Advanced technologies for sewing seamless garments

Sew seamless fabrics? Sounds amazing, right? But the fact is that the sleeves and necklines require traditional needle and thread seams. However, Italian weaving technology produces beautiful designs that present fashion with basic function. The soft microfibers used in these fabrics require special yarns and improved sewing technology for elasticity.

Seamless clothing has transformed the global production process in general. This technology can directly produce finished products and the traditional production process. This leads to production cost savings of up to 40 percent compared to regular knitting. Seamless fabrics are tubular shaped, which is laid on elastic threads, placed on the edging bands, and prepared in the compressed areas.

Circular knitting machines were used primarily by undergarment manufacturers since the beginning of circular knitting technology in the early 19th century. But manufacturers in Italy fused reciprocating technology for intarsia sock toes and heels for swimwear, underwear and outerwear during the 1980s. The machine manufacturing company, Santoni in Brescia, currently leads the market; although other companies like Sangiacomo, Italy and Merz, Germany are also famous players in similar knitting machine technologies.

In just three years, production of a variety of seamless underwear reached nine percent of total world production in this segment in 2001, compared to two percent in 1998, with an increase of 18 percent in 2003. In 2007, the industrial segment of underwear is likely to reach 35 percent, reports Santoni.

In the context of education and training, the Santoni Group has been giving courses at The Machina Fashion and Design Institute, based in Brescia. The courses focus on software-oriented design and machine development. Santoni’s training center has emerged as a workplace to innovate and develop prototypes, which are reviewed by consumers and stylists, and will be manufactured and distributed on the open market.

Santoni tried to make pants and bras without seams, however, the results were not so positive because the diameter of the machines only allows small sizes. Although this resulted in many interesting results such as trims, fringes and designs.

Threads

Because the main products such as underwear, outerwear and swimwear are very elastic, thin to very fine fabrics made of microfibers, which must be very extensible and soft.

All the major manufacturers of sewing threads have developed suitable products.

Alterfil has developed a 100 percent polyester “Alterfil T” textured thread for needle and hook. The combination of Alterfil T and Alterfil B in the needle and shuttle is recommended.

Coats has introduced Coats Eloflex, produced from polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). It is designed for elastic knitted fabrics, presenting the best firmness and elasticity. This could be used for both thread and needle.

GOtermann, Germany, has introduced a striking seam with a shiny metallic effect. In-depth testing has shown that using a 2 or 3-needle overstitch, a mix of ‘Piuma’ microfiber yarn and metallic threads, GOtermann W 331, produces an excellent result.

It is pleasant to the skin, without causing irritation. The 127 available Piuma colors and the 12 W 331 colors (in some cases multicolour) produce a wide range of color permutations.

Amann, Germany, developed a new and innovative elastic sewing thread, “saba FLEX”. It is made with 100% PTT continuous yarn, available in 2 variants, 80tex and 120tex for all types of elastic fabrics.

Reutex, Germany, offers a new elastic microfiber thread for needles and shuttles, ‘Softex 120’.

Join Options

Welding, bonding, and heat sealing are other options besides the usual seaming method. However, these options have their restrictions on elasticity. Framis Italia, based in Italy, is known for its welding technology, “NoSo”, which is based on joining. It is the union of two fabrics together. Adhesive tape is implemented in conjunction with hot air welding. Framis has recently launched the latest EI Nino portable hot air welding machine.

The Swiss manufacturer Schips has introduced ultrasonic machines. The first machine is the HS C51 WHE-F8, which is for hemming, the second is the HS C52BCO, which continuously joins two fabrics with an adhesive tape, and the third is the HS C51 WFO, which welds folded elastics to release garments.

Sewing machines

Sewing machine manufacturers were not overwhelmed by new technology, as anticipated. However, few machine manufacturers have taken initiatives to improve the technologies. The initiatives towards ease of use and flexibility are notable.

. AMF Reece, based in the Czech Republic, introduced a 5-4000 LT chainstitch buttonhole lingerie straightening machine to improve the finishing process for flatlock seams and flatlock seams. Excess flat seam is absorbed through sensor control. The flatlock seam is completely cut and sewn, and then the cut flatlock chain is thrown into waste.

. Italian sewing machine manufacturer CF has introduced Rimoldi, known for its seamless sewing solutions. His concept consists of seven ingenious machines. The product assortment includes, over lock machine Vega II with 1 or 2 needles, Fenix ​​​​with 2 or 3 needles and its smaller imitations Mizar and Libra are specially developed for lingerie. The Lyra Overlock Machine is a new and economical 1 and 2 needle sewing machine. Gemini, a station with two opposite, autonomous heads, which are coordinated to execute parallel binding, lace and elastic functions on both panties or panty legs.

. Japan’s Yamato launched the VGS machine with extra top feed, affirmative needle thread feeding, and time change of shuttle movements. This can result in an increase in the length of the threads in the seam, resulting in high elasticity. In case of sewing a T-shirt, the UTL will automatically weight the stitches at the end of the sewing process and lock the seam.

. Orkopp from Germany and Shanggong from China introduced three new weaving machines, two high-speed lockstitch machines (GC8900-1/A/H and GC8900¬4-50) and the SG700/704/714/716 high-speed overlock machine. . The other has a degree of difference in feeding with microalteration depending on the type of fabric sewn

. Union Special, Germany, introduced many seamless garment machines; among them, a unique flatlock stitching machine with 4 needles that feed the arm thread with upper cover thread for overlapping joining processes. The photocell controls the thread chain cutter on the back of the presser foot.

. Pegasus, Japan introduced a new special machine for bonding tape on seamless garments, W562-020Bx232/ FT141/MD641/Y. It is a 2-needle flat bed interlock sewing machine. Its top cover thread has a fabric edge trimmer, with elastic lace feeder, stepper motor driven measuring device and automatic tape/thread cutter.

. Schips introduced a two-machine combination, HS C3G/B to simultaneously attach bindings from the right leg to the left.

Conclution

Seamless products have a share of the fashion and functional apparel market, and are not limited to just the underwear segment. New evolution is emerging in the outerwear product assortments.