WHOLEGARMENT is the premium end of flat-knit technology — a single garment knitted in one pass, no side seams. Here's what it is, what it costs and when it's the right choice.
WHOLEGARMENT is Shima Seiki's trademarked name for 3D knitting — a technology that produces a complete garment (body, sleeves, collar) in a single continuous knitting pass with no side seams. The result is a seamless knitwear piece with a natural fit, minimal finishing requirement and near-zero fabric waste. It is the manufacturing method used at the upper end of the knitwear market — and it is available from our Gaziantep factory, duty-free into the UK under the FTA.
Conventional flat-knit produces shaped panels — front, back, two sleeves — that are then linked (joined) together at seams. WHOLEGARMENT eliminates the seaming step: the machine knits the body and sleeves simultaneously, gradually merging them into a complete 3D garment with the structure built in. When the piece comes off the machine, it requires steaming and finishing but no seam-joining.
Machine knits front panel, back panel, sleeve × 2. Linkers join panels at side seams and shoulder seams. Collar and cuffs attached. Multiple operations, multiple labour steps, seam lines visible and tactile.
Machine knits the entire garment in one continuous programme — body and sleeves simultaneously, joined structurally during knitting. Comes off the machine complete. Steam press and finishing only. No seam lines. Significantly reduced finishing labour.
A customer who picks up a seamless cashmere jumper and turns it inside out immediately understands they have something different. No side seams is a visible, tactile quality signal that commands attention at premium price points — in a boutique, in a DTC brand's unboxing, in a department store fitting room. It is the kind of quality argument that does not need explaining.
Side seams in conventional knitwear can create pressure points and restrict movement, particularly when the linking is tight or the yarn has low elasticity. WHOLEGARMENT pieces follow the body's natural shape without seam constraints — relevant for fitted silhouettes, base layers and performance knitwear where comfort and fit are critical.
Conventional knitwear panel production generates some waste at selvedges and in stitch corrections. WHOLEGARMENT generates almost none — the garment is formed directly to shape. Combined with the reduced finishing labour, this makes WHOLEGARMENT the most material-efficient and lowest-labour construction method in knitwear. A strong sustainability argument for brands who can substantiate it.
The WHOLEGARMENT machine programme is more complex to develop than a standard flat-knit programme, and requires specialist Shima Seiki machinery. However, the linking labour saved in finishing is substantial — for fine-gauge cashmere, finishing labour can represent 20–30% of CMT cost. WHOLEGARMENT trades machine programme cost for finishing labour, which often results in comparable total CMT for premium programmes.
| Context | WHOLEGARMENT suitable? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Premium / luxury knitwear (cashmere, fine merino) | ✓ Strong case | Seamless is a quality signal at this price point; finishing saving meaningful |
| DTC / boutique premium positioning | ✓ Good case | Unboxing quality, return rate, product story |
| Performance / base layer | ✓ Good case | No seam irritation, body-mapped structure possible |
| Basic commodity jumper (acrylic, high volume) | ✗ Overkill | Machine cost exceeds finishing saving at commodity price points |
| Intarsia or jacquard programme | ⚠ Case-by-case | 3D intarsia is technically complex; standard WHOLEGARMENT is plain or simple stitch |
| Very chunky, 3gg–5gg construction | ⚠ Check feasibility | WHOLEGARMENT is most effective at 7gg and finer; chunky gauges possible but check with us |
| Factor | WHOLEGARMENT | Conventional flat-knit |
|---|---|---|
| Side seams | None | Yes (linked) |
| Finishing labour | Minimal (steam + label) | Higher (linking + steaming) |
| Machine programme complexity | Higher | Standard |
| Setup time per new style | Longer (3D programming) | Shorter |
| Fabric waste | Near-zero | Low (vs cut-sew); minimal offcuts |
| Suitable for intarsia / jacquard? | Limited | Yes (all techniques) |
| Best fibre / gauge | Fine merino, cashmere, 7–14gg | All fibres, all gauges 3–14gg |
| Price premium vs comparable flat-knit | 10–20% typically | Baseline |
Send your design brief or a reference garment. We'll confirm whether WHOLEGARMENT construction suits the style, and quote both WHOLEGARMENT and conventional flat-knit so you can compare on your actual programme.
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