Innovation Factory, a WHOLEGARMENT knitwear manufacturing joint venture between Shima Seiki and Japan’s Fast Retailing, owner of Uniqlo, is being expanded and moved to a new location in Tokyo, from its current location in Wakayama, Shima Seiki’s hometown.

“Innovation Factory Co., Ltd., functions as the mother factory to manufacture UNIQLO 3D knit collections with WHOLEGARMENT technology in a joint venture between Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd., and Fast Retailing in Wakayama,” Shima said in a recent investor communication.

“This project significantly enhances the market recognition of WHOLEGARMENT products, and the WHOLEGARMENT flat knitting business has remained steady,” the company said.

“Consequently, the decision was made to relocate Innovation Factory to Tokyo and expand the business to further spread sustainable manufacturing centering on WHOLEGARMENT technology, which we advocate, and further accelerate the Ariake Project as driven by Fast Retailing.”

WHOLEGARMENT is a seam-free knitted product developed by Shima Seiki, where knitted products are characterized by excellent comfort, wear, and drape properties arising from seam-free construction, high added value, and a wide variety of designs not offered by conventional products. The innovative solution proposed by Shima Seiki can reduce manufacturing lead times and realize appropriate volume production.

Innovation Factory was originally established in December 2015 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd, producing WHOLEGARMENT knitwear. Following the establishment of the joint venture, the company started to produce WHOLEGARMENT products for the Fast Retailing Group, principally UNIQLO.

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