In 1995, leading flat knitting machine manufacturer Shima Seiki pioneered the world's first knitting machine capable of producing an entire garment in three dimensions without seams. The original SWG-V machine, along with the knit products produced by it, was named and subsequently trademarked ‘WHOLEGARMENT’.

Knitting Industry recently spoke to Shima’s head of corporate communications, Mr Masaki Karasuno about WHOLEGARMENT technology, its proliferation in the industry and the success of the WOLEGARMENT trademark.

Knitting Industry (KI): As leading textile solutions provider, Shima Seiki prides itself in developing original technology that is needed by the industry, but that is as yet unavailable. The strongest case in point here is Shima’s zero-waste WHOLEGARMENT technology, which is backed by many patents, registered or pending worldwide. How successful has WHOLEGARMENT been, how many patents are we talking about, and which geographical areas do they cover?

Masaki Karasuno (MK): WHOLEGARMENT is indeed a prime example of our corporate philosophy to develop original technology needed by the industry. Back in the 1990s when the Japanese market was being swamped with cheap imports from China, WHOLEGARMENT was introduced as a means to counter this trend and help in the survival of the domestic industry. Similar situations could be seen in the textile industry of other markets, and WHOLEGARMENT offered similar solutions. Although it wasn't effective enough to reverse the wave of imports from overseas manufacturing, WHOLEGARMENT did make an impact by aiding manufacturers to remain in business, contributing to the continuation of local knitting industries in some markets, and even becoming a motivating factor for the reshoring of knit production in others.

More recently, WHOLEGARMENT has found renewed purpose as a sustainable zero-waste production method in combination with another Shima Seiki business platform, digital design solutions, that is, virtual sampling.

It goes without saying that such novel technology involves the development of numerous innovations and considering the proliferation of the technology and its future potential, protecting the technology becomes equally important as the technology itself. That is why we have taken every possible opportunity to apply for patents over the years leading up to and beyond the development of the world's first WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine 30 years ago. That amounts to over 2,900 patents (and counting) applied in Japan and other countries worldwide.

KI: Shima Seiki’s patents are not limited to mechanical hardware, but they span software and programming, as well as stitch structures and knitting techniques. Can you expand on this please?

MK: This vast archive of intellectual property represents over 40 years of on-going research and development, and of course 30 years of hands-on market experience as an industry pioneer. However, the notion of knitting a complete garment was originally inspired 60 years ago, when Shima Seiki founder and inventor Dr. Masahiro Shima switched on the world's first seamless glove knitting machine and watched in anticipation as the first seamless glove - itself a WHOLEGARMENT product - dropped from the machine's chute. It was then that he realised if you turn a glove upside down, the three middle fingers grouped together would form the body, and the thumb and little fingers would form the sleeves, while the cuff would become the neck of a miniature pullover .

Over the years, Dr. Shima oversaw many technological breakthroughs that led - directly or indirectly - to the development of WHOLEGARMENT knitting. Such patented technologies include shaped knitting through narrowing and widening, DSCS digital stitch control, 4-needlebed technology and the SlideNeedle. The SlideNeedle on its own opened doors to vast new possibilities due to its capacity for doubling the number of knitting techniques from the then-current six techniques to twelve (fig 2). Taking into account the number of combinations possible, that figure rises four-fold, from 36 to 144 combinations. Many such knitting technique combinations as well as the stitch structures made possible from those combinations have been patented as well. In such a way, patents pertaining to WHOLEGARMENT are wide-ranging, from mechanical hardware to programming software and stitch formation.

KI: In order to promote the benefits of WHOLEGARMENT technology and to assist its customers in promoting WHOLEGARMENT products to consumers, whilst distinguishing these products from other similar products on the market, Shima established specific terms of use for using its WHOLEGARMENT product tags and the WHOLEGARMENT trademark. Can you please explain to our readers what these terms of use are?

