Shima Seiki Italia, the Italian subsidiary of leading Japanese computerized knitting solutions provider Shima Seiki, will exhibit at the 89th edition of the Pitti Immagine Filati exhibition in Florence, Italy. Because this edition of Pitti Filati will be a fusion of physical venue and online exhibit via Pitti Connect, increased importance is sure to be placed upon digitalization in the presentation of yarn.

APEXFiz

To further support efforts in DX in the fashion industry, Shima is presenting new online services at Pitti Filati. APEXFiz is Shima Seiki’s first subscription-based design software while its yarnbank is the world’s first digital yarn sourcing web service for the knitting industry.

APEXFiz is the latest addition to Shima Seiki’s proven SDS ONE APEX series design system line-up, but with a big departure from the past. Whereas previous APEX-series design systems were offered as an all-in-one hardware/software package, for the first time in its nearly 40 years of design system development, Shima Seiki has released its new APEXFiz as subscription-based design software that can be installed on customers’ individual computers.

Maintaining proven functions that have made the APEX series so popular with fashion designers, with APEXFiz those strengths are now enhanced with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environments including teleworking and telecommuting.

APEXFiz software supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colourway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual samples are a digitized version of sample making that are accurate enough to be used effectively as prototypes, replacing physical sampling, and consequently reducing time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. APEXFiz thereby helps to realize sustainability and digitally transform the fashion supply chain. APEXFiz is additionally available in 5 different product variations that can be selected according to the customer’s needs, from APEXFiz Design Jr. to APEXFiz Design Pro.

yarnbank

APEXFiz is supported by another web service to enhance its user experience even more. yarnbank is the world's first online platform for searching and downloading digitized yarns, developed in cooperation with yarn companies from around the world.

Registered users can download yarn data for free, for use in fabric simulation and virtual sampling on APEXFiz, avoiding the need to scan yarn on their own. By using yarn that is used in actual production, designers and apparel companies can rest easy knowing that the simulations created using yarn from yarnbank are accurate representations of what will actually be produced. With yarnbank, the entire value chain from yarn companies and apparel companies to knit manufacturers can be connected digitally.

APEXFiz and yarnbank will also be featured at a special section launched at Pitti Filati no. 89 called Pitti Studios. Pitti Studios is a new content production service that yarn companies exhibiting at Pitti Filati can use for their own promotion. Yarn companies provide a piece of yarn, which is digitized on yarnbank and used to simulate fabric on APEXFiz. This is then processed by a creative studio specializing in digital content to provide 3D virtual representations to be featured at each company’s page on Pitti Connect.

Shima Seiki’s knit sample exhibit at Pitti Filati continues with its collaboration with Italian designer Vittorio Branchizio, along with samples knitted on its MACH2XS 18L WHOLEGARMENT machine as well as samples featuring inlay technique and i-Plating inverse-plating function.

Shima Seiki Italia

Tel: +39 02 216621

E-mail: [email protected]

Pitti Filati Website

www.shimaseiki.com