SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. is exhibiting in the Knitwear Solutions category at Premiere Vision. The company is showcasing its integrated manufacturing of primarily seamless knits produced on its WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting machine, and presenting the various ways it is keeping up with changes in consumer preferences and catching on early to new trends.
In addition to exhibiting the SHIMA SEIKI WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting machine MACH2XS123/15L, the company is also displaying a range of whole garment products and its design system “SDS-ONE/APEX3.

Not only does the WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting machine produce seamless knits, it eliminates the need for sewing and linking, thereby allowing users to manufacture exceptionally comfortable and wearable garments with no seam allowance.
The latest MACH2XS series of machines also expand the range of designs to include turtlenecks and plunging necklines. These new machines have a shorter production span than that for weaves. Thus they have the advantage of being able to produce hot-selling products quickly, as soon as production lines receive feedback regarding the market’s needs. The MACH2XS series has steadily become more high profile in recent years thanks to its many merits, such doing away with the manual work of sewing and linking, and enabling production in areas where the garments will be sold.

Another selling point of SHIMA SEIKI is how it can link the WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting machine with its design system SDS-ONE/APEX3 to create garment designs and high-definition virtual samples, while cutting back on the costs and time taken to produce them. Simulated designs can be immediately put into production, so customers can expect to have their designs requested on the company’s online priority order system promptly manufactured without wasting any time and effort. In addition to knits, this linked system can also create weaves, jersey and other product samples.
In 2016 SHIMA SEIKI also launched its Web-based service, staf (Shima Trend Archive & Forecast), for devising new designs and plans.

In addition to featuring a range of information including fabric samples and sewing instructions, staf allows its members to search the company’s extensive archives covering the past 50 years of trends in both knits and weaves. staf also stores data on various cloths and knits produced by linking the company’s WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting machine with its design system SDS-ONE/APEX3.

staf members can do keyword-based searches using pictures of various brand shows and tagged information. The search results can then become inspiration for devising new designs and plans.

WHOLEGARMENT seamless knits are also used in dresses and similar garments.