Fast Track: Seamless Knitting Continues To Shape The Sports Shoe Market

Fast Track: Seamless Knitting Continues To Shape The Sports Shoe Market

Seamless knitting represents a game changing technology. Its development has facilitated the production of seamless apparel and footwear components and has allowed considerable savings to be made in production costs and labour. Moreover, seamless knitting technology has made it possible for producers to manufacture on demand in response to orders--and on-demand manufacturing has intensified as online retailing has boomed. Nike pioneered seamless knitting technology with its development of Flyknit one-piece seamless knitted uppers for sports shoes, which propelled footwear manufacturers to the forefront of textile innovation. Not to be outdone, Nike's rival, adidas, followed suit with the unveiling of adizero Primeknit--a performance running shoe with a one-piece upper. After the instant commercial success of Flyknit and Primeknit, demand for flatbed knitting machines exploded. Manufacturers of knitting machines continue to pursue innovation in seamless flat knitting machinery, as was demonstrated by Shima Seiki at ITMA 2023 with the presentation of the company's latest prototype R-series Wholegarment machine, which boasts many advanced new features. Furthermore, suppliers to the footwear industry continue to announce new innovations in seamless knitting with the aim of integrating footwear components further.