What Is WHOLEGARMENT?
WHOLEGARMENT is Shima Seiki's seamless knitting technology — a complete garment knitted in a single piece, with no side seams to sew. Here's why it matters.
WHOLEGARMENT is the trademarked name for seamless knitting on Shima Seiki machines: the entire garment — body, sleeves and all — is knitted as one continuous piece. There are no panels to cut and no side or shoulder seams to link. It's widely regarded as the high end of knit construction.
How it works
Conventional knitwear is made as flat panels that are then linked or sewn together. A WHOLEGARMENT machine knits tubes and shapes simultaneously on multiple needle beds, producing a finished 3D garment straight off the machine. The result needs minimal finishing.
Why brands choose it
- No seams — nothing to rub or chafe; a cleaner line and better drape on the body.
- Comfort & fit — the garment moves as one piece, ideal for soft luxury and next-to-skin wear.
- Near zero-waste — knit-to-shape means almost no offcuts, a genuine sustainability gain.
- Premium signal — “seamless / WHOLEGARMENT” is a recognised mark of quality.
WHOLEGARMENT vs fully-fashioned vs cut-and-sew: WHOLEGARMENT = one seamless piece. Fully-fashioned = shaped panels linked together (no cutting, but seams). Cut-and-sew = knit fabric cut into panels and sewn.
What we make with it
We run Shima Seiki WHOLEGARMENT in-house for sweaters, fine-gauge layers and seamless pieces, alongside fully-fashioned flat-knit on Stoll. If a seamless construction suits your collection, see our capabilities or send a brief.
Ready to make it?
Send a tech pack, a reference garment or a brief. We respond within one business day with a capacity check, indicative pricing and a sample timeline — direct with the founder.