#Knitting & Hosiery

2021-04-01

SHIMA SEIKI releases new design software

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan announces the release of its new “APEXFiz™” subscription?based design software. APEXFiz™ is intended to aid in the digital transformation of the fashion industry.

APEXFiz™ is the latest addition to SHIMA SEIKI’s proven SDS®?ONE APEX series design system lineup, but with an unprecedented twist. Whereas previous APEX?series design systems were offered as an all?in?one proprietary hard?ware/software package, for the first time in its nearly 40 years of design system development, SHIMA SEIKI has released its new APEXFiz™ as subscription?based design software that can be installed on customers’ individual com?puters. Maintaining proven functions that have made the APEX series so popular with fashion designers, with APEXFiz™ those strengths are now enhanced with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environ?ments of the “new normal,” including teleworking and telecommuting. APEXFiz™ is furthermore available in 5 different product variations that can be selected according to the customer’s needs, from APEXFiz™ Design Jr. to APEXFiz™ Design Pro.

APEXFiz™ software supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, real?istic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Otherwise known as “digital twins,” virtual samples are a digitized ver?sion of sample making that allows visual confirmation of garment designs without the need for knitting physical sam?ples. Virtual sampling on APEXFiz™ is also a communication tool that is not only an accurate representation of the product, but it also digitally bridges the gap between the studio and the factory. By sending data to the knit manufac?turer it can be converted to machine programming data, shortening lead times and allowing the production of items faithful to their design as originally intended by the designer. This accuracy allows virtual samples on APEXFiz™ to be used effectively as prototypes, replacing physical sampling and consequently reducing time, cost and material that are otherwise wasted. APEXFiz™ thereby helps to realize sustainability and digitally transform the fashion supply chain.

APEXFiz™ is supported by two other web services to enhance its user experience. “yarnbank™” is the world’s first online web service for searching and viewing the latest yarns, developed with cooperation from yarn companies from around the world. Registered users can download yarn data for free, for use in fabric simulation and virtual sampling on APEXFiz™, avoiding the need to scan yarn on their own.

By using yarn that is used in actual production, design?ers and apparel companies can furthermore rest assured that the simulations created using yarn from yarnbank™ are not merely realistic images but accurate representations using yarn that can actually be purchased and used in production. “SHIMANAVI™” e?learning system allows APEXFiz™ users to experience online training when and where it is con?venient, and at their own pace, supporting "new normal: work styles. SHIMANAVI features several courses available in different languages to suit the needs of individual customers as well.

APEXFiz™ Details

Product Description:

APEXFiz™ (subscription?based design software)

Software Variations:

APEXFiz™ Design Jr.

APEXFiz™ Design?Standard APEXFiz™ Design?Knit

APEXFiz™ Design?Weave APEXFiz™ Design Pro

Release date: March 2021

https://www.shimaseiki.com/fiz

SDS®-ONE APEX Fiz™ Details

Product Description:

SDS®?ONE APEX Fiz™ Subscription?based design software Software Variations:

Fiz Design Jr.

Fiz Design?Standard

Fiz Design?Knit

Fiz Design?Weave

Fiz Design Pro

Release date: March 2021

https://www.shimaseiki.com/fiz

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at GMMSA Expo India

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Indian sales representative Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services, Ltd., will participate in the upcoming Garments Machinery Manufacturers & Suppliers Association (GMMSA) Expo India 2026 exhibition to be held in Ludhiana, India next month. Through its lineup at GMMSA, SHIMA SEIKI aims to further strengthen its presence within the Indian market with an exhibit that caters to diverse needs, consisting of seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology as well as a brand-new shaping machine with high productivity and excellent cost performance.

SHIMA SEIKI returns to ShanghaiTex

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Hong Kong and Chinese market subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI (HONG KONG) LTD., will exhibit at the ShanghaiTex 2025 exhibition (Booth No.: Hall N3, Booth A20) held in Shanghai, China this month. This marks the return of SHIMA SEIKI to ShanghaiTex after a 14-year hiatus, its last exhibit at the show having been in 2011.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at Intertextile Shanghai

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Hong Kong and Chinese market subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI (HONG KONG) LTD., will exhibit at the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition 2025 show in Shanghai, China next month. It will exhibit once again as part of the Digital Solutions Zone which allows visitors various opportunities to partake in the digital revolution that is currently making waves in the apparel industry.

KARL MAYER at JEC: Multiaxial reinforced CFRP pultrusion profiles are picking up speed in the mobility sector

KARL MAYER Technical Textiles will be showcasing exciting new application potentials for multiaxial non-crimp fabrics in combination with the pultrusion process at the upcoming JEC in Hall 5, Booth C 46. The advancement of the tried-and-tested pultrusion process enables the cost-efficient production of complex CFRP multi-chamber profiles, which are used in the CETROVO high-speed metro. The world's first carbon-intensive lightweight rail vehicle of this type is designed for speeds of up to 140 km/h.

Huixing acquires insolvent Mayer & Cie.

Insolvency proceedings for the circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. were opened on December 1, 2025. Immediately following the opening of proceedings, the complete cessation of business operations was initiated. Most employees were subsequently given notice effective the end of February 2026. The production of the remaining orders in the circular knitting segment is expected to be completed by the end of the month. As early as December 2025, Mayer & Cie.’s braiding machine division was sold to an Italian investor.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

Itema America acquires Palmetto Loom Reed, strengthening local manufacturing and service in the U.S.

Itema America, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy-based Itema Group, has acquired – through an Assets Purchase Agreement – Palmetto Loom Reed, a Greenville, South Carolina-based manufacturer of weaving reeds and one of the last remaining domestic producers of these precision components in the United States.

Reju announces site selection for French Regeneration Hub in Lacq advancing Europe’s circular textile infrastructure

Reju, the textile-to-textile regeneration company based in France, announces the site selection for an industrial sized Regeneration Hub, in Lacq, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the Induslacq platform. Reju, a Technip Energies owned company, is deepening its roots in France through the development of this new Regeneration Hub.

lululemon introduces Unrestricted Power™ — A new sensation for strength training

lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) has unveiled Unrestricted Power™, a new innovation platform engineered for heavy lifts and demanding gym sessions. The assortment, which launches in North America, is backed by thousands of hours of research and development, providing secure support without compromising comfort and mobility, enabling a distraction-free fit built to match every move.