Typically, a knitted garment consists of separate parts--the front and back body panels and the sleeves--which are sewn together afterward. In sharp contrast, Shima Seiki's revolutionary WHOLEGARMENT^® knitwear is produced in one entire piece, three-dimensionally, directly on the knitting machine. Consequently it requires no post-production labor whatsoever*. A superior alternative to conventional knitting methods, the seamless construction of WHOLEGARMENT^® realizes substantial benefits unmatched by any other textile product.

What's truly amazing about WHOLEGARMENT^® technology is that it can produce garments in three dimensions. The bulk of today's apparel consists of two types of garments:

WHOLEGARMENT^® is unique in its ability to knit-in details such as darts and pleats to produce complete 3-D knitwear with a tailored fit. It is the only method which allows a complete, three-dimensionally shaped and fitted garment to be worn straight off the machine. As complicated as this may sound, all production is performed on state-of-the art computerized equipment, and programming is easy using our computer graphic design systems. In fact, WHOLEGARMENT^® goes a step beyond 'computer-to-knit' applications and realizes novel 'computer-to-garment' production.

The extent to which Shima Seiki is pushing the technology envelope for the advancement of WHOLEGARMENT^® can be witnessed through the invention of the Slide Needle. An entirely new needle design, it aims to replace the 150-year old design of the traditional latch needle to incorporate unprecedented stitch designs. The Slide Needle is capable of 12-Way Technique, which effectively doubles the number of knitting techniques over the traditional 6 techniques. Moreover, there are so many unexplored possibilities with the new needle design; we speculate that so far we have only touched upon less than 1% of the Slide Needle's full potential.

Practical results from the new Slide Needle design are increased stitch variation, a wider range of possible gauges and gaugeless knitting, whereby a variety of gauges can be knit on a single machine into a single garment. Increased gauge range and gaugeless knits are especially notable in WHOLEGARMENT^® applications, as they open up possibilities for a wider range of knitwear including cooler, more lightweight items for Spring/Summer. This helps the knitting industry to not only free itself from the standard notion of knitwear being mainly for the Autumn and Winter seasons, but to shed seasonal perceptions toward knitwear period, so that more collections can be made throughout the year and consequently attain a larger share of the textile market. In this respect, WHOLEGARMENT^® offers enormous potential for the proliferation of knitwear as a textile medium.

With all-new stitches and knitting techniques also comes the opportunity to expand the entire range of knitwear as we know it. Thanks to WHOLEGARMENT^® technology, the term "knitwear" is no longer reserved for thick and bulky, clumsy sweaters reserved for casual occasions. New materials, especially fancy yarns combined with fine gauge capability and new knitting techniques result in a variety of fresh new items which at first glance seem like wovens. The aforementioned 3-D capability of WHOLEGARMENT^®¨ is especially effective in blurring the boundaries between knits and textiles, and presents fantastic opportunities for unprecedented exploration of knit fashion.

WHOLEGARMENT^® also features some very special possibilities for the designer. Unlike conventionally knitted sweaters whose seams tend to break up the continuity of the garment design, the seamless process allows patterns and designs to remain uninterrupted across the entire garment-- front-to-back, over-the-shoulder and down-the-sleeves. And it looks much nicer, too. Also without seams there is the opportunity to create single-knit garments which feature truly functional reversibility without the added weight and bulk of double-knits. Knit designers now have an expanded palette of opportunities with which to be creative.

Considering the extraordinary capability of WHOLEGARMENT^® to shape in three dimensions, it should come as no surprise that this same technology can be applied to shapes other than that of the basic sweater. Everything from hats, scarves, shoulder warmers, cardigans, vests, jackets, coats, jumpsuits, dresses, skirts, leg warmers, tights and socks can be knitted in their entirety. Each of these items can be knit in the same material, color and pattern, allowing total coordination from head to toe, including twin-sets and beyond.

Based on over 20 years of painstaking research with over 150 patents applied to its development, WHOLEGARMENT^® is certainly cutting-edge. Yet it is also a fully feasible, efficient, economical and reliable method of producing all-new fashion--opening up a world of unprecedented opportunities for the knitter, merchandiser, retailer and consumer alike.

Indeed, WHOLEGARMENT^® knitwear is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Many such items already appearing in stores today carry WHOLEGARMENT^® Product Tags to identify Shima Seiki's official endorsement of the product as original WHOLEGARMENT^® knitwear.

With its true on-demand knitting capability, garments can also be produced to individual customers' size and tastes. In this way, WHOLEGARMENT^® technology is ideal for supporting Mass Customization. In fact, WHOLEGARMENT^® is already finding its way into Factory Boutiques, which offer one-of-a-kind custom-made sweaters by creating a business model consisting of a fashion consultant, designer, tailor, manufacturer and boutique, all in a single retail space.

Considered "the future of knitting," many industry experts are convinced WHOLEGARMENT^® technology will take off as the mainstream knitting method for the 21st Century. We at Shima Seiki certainly concur. Best of all, that future is here today.

A Quest for Ultimate Knitwear
Knitting International February 2002