At the 80th edition of the Pitti Immagine Filati exhibition to take place in Florence, Italy, SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., the Italy-based subsidiary Japan-based computerized knitting machine manufacturer SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD., to participate in the Fashion At Work section of the exhibition.

The Fashion At Work section is aimed at appealing to the technical and creative interests of visitors by providing hardware and software solutions for design, manufacturing and processing of knitted goods.

On display will be Shima Seiki’s flagship WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machine, MACH2XS. Featuring such innovations as the original SlideNeedle on four needle beds as well as the company’s patented spring-loaded moveable sinker system, MACH2XS can knit beautiful, high-quality 3-D Items with dimensional structures and details that are uniquely WHOLEGARMENT, all with very high efficiency while minimizing dependence upon labor-intensive sewing and linking.

These qualities of WHOLEGARMENT® knit production are maximized in combination with the SDS-ONE APEX3 3D design system, the latest version of which will be exhibited at Pitti Filati. At the core of the company’s “Total Fashion System” concept, APEX3 provides comprehensive support throughout the apparel supply chain, integrating production into one smooth and efficient workflow from yarn development, product planning and design to production and even sales promotion.

Especially effective is APEX3’s capability to improve on the design and evaluation process with Virtual Sampling. Ultra-realistic simulation capability on APEX3 allows Virtual Sampling to minimize the time- and cost-impact that the sample-making process has on current manufacturing. With this new manufacturing model, the production cycle can be shortened to such an extent that on-demand production can revolutionize the supply chain by freeing itself from seasonal cycles.

To further enhance the planning and design capability of APEX3, Shima Seiki’s new web-based fashion service “staf” (shima trend archive and forecast) will also be demonstrated. staf provides a massive collection of fashion related content including an archive of fashion and color trends covering the past 50 years. This information can be neatly organized on a virtual concept board that can be shared across various devices, improving on planning efficiency significantly.

The knitwear produced on SHIMA SEIKI’s latest line of computerized knitting machines will be on display as well, including WHOLEGARMENT knitwear as well as new proposals in knit-weave hybrid textiles produced on the SRY series machine.

Located on the Lower Level of the Main Pavilion, the Fashion At Work section of Pitti Filati brings together Italian and foreign exhibitors involved with style consulting, stitch and prototype development, printing on knits, knitting machinery, buttons and notions, trimmings, embroideries and appliqués, dyeing and finishing, trend carnets and style bureaus, color-coding systems and software for design and manufacturing.

The 80th edition of the Pitti Immagine Filati Exhibition organized by Pitti Immagine S.r.l will be held from 25 to 27 January, 2017 at Fortezza da Basso Viale Filippo Strozzi, 1, Firenze, Italy.