MK: The terms of use are quite simple: "Please use the WHOLEGARMENT trademark and WHOLEGARMENT product tags correctly and as intended by Shima Seiki." One important point we often emphasize is that the WHOLEGARMENT trademark is registered as one word and capitalised to highlight the synergy born from the two words which it comprises - whole and garment.

The point is, by creating consistency in their usage, consumers are ensured that whenever they see the WHOLEGARMENT trademark or WHOLEGARMENT product tag, they are handling a genuine WHOLEGARMENT product. With each product tag or trademark used correctly, recognition increases and consumer confidence in the product is boosted (fig. 3).

KI: Recently you’ve noticed that there are particular instances where WHOLEGARMENT product tags and the WHOLEGARMENT trademark are being used on products that do not comply with the conditions outlined in the terms of use. Are you a victim of your own success here? Has WHOLEGARMENT in fact become a generic name for seam free knitwear?

MK: You could say that we are victims of our own success, in that WHOLEGARMENT, although not quite a household name such as Scotch Tape or Kleenex is enjoying widespread recognition in the industry. While honoured, we nevertheless remain cautious from an intellectual property standpoint, since generification of a trade name  tends to nullify trademark registration rights. As long as the trademark is still protected however, we emphasise that it must be used correctly.

KI: How should users familiarise themselves with and adhere to the terms and conditions, including for products manufactured by subsidiaries and subcontractors?

MK: When a company wishes to use the WHOLEGARMENT trademark or WHOLEGARMET product tags for promoting their WHOLEGARMENT products, we provide them with a memorandum for them to sign concerning either trademark or product tag usage. These are accompanied by published guidelines that illustrate what to do and what not to do when using the WHOLEGARMENT trademark or product tags. And yes, the memorandums do cover products that are manufactured by subsidiaries and subcontractors of the company signing the memorandums.

KI: When you talk about WHOLEGARMENT products, which specific Shima Seiki machines are these produced on?

MK: WHOLEGARMENT products refer to knitted products produced on the following Shima Seiki WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting machines: SWG-XR; MACH2XS; MACH2VS; MACH2X; MACH2S; SWG-FIRST; SWG-X; SWG-V; NewSWG-V; NewSES-S•WG; NewSES-C•WG; SWG021 (N/N2); SWG041 (N/N2); SWG061 (N/N2); SWG091 (N/N2); N.SVR183; SPG-R and their subsequent models. This list includes all models of WHOLEGARMENT knitting machines that have existed so far. Looking back, that's quite a few models. Now in its fifth generation, the diversity of our WHOLEGARMENT machine lineup and steady improvement over the years is evidence of our commitment to this form of knit production and how important we consider it as a future mainstay for the industry (fig. 4).

KI: Is it correct to say that WHOLEGARMENT product tags and the WHOLEGARMENT trademark may not be used for products knitted on machines other than those listed above?

MK: That is correct. Use of WHOLEGARMENT product tags and the WHOLEGARMENT trademark is a privilege reserved exclusively for customers using SHIMA SEIKI WHOLEGARMENT knitting machines. As mentioned before this also applies to subsidiaries and subcontractors so the customers must make sure that SHIMA SEIKI WHOLEGARMENT knitting machines are being used at the subcontractors' factories as well.

KI: Do you have anything else you wish to communicate to our readers, WHOLEGARMENT machine users and retailers?

MK: We appreciate our customers' cooperation in using the WHOLEGARMENT product tags and the WHOLEGARMENT trademark correctly to convey the value of their WHOLEGARMENT products to consumers. Despite the odd issue with compliance in certain markets, considering how many companies have repeatedly used WG trademarks and product tags, and the fact that more than 22 million WHOLEGARMENT product tags have been distributed worldwide since 2001, you could say that our customers have an excellent record in using them correctly. We look forward to their continued patronage, and to more user interest in promoting WHOLEGARMENT products effectively.

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