Shima Seiki will hold a 15-day knitwear technology event in Milan from 14–28 October 2026, pairing premium European yarns with its APEXFiz virtual sampling software for designers and knitwear producers.

The appointment-only showcase, titled Archivi Punti Aperti (Open Archives – Knit Stitch Collection), takes place at Milano Trend's showroom at Via Visconti di Modrone 33. Shima Seiki is organising it with Milano Trend and its Italian subsidiary, Shima Seiki Italia. Opening hours run 9am to 6pm, and visitors must register in advance with Milano Trend.

Which suppliers are confirmed on the yarn side?

The event will feature premium yarns from leading European manufacturers, particularly Italian mills, alongside selected materials from suppliers on Shima Seiki's yarnbank online platform.

Planned yarnbank participants include four Italian manufacturers:

• E. Miroglio
• Filati Biagioli Modesto
• Filatura Tollegno 1900
• New Mill

Further expected participants span Japan, China and Hong Kong: Jiangsu Lugang Science & Technology, Kyototex, Matsumura, Sawada, Top Line (Ningbo) Textile, Toyoboshi, UPW and Yarns & Colors.

What can product development teams get from it?

Visitors will examine yarns and knitted fabrics normally viewed only online, checking colour, texture and handle in person. In a notable practical gesture, selected fabric samples will be available to cut and take away, giving designers physical references for later development work.

Demonstrations will show how digital yarn data from yarnbank feeds into APEXFiz, Shima Seiki's design software. The system digitally reproduces yarns, simulates knitted structures and lets designers evaluate designs before physical sampling and production.

The company frames this as a route to production-ready designs with greater accuracy, while cutting the time, materials and costs tied to conventional sampling.

Shima Seiki will also present its latest knitted fabric samples, showing advanced structures, knitting techniques and material innovations for knitwear manufacturing.

Why does this matter for sourcing decisions?

Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Wakayama, Japan, Shima Seiki supplies computerised flat knitting machinery, including Wholegarment technology, which knits complete garments on the machine without subsequent linking or sewing. The company also builds integrated design systems and virtual sampling software aimed at more efficient knitwear development and demand-driven manufacturing.

For sourcing and product development teams, the Milan event offers a single venue to audit digital yarn data against physical material — the step that determines whether virtual sampling can replace early physical rounds in a knitwear programme. Teams evaluating nearshored European knit supply chains, or weighing whole-garment knitting against cut-and-sew, should book an appointment slot early in the two-week window.