At the forthcoming Pitti Immagine Filati 2014, which takes place from 2-4 July in Florence, the first edition of MODA FUTURIBILE will also launch.  MODA FUTURIBILE is a project with the aim of enhancing the excellence of the fashion system, by developing and exhibiting a series of garments created though the combined know-how and project synergies of a group of Italian companies, the trade show itself, experimental designers and stylists.

Dyloan Studio manages the project in co-operation with Pitti Immagine Filati and selected contibutors, including knitting machinery manufacturer Santoni, which with its machinery know-how and experience, has made it possible to conceive a mini avant-garde garment capsule collection.

Amongst  the ‘avant-garde’  items  on show in Santoni's  area of competence is an eye-catching  leisure suit which the company describes as elegant and refined – an experimental suit composed of  leisure pants and a track-jacket, both knitted with premium yarns in gauge 15.

Santoni’s circular knitting machine model SMDJ2T has been used to create the items. The SMDJT is a double jersey machine that Santoni says can knit almost any stitch or knit structures such as: true rib, jacquard, pointelle and many others.

It is possible to knit all different types of rib as well as links structures due to the availability of individual needle-by-needle selection in both the cylinder and the dial. In this way a range of items can be knitted from luxurious and chic underwear to the smartest and most versatile trends of outerwear - daily street wear and from casual to evening.

According to Santoni, the prototype leisure pants on show demonstrates the concept of an item knitted with “as few seams as possible”  and at the same time offering within it, key areas with different knitted structures giving  specific fabric performances. The rib-welts of the waist and ankles are completely integrated on the machine.  To make them fit even tighter, an elastomeric yarn can also be added, Santoni adds.

The matching track-jacket has been developed on the same concept as the leisure pants which also has as few seams as possible.  It has a rib-welt produced on the machine in three colours, but can also be knitted in many different colours, and in different areas than shown on the show’s prototype.

The sleeves are zipped to the main body panel allowing them to be easily removable for different purposes. The item can also be personalized with pointelle in dedicated areas and with different elasticity in various parts.

Two different types of premium yarns have been used - the inside is cotton and the outside cashmere. The garments are knitted simultaneously with these two yarns, and some strategic areas  are automatically split  to have integrated seamless pockets. In these areas, thanks to additional machine stripers, soluble yarns can be used, which after a heat-melting treatment automatically create openings for the pockets.

A further possibility with inserting the thermo-heating yarn into certain areas is that it joins parts of the garment that avoids the costly use of additional labour. As a consequence the item will be completely seamless having only heat-joined internal parts.

Within the project of MODA FUTURIBILE many of the SANTONI SMDJ2T technical features have been exploited.  Its advanced technology allows numerous selections and mesh structures to be created that are able to open up to the knitting world new possibilities and modern, innovative, alternative ideas for designers and visitors to develop exciting new market segments.

www.santoni.com