INTRODUCTION

Seamless Garments - An Overview

Many Apparel manufacturers are suffering lot due to the competitive market that
minimizes the Profitability. Everyone think of revolutionary method for minimizing
the production cost. In the existing production system the cutting and sewing process
is mostly labour oriented. The sewing process may create needle hole on the sewn
product that reduce the marketability and also the stress created at the seam portion
will also leads to premature failure in the garment. Finally the cutting and sewing is a
labour intensive process which creates the human error, and then the cutting process
creates more fabric wastages.

Seamless garment technology is advancement in apparel industry which eliminates

the fabric laying, cutting and sewing process. Ultimately we can minimize the
production cost by 40% compared2 from the existing apparel production system as
well as production time. In addition to that seamless garment gives more comfort
because of having no seam in its structure, even though sleeve and neckline of the
garment could be joined through sewing. Circular knitting machines were used for
making seamless garment in earlier days. During 80's V bed flat bed knitting machine
were used for seamless under wear manufacturing. The leading knitting machine
manufacturers for making seamless garments are SANTONI, SANGIACOMO etc...
The Growth rate of Seamless garment is described from the below
table

Year Growth
rate
1998 2%
2001 9%
2003 18%
2007 35%

(Source Santoni report)

In the year of 1998 seamless garment contributes 2% of global underwear garment

production, within 3 years it reached up to 9% likewise 2003 it was 18%
improvement, 2007 it was 35%. In future growth rate is expected to increase very
high. Earlier Seamless garment manufacturing was limited to underwear. But now
lots of fashion wear are being developed with this technology. This Technology not
only reduce the post labour work after fabric forming but also gives comfort and
perfect fit to the wearer.
 ADVANTAGES OF SEAMLESS GARMENTS:

New technology has their unique advantages both commercial as well as economical,
this seamless technology also not exception .The following advantages we can find
from seamless technology.

1-Freedom of body movement: Generally the seam portion of any garment is not
having the same elasticity as compared to the body fabric, so the difference in
elasticity will affect the free body movement. Since the seamless garment doesn’t
have any seam in it structure this problem has been eliminated.

2-Wider range of fit for different range of body shapes: In a single garment
measurement can suitable for wider range of fit for different range of body shapes
because of its higher elasticity

3-Inherent softness: There are no bulky and annoying stitches at the underarm points,
shoulders and neck lines, which may cause irritation to the wearer, since the garment
having seam free structure it provides the soft feel only.

4-It reduces labour cost: Due to the elimination cutting and sewing process it is
obvious to reduce more labour involvement.

5-Minimum yarn consumption: Most of the fabric wastages occur at cutting stage,
since this seamless garment excludes this process fabric consumption per garment is
less, so the yarn consumption also very low. Additionally, yarn consumption can be
minimized at knitting by means of effectively analyzing yarn feed through the
computerized system on the knitting machine. E.g. DSCS (Digital Stitch Control
System) on Shima Seiki machine predetermines how much yarn is required for the
each stitch3.

6-Smaller work space: Involvement of sewing operation is less except few cases in
the garment production system, which leads less space requirement.
7-Reduce yarn and fabric inventory: Cutting and sewing process require more fabric
as well as yarn inventory due the absence of this process no need of maintaining huge
inventory.

8-Quick samples: Sampling is a costly as well as time consuming process, because

small portion of fabric as well accessories need to be prepared .since this seamless
garment is exemption, here we can prepare quick samples.

9-Fewer product failure: Most of the garment failures are due to seam failure the
seamless garment doesn't have the seam, so that garment failure is also very less.

10-Engineered features like comfort, fit, and ventilation we can obtain from this
technology.

11-Cost of production is less: This leads to saving of production costs up to 40 percent

compared to the customary garment production system

12-Design possibilities: Seamless garment Technology not only to create several types
of tubular formed knitting but also to build diverse design structures on the tubular
knitted garments simultaneously.

13-Just in time production: Just-in-time production is possible with the help of seamless
technology. In certain markets, seamless knitting could be considered for mass
customization4 by rapid design changes according to customers' requirements through
computerized knitting systems.

In addition to the above an entire piece produced from seamless technology is

claimed to provide more consistent product quality .Consequently, seamless knitwear
is promoted to look better, fit better and is believed to be much more comfortable.
This technology also allows knit designers to create design structures and patterns
across the entire garment, and also it allows for mass customization with respect to
customer requirement .In the global environment, according to Shima, seamless
garment knitting puts less stress on the environment by minimizing waste disposal.
 TECHNICAL ISSUES

Although seamless garment knitting technology provides a variety of advantages for

the knitting industry, it still has several technical issues.

1) The main problem in complete garment knitting is fabric take up.

2) Maintaining the tension of each loop (i.e., stitch) is difficult.

3) Fabric design as well as garment design on jacquard is highly difficult task.

4) Problem to make the welt and cuff portions.

5) Frequent changes in the knitting machine setting

 APPLICATION OF SEAMLESS GARMENTS

APPAREL

A Variety of seam free products has been created like hand gloves, socks, hats, T
shirts and Sweaters. Based on the machine type and gauge the product design will be
varied. In addition to that complete garment making machines are available in pilot
form to produce trousers and skirts.

