Seamless Knitting Technology and
Trends
2012
Topic
1. Seamless History & Definition
2.
Seamless Functional Features & application in the
sportswear.
3. Seamless Sportswear Products: How to develop it
4. Seamless Sportswear Combination of Fashion and
Function
5. Seamless Sportswear Market Trends – High
performance / Low cost
6. Santoni Seamless machinery
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless History & Definition
Year
Historical Events Contributing to Development of Seamless Knitting
1589
William Lee in England invented the first flat-bed frame to create hosiery.
1798
The circular knitting frame is born.
1860
The first circular sock machines were small but heavy English and French hand cranked machines
which produced circular stocking lengths. Early models go back as far as the 1860’s and were hand
powered they could only produce narrow tubular lengths of knitted fabric.
1866
Clever inventors soon made improvements and machines were developed that could produce
seamless stockings complete with turned heel and toe. In 1866 Mr Mac Nary from Saxony was one of
those inventors. Circular hand powered knitting machines were widely circulated in the USA and
Britain and gradually spread to most developed countries in the world.
1867
William Cotton of Loughborough patented his rotary-driven machine that used a flat bed to produce
fully-fashioned garments.
1930
Spiers produced a succesful circular knitting machine with the revolving cylinder and internal sinker
capable to knit garment-lengths with the tubolar rib border.
1938
The company Wildt Mellor Bromley introduced in the market the fully-automatic garment-length
machinery able to produce rib, jacquard, transfer stitch, stripe, in the same garment.
1984
The the modern bodywear garment machine come to the market . The machine, whose simple
construction owes much to knowledge gained from development of hosiery, tights, and body size
circular knitting machinery. Few Italien Knitting manufactory start to develop this machine type.
(OSGSandonini, Lonati, Sangiacomo) .
1988
Santoni becomes a company of the prestigious LONATI group. Started to relate his name to the
“SEAMLESS” phenomenon.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless History & Definition
•
•
Seamless technology can produce nearly finished
products. Thus, seamless knitting has the capability for
production time and cost saving.
It reduces the traditional process of the production
costs compared to traditional knitting.
Seamless garment by body size circular knitting
technique concept.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless History & Definition
Streamlining the Manufacturing Process
Dramatically Reducing the Number of Production Steps
Conventional
Knitting
Ware housing
Dyeing &
Finishing
Ware housing
Layingout
Cutting &
Cleaning
Side
Sewing
Waist
Sewing
Body Size Machines
Knitting
Ware housing
Dyeing &
Finishing
Ware housing
Seamless Machines
Knitting
Bottom
Sewing
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Dyeing &
Finishing
Cutting &
Cleaning
Waist
Sewing
Bottom
Sewing
Side
Sewing
Bottom
Sewing
Seamless History & Definition
•
Between 1998-2001 seamless underwear production reached 9%
of the total global production and 35% in 2007.
•
SEAMLESS was born as a phenomenon of collective custom, a
sort of new way of approaching the apparel culture.
•
SEAMLESS production is at the same time strongly connected with
the story and the evolution of SANTONI as a CompanySantoni
belongs to Lonati Group - a worldwide leader in knitting machinery
manufacturing Santoni started to develop the modern body size
seamless machine in 1988 .
•
Santoni Shanghai starts seamless machinery production in
2005 .After more than 20 years the seamless technology flourished
around the world.
•
Santoni group has expanded becoming the leader of the Seamless
World
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
Seamless technology is an innovative concept in clothing free of the
side seams
9
Different stitch structures in different areas
9
Different kind of yarns in different areas
9Better And Wider Range Of Fit
9Invisible Comfort
9Freedom Of Movement
9Natural Softness
9Light, Smooth And Soft To Touch
9Performance Features Linked To
Combination Of Fibers
9Smooth, Streamlined And Sleek
9Custom Apparel At An Affordable
Cost
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
9 Various stitches such as rib, net, jacquard, piquet, stripes, laces, as well
as pre-shaped structures, hidden supports, pockets, collars and hoods.
9
Finished garment in a few minutes
starting from the yarn and without
passing through cutting and sewing
operations.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application
in the sportswear
9 Laid-in elastic yarns inserted in the welt bands and equipped
with area shaving gradual compression featuring Tubular Fabrics
without seams
9 Give direct way to the realization of finished
products ready to be put into the commercial
distribution channels, and reduce to a minimum
the usual steps of the production process.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
Unique two-layer
construction the outside
layer provides perfect
microclimate for the skin,
releases the sweat and
keeps the skin dry.
The inside layer
assures better
protection and
keeps the natural
body temperature
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Functional Features & application in
the sportswear
Protects from
cold
The two graphs demonstrate
the speed and enhancement
of the blood circulation in
relation
to
wearing
a
traditional garment (fig.1) and
a 3D Wear shirt made with
fibres
containing
nanoparticles
of
Silver
and
Titanium (fig.2). Please note
the considerable increase of
the blood flow when wearing
the new 3D Wear line in Tienergy fabric.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Sportswear Products how to develop
them
• Before producing any sportswear, it is necessary to start from the right design
study in term of function. You must decide on what kind of sports the application
refers to and what will be worn for. You won’t wear the same thing for baseball as you
do for basketball, and a tennis dress will not get you very far in a water polo match.
