitted fabric of each cuff comprises a main body having plural body yarns and an elastic yarn formed in needle loops in circumferential courses and axial wales, the turned welt of each cuff comprising a welt beginning course connected to a welt ending course with a plurality of intervening courses therebetween. Preferably, each cuff's main body has an annular region adjacent the welt having courses of alternating needle loops and yarn floats and courses entirely of successive needle loops and an adjacent annular region having courses of alternating needle loops and tuck stitches and courses entirely of successive needle loops.