Santoni to display seamless knitting machine in Pitti Filati trend area

Santoni, a Brescia based leader in circular electronic seamless wear knitting machines, one of the key contributors who brings to the table the requisite technological knowledge, and experience that is vital when it comes to producing a mini avant-garde garment capsule collection. Santoni on show in Pitti Filati trend area will be displaying an eye-catching home-leisure suit, described by the company as an “elegant, refined, experimental suit composed of jogging pants and a track-jacket, both knitted with premium yarns in 15G.

The sample has been knitted on one of Santana’s SMDJ2T a double jersey seamless knitting machine that can knit almost any stitch or knit structures such as true ribs, jacquard and pointelle as well as many others.

This machine is capable of knitting all different types of rib as well as links structures, which are made possible by the individual needle-by-needle selection in both the cylinder and the dial. Application areas therefore include luxurious and chic underwear as well as smart and versatile outerwear.

The prototype leisure pants on show demonstrate the concept of an item knitted with ‘as few seams as possible’ and at the same time offering within it, key areas with different knitted structures giving specific fabric performances. The rib-welts of the waist and ankles are completely integrated on the machine. Tighter fits can then be achieved by adding an elastomeric yarn.

Matching track-jacket has been also developed along the same concept as the leisure pants, with as few seams as possible. The jacket has a rib-welt produced on the machine in three colours, although a range of different colours, with these colours in different areas are possible. On closer inspection, the sleeves are zipped to the main body panel allowing them to be easily removable for different purposes. The jacket can also be personalized with pointelle in dedicated areas and with different elasticity’s in various parts.

The Moda Futuribile project also looks to explore the yarn sector. Santoni has made use of two different types of premium yarns; cotton on the inside and cashmere on the outer here. The garments are knitted simultaneously with these two yarns with some selected areas automatically split to give an integrated seamless pocket.

Using additional machine stripers, it is also possible to use soluble yarns which, after a heat-melting treatment automatically create openings for the pockets. These thermo-heating yarns can also be used for bonding purposes, which reduces the need for costly additional labour. The result is a garment that is completely seamless by virtue of having only heat-joined internal parts.

Within the Moda Futuribile project, the Santoni SMDJ2T’s technical features have been used. Its advanced technology allows numerous selections and mesh structures to be created which open up new possibilities and modern, innovative, alternative ideas for designers and visitors to use to develop exciting new market segments.

Pitti Filati, an exhibition dedicated to the Italian clothing and to the textiles for men and women will play host to the first edition of Moda Futuribile, a trend project that aims to enhance the profile of the integrated fashion system by developing and exhibiting a series of garments created from a collaboration of various Italian companies, the trade show and designers and stylists.

This summer’s Pitti Filati exhibition will be scheduled from 2 to 4 July 2014 at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence.