Virtual knitting

Innovation

Pioneering the future of flatbed knitting

Welcome to the future of knitwear design and production. Virtual Knitting, an innovative initiative, merges the physical and digital worlds to revolutionise flatbed knitting. This project is a testament to the transformative power of digital technology in the fashion industry.

In collaboration with KNITWEAR LAB, the Dutch Design and Development Centre renowned for their knitting expertise, we have created a collection of physical and virtual garments, showcased at Pitti Filati. This Virtual Knitting project aims to explore, demonstrate, and inspire the future of knitwear through digital innovation.

Have fun reading through the story of the project from their perspective!

Collaboration

Transforming knitwear with digital technology

Virtual Knitting represents our vision for the future of knitwear, emphasizing the importance of digitisation in fashion. By leveraging advanced 3D software, we create detailed digital twins of our garments, allowing us to visualise and perfect designs before they are physically produced. This approach not only saves time and resources but also ensures a higher level of precision and creativity in our designs.

Unique features of Virtual Knitting

Realistic textures: Our textures are derived directly from the knitting programs, ensuring that the digital representations are closely connected to their physical counterparts.
Open-source flexibility: The textures we generate are in an open-source format, compatible with any 3D modelling software, allowing for extensive design experimentation without being tied to a single system.

Partnering with KNITWEAR LAB

Our collaboration with Südwolle Group is crucial to the success of the Virtual Knitting project. By integrating their expertise from the very beginning of the product lifecycle, we can create virtual garments that reflect the quality and innovation of our physical products. This partnership allows us to combine our strengths in knitwear design and digital technology, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the industry.

Combining physical and digital expertise

Yarn

Südwolle Group brings the expertise in producing hight and constant quality yarns mirroring also in the constant yarn data used for the digital twin of the yarn.

Knitting

KNITWEAR LAB brings extensive knowledge of knitwear design, ensuring that the virtual garments behave and feel like their physical counterparts.

Digital Mastery

By teaming up with 3D software experts, we ensure that our digital garments are accurate and detailed, providing a seamless connection between the physical and digital realms.

Development

Tