The Japanese knitting specialist is arguing that seamless 3D knitting can move beyond apparel and become a more efficient manufacturing route for selected technical-textile applications.
Shima Seiki will use Techtextil 2026 to show how its WHOLEGARMENT® and 3D knitting technologies can be applied to technical textiles, not just fashion. The company says it will exhibit seamless and shaped knitting solutions for industrial uses alongside its digital design and sampling software.
At the centre of the presentation is the SWG®-XR WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine, which uses four needle beds and the company’s SlideNeedle™ system to produce fully formed knit items directly in 3D. Shima Seiki argues that this method can reduce material waste by eliminating the need to knit or weave flat fabric, then cut and sew it into shape.
It will also show the SES®-R shaping machine, designed to expand three-dimensional shaping capability and support applications in sports, automotive and industrial materials. The exhibited version will be a 14-gauge, 52-inch machine aimed at larger technical items.
The commercial significance is not simply about new machinery. It is about whether knitting can displace more conventional fabric-construction methods in areas where material cost, shaping precision and customization matter. Shima Seiki is effectively positioning seamless 3D knitting as a way to reduce waste, support on-demand production and enable compression or shaped structures for uses such as medical textiles. The article also stresses the value of seam-free construction for fit, comfort and stretch in medical applications.
The company is pairing hardware with software. Its SDS® KnitPaint-Online and APEXFiz® platforms are meant to connect design, virtual sampling and machine programming, helping reduce physical samples and shorten development cycles. That suggests Shima Seiki sees digital workflow integration, not just knitting hardware, as the real competitive proposition.