AUTOMOTIVES

Courtaulds and General Motors Corporation had developed the new three
dimensional knitting technologies for their seat cover making in the year of
1985 6. Marjorie Sorge also proposed a seamless knitting concept for the same
type of application. Researchers are showing that the automotive seat covers
made by seamless knitting is having great market potential and that brings
down the warranty cost. Likewise Lear Corporation has patents on three
dimensional knitting technologies which will help to design a new seat cover
with computer modelling tool that will reduce the design time by 25%.

MEDICAL TEXTILES

Three dimensional Knitted fabrics have also been used for medical purpose .Some of
the tubular knitted structures like bandages, orthopaedic support and medical
compression stockings are examples .wearable electronic made from Knitted
structures also used for online health monitoring purpose as well as military
application 10. Textronics Inc has developed Textro-monitoring system which is used
to monitor human bio physical parameters like respiration and heart rhythm12.
The circular knitting machine produced9 by IRMAC used to produce caps, head
bands and scarves which can be available in 18, 24, 36 and 48 needles per inch. The
cam set of this knitting

machine can be controlled by electro neumatic drives .In addition to that this
machine .contains swing cams with sliders that allows the needle to form different
design15.

Difference between Cut and Sew Production and Fully Fashioning

Garments

Cut and Sew Production Fully Fashioning Garments

In cut and sew production Shape of the Garment can be

system the panels are cut by widening and narrowing by means
means of cutting knife and then of loop transfer mechanism. Loop
sewing is carried out transfer is nothing but the move
the stitches between the needles.
Here additional cost will be This eliminates cutting and sewing
incurred for cutting and sewing operation.
MECHANISM OF LOOP TRANSFER IN A V BED KNITTING MACHINE

LOOP TRANSFER MECHANISM AT V BED KNITTING

MACHINE
Seamless garment can be developed through knitting technology by widening or
narrowing the fabric by doing the loop transfer mechanism. Loop transfer is nothing
but transfer of stitches from one needle to other needle this mechanism is described
with the above figure that is how the loop transfer taking place. For the fully
fashioned garment body portion, sleeve portion are prepared separately but the
joining of these portion require a sewing process or linking process.

SEAMLESS KNITTING MACHINES

1. Santoni is now known as the world leader in Seamless Machine Manufacturing. They

have produced the seamless warp knitting machine with the model of SDW 8. It is a
double needle bar Raschel machine contains 8 guide bars with a working width of 44
inches. This machine can form 2 seamless garments side by side in a chain formation
which can be separated later by cutting. [Billy Hunter reports from Brescia -Santoni
Report]

2. Santoni has recently introduced the SM4 TL2 machine which shapes the knitted tube and
will eliminate the cutting process .

3. The new Machine produced from KARL MAYER, called "Seamless Smart" is
designated as 'DJ' series. The very first machine in this series is DJ 4/2, was developed
by Nippon MAYER Ltd. The working width of this Machine is 42", can operate at a rate
of 1, 000 stitches/minute.

4. The Shima Seiki company invented the Whole Garment machine and introduced the

commercial complete garment knitting (SWG-V machine) in 1995 at ITMA

(International Textile Machinery Association) .

CONCLUSION
This seam less technology can directly produce nearly finished product. Seamless garments
are in vogue and the demand for such garments particularly under wears is increasing.
Presently these seamless garments available in the market are knitted one. Woven garments
are not available. Seamless garment made of tubular material are well known. Lot of
innovations are being carried out in to this technology, very soon this will change the
transformation in apparel business

References:

1. Seamless textiles with inherent shape -Thesis submitted by Kim Anderson

2. Knitting-A High Technology Industry. Textile outlook International by
Millington. j
3. Loop Tension and Fabric quality-Knitting international by Hunter .B
4. Mass customization of knitted garments- JTA- Sanjay Gupta
5. Complete Garment-evolution or revolution?(part II)-knitting international by
Hunter B
6. A Stitch in time -Inland Fisher guide's low cost, high-tech seat covers by
Sorge .M
7. Shima Seki Instruction manual-Shimatronic whole Garment Machine
8. Mass customization in Transportation Textiles through shaped three dimensional
knitting- Proceedings on International Textile Design & Engineering conference by
Powell. N. B
9. Complete Garment- evolution or revolution?(part III)-knitting international by
Hunter B
10. Development of electronic textile to support networks, communication and
medical applications in future U.S Military productive clothing system-Winterhalter
11. 10. www.textronics.com
12. Textronics- Electrical and electronic textiles, sensors for breathing frequency
measurement Janusz zieba
13. Three Dimensional Seamless Garment knitting on V bed flat bed machine by
Wonseok and Nancy
14. Know -how Santoni Gruppo lonati Brecia, Italy-Santoni (2004)
15. http://www.soritex.com
16. Shima Seki Instruction manual, Shimatronic Whole Garment Machine-Shima
Seki (2004)