SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., Italian subsidiary of leading Japanese computerized knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD., will exhibit at the 95th edition of the Pitti Immagine Filati exhibition in Florence, Italy. It will exhibit as part of the CustomEasy section, which explores various aspects of customization in the presence of textile machinery and design software, represented in part by SHIMA SEIKI’s lineup of WHOLEGARMENT knitting machines and APEXFiz design software.
As pioneer of seam-free complete garment knitting, SHIMA SEIKI has been setting the standard almost exclusively with nearly 30 years of market experience with its WHOLEGARMENT knitting technology. WHOLEGARMENT knitting has recently gained heavy interest from the apparel industry due to the shrinking workforce of skilled sewing and linking personnel. In this light SHIMA SEIKI intends to gain even more interest with its new SWG-XR flagship machine that raises the benchmark for WHOLEGARMENT knitting even further. SWG-XR features 4 needle beds for all-needle knitting of high-quality WHOLEGARMENT products using the company’s original SlideNeedle, in addition to a re-designed sinker system and a compact, light-weight carriage featuring 4 systems as well as auto yarn carriers. All contribute to increased productivity of more than 25% over previous models, as well as increased product range using a wider variety of yarn for supporting knits for all seasons, and higher quality for knitting new fabrics and silhouettes, including punch-lace patterns, variable stitch knitting and intarsia knitting. Setting new standards for the next generation of waste-free, sustainable WHOLEGARMENT knitting, SWG-XR at Pitti Filati will be shown in 18L gauge. The MACH2X WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine, also with original SlideNeedle on four needle beds, will be shown in 5S gauge to demonstrate WHOLEGARMENT knitting in coarse gauge. Also on display will be the new SPG-R computerized pile flat knitting machine that improves on SHIMA SEIKI’s original SPG, developed in 1979 as the world’s first automatic pile glove knitting machine. Shown in 7 gauge, SPG-R features a new moveable sinker system with selectable loop presser function and a new belt-driven carriage for efficient and stable production of fashionable, high-quality pile gloves.
APEXFiz subscription-based design software supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual sampling is a digitized version of sample making, accurate enough to be used effectively as prototypes. By replacing physical samples, virtual samples reduce time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. APEXFiz thereby helps to realize sustainability and digitally transform the fashion supply chain.
The product planning capability of APEXFiz is enhanced by several web services featured as part of the SHIMA SEIKI Online Services (SHIMA online) web platform. These include SHIMA Datamall digital content web service that allows users to search, browse and purchase a variety of useful data for streamlining the planning and production of fashion items, as well as the yarnbank digital yarn sourcing web service that offers digitized yarn data by yarn companies from around the world for download and use in virtual sampling.
The potential of SHIMA SEIKI knitting machine technology is presented through the display of WHOLEGARMENT and other knit samples, a portion of which is designed in collaboration with students.