FOCUS ON THE SPORT BEFORE YOU BEGIN DESIGNING WILL SAVE YOU
TIME AND MONEY
• Functional design for seamless sportswear knitted on body size circular knitting
machine relates to:
a) Moisture Management (sweat control)
b) Thermal management (heat dissipation)
c) Pressure management (muscle power)
• To produce a high-quality seamless sportswear, it is also essential a correct
finishing.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Sportswear Products how to develop
them
•
•
•
a)Moisture Management (sweat control)
Moisture Management Fabric improves the sweat expelling effect. It can be
designed and manufactured by the application of:
1) Functional yarn (combination and distribution of hydrophilic or hydrophobic fibers
in fabric, capillary attraction benefited from special cross section) (coolmax, pp,
tactel)
2) Fabric structure (plating for single jersey, sandwich structure for double jersey)
b)Thermal management (heat dissipation)
Dynamic heat control by power net:
1) Elastic yarn or fiber (Lycra, XLA, PTT)
2) Mesh structure (mesh size and distribution).
c)Pressure management (muscle power)
Fabric stretch properties design
1)Yarn (yarn elasticity)
2)Stitch structure (miss stitch distribution and density)
3) Knitting parameters (loop length, elastic yarn pre-elongation)
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Sportswear Products how to develop
them
3Dwear garments are characterised by the use of Lycra, Tactel, Meryl and Nylon yarns, which
combine to produce elastic and flexible garments, developed for those who prefer a looser fit.
Seamless technology actually eliminates stitching, allowing for the perfect adherence of the
garment and the total harmony of body and fabric. 3Dwear Seamless accompanies and
emphasises every movement, with breathable inserts which allow greater air circulation and the
escape of excess heat. Ideal products for sportspeople: it is like a second skin as it is made to be
very light, wrinkle-free, hard wearing and easy to look after and dry.
RUNNING SHIRT
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Sportswear Products how to develop
them
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Sportswear Combination of Fashion
and Function
A combination of «fashionable» with «functional» introduces the great
outdoors to mainstream clothing, the idea is for sportswear to become both
leisure wear and to retain its functional element.
Seamless
performance
strap tank
Weekender
Seamless wool ski
long tights
underwear
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless Sportswear Combination of Fashion
and Function
Winter Sports
Running
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Seamless wool ski
long tights
underwear
Seamless
wool ski long
sleeve
undershirt
Seamless Sportswear Market Trends
High-performance low/Cost
As Chinese people’s life
concept changing, more and
more people are willing to
spend money and energy on
outdoor equipments, in order
to achieve their target of
sports.
Professional sports apparel
is an un-negligible part of
sports equipment. And
seamless sportswear is
providing high performance
with low cost. We believe it
will be popular in the coming
few years.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Santoni Seamless Machinery for sport wear
Seamless
Single
Jersey
Santoni
China
Productions
CHN
Wrap
Seamless
Santoni Italy
Productions
SM8-TOP2
E40
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
SM4-TL2
Santoni Italy
Productions
SM8-TR1
SWD8
Seamless
double
Jersey
Santoni Italy
Productions
SMDJ 2T
CHN MF88 – New generation CHN model
•
•
•
The products made with
this type of machine are
night underwear for men
and women; leggings for
external use and sports
leggings.
Different kind of stitches
that are possible to be
produced:
Single jersey; Fleece;
Jacquard (with needles out
work), Jacquard Vanise`
(with one color yarns plus
ground yarns in a single
course), Mesh, Terry.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
SM8-Top2 E40
Circular single jersey Top2
HIE 8 feeds 40 E.
To face the rising demand for
the finer gauges, this
machine which has an
excellent record in seamless
underwear has now been
upgraded to knit in the finest
gauges up to 40 E, while
maintaining its advantageous
features.
The realizable products with
this type of machine are the
intimate garment for man and
woman the swimwear for
woman and the fine
compression underwear and
swimwear.
.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
SM8-TR1
Differents Brands are looking for TR1
machines to redefine the sportswear
apparel
This machine is widely accepted as the
best machine for knitting sporswear
garments because it can provide unique
performance benefits . a special
patented needle, allows to transfer
the stitch on the single jersey
machine creating an excellent
quality mesh construction.
The gauge of the machine starts to play
an important role:
24 GAUGE- the same weight and look
of the garment but wider yarn’ s count
range and easiness of work with
ecofriendly natural yarns.
SM4 -TL2
Thanks to the reciprocal
knitting action, machine
can knit intarsio and
three dimensional design
4 feeds single jersey
circular electronic
machine, having 2
selection points for every
direction for knitting
fishnet or jacquard inlay
structure (Santoni
patent).
The machine allows
knitting of seamlesswear single garments for
underwear, outwear,
swimwear, sportswear
and sanitary garmen
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
SM9-MFS
Circular Double Jersey SM9MF 12 feeds up to 20 E
Santoni’s know-how and
expertise for a Universal
circular Seamless-wear
machine.
This is the most complete
circular double jersey weft
machine presented by Santoni
recently on the world market
that has required Santoni’s vast
experience and knowledge so
as to create this competent all
around model.
It will knit a vast range of both
man made fibres as well as all
types of natural fibres.
This machine is Santoni’s latest
“State of the Art” circular
seamless model that can be
typified in 3 words: Accessible,
Versatile and Productive.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
SWD 6/2J
Seamless warp
machine SWD6/2J
Keeping in mind that
our users are garment
manufacturers and by
using our experience
in knowing their needs
well, the Santoni
seamless Warp
machine has many
distinguished features
that offer unique
performance benefits.
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司
Thank you for your attention
Factory #5-7-9, 2000 Wei Qing (E) Road ,
ShanYang Town, Jinshan Dist. 201508
SHANGHAI , P.R.CHINA
Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery
圣东尼(上海)针织机器有限公司