Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine December Issue 2018 | Page 23

ADVERTORIAL
is given more focus to reduce wastage of
fabric, saving enormous time in sample
approving process. Moreover, traceability
and transparency have become important for
end customers nowadays and have increased
demand for cleaner, more efficient and more
environmentally stable production. Compelled
with customers’ growing demand, sooner or
later, the industry has to adopt such solutions
that will certainly boost Industry 4.0 concept.
As far as our efforts are concerned, we are
trying to educate and convince the industry
on this. We understand that a manufacturer is,
most of the times, suppressed by the buyers’
demand and that’s why, taking a step further,
we have started collaborating with retail brands
relying on conventional methods until a few
years ago but that’s not the situation any more.
The technology trend is emerging in these
countries as they have started searching for new
opportunities and new ways to transform their
manufacturing.
Moreover, China has provided a great
infrastructure to its textile firms within the last
few years. On the other hand, in India, there
is a huge cotton industry and well-developed
infrastructure for textile production. Spinners in
these countries are gradually opting for knitting.
So, a big potential exists for us.
Our future strategy includes finding out
opportunities in south-east Asia too. Since the
retail market is growing in these countries and
not get due recognition. We were facing
this situation until a couple of years ago.
Now we actually can’t even supply enough
WHOLEGARMENT machines due to more
demand in the market. It’s a fact that
domestic demand for customised clothing in
China, due to huge population, exceeds the
overall demand in US, EU, Japan and Russia
put together. However, as I said earlier, due
to rising wages, enterprises are using more
Industry 4.0 solutions now and that’s a win-
win situation for us.
AO: Off late, the company has also been
aggressively promoting other technologies
like spreading machine, shoe upper
machine and design software… how has
the industry reacted to these relatively
new offerings from Shima Seiki and what
are the new developments you are
working on?
Umeda: The reaction has been overwhelming.
It takes years to research and create a new
product and we have been able to provide the
exact solutions to the market. As a machine
manufacturer and technology provider, we
need to distinct ourselves from the other
manufacturers and our products stamp on
this fact. We have developed SVR123SP
machine with a loop presser, which comes
studded with hybrid technology and allows
manufacturers to obtain ‘weaving and
knitting’ combination. This product is a winner
in the industry.
A demonstration kept visitors engaged at Shima Seiki booth in ITMA Asia as well as they got to know the actual idea behind technological
advancements of the company’s products
directly. Fast-fashion company Uniqlo is our
largest partner. Our Innovation Factory was
opened two years back in Japan in association
with Uniqlo to meet the demand in the
Japanese market. Others have also adopted
our virtual sampling system and they are even
further suggesting their suppliers to use the
same design system so that they can increase
profit margins due to a drastic reduction in
miscellany of communication which occurs due
to traditional approach. We are thus creating an
environment that is increasing awareness of the
industry towards Virtual Sampling.
the retailers are the ones who hold the right for
decision making, we can see growth.
AO: Do you think that your benchmark
product WHOLEGARMENT has not been
able to get its due place despite the fact that
fast fashion and customisation are the new
mantras for success in the fashion industry?
Umeda: WHOLEGARMENT has been around
for almost 23 years and, over the years, it did
AO: Which country/region is the best
market today for Shima machines… and
why is that so?
Umeda: Obviously we are a leader in
developed nations like USA and the countries in
Europe because they are far ahead than Asian
countries in accepting the new technologies.
However, we have successfully been able to
capture big markets in Asia such as China,
India and Bangladesh. These countries were
reluctant to invest in automation and kept
Lately, we have also started a ‘Digital Yarn
Project’. It’s important to focus on how a
garment is produced and what really matters
is the feel and texture of the fabric. For that
to happen, the yarn and its functionality is
the key. There is an important connection
between the retailer and the supplier of yarns
and we have created a forum with the help of
this project. The project aims to digitise yarn
with the cooperation of spinning companies
so that its customers can select yarn for their
design and produce simulations for digital
sampling, while programming data allows
the required amount of yarn to be calculated
so that the yarn can be ordered as soon as
approval is obtained for that design. This is
the first time we have collaborated with yarn
suppliers and we are hopeful the industry will
welcome this initiative.
Furthermore, we are working to develop
wearable tech-based products, not just in
garments but in automotive interior too. This
is one revolutionary project of ours’ which
will make automotive interior ‘smart’. We will
surely update the industry when it comes out
of its experimental phase.
SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD.
WHOLEGARMENT MACH2XS123 Knitting Machine
www.shimaseiki.com
www.apparelresources.com | December 2018 | Apparel Online Bangladesh
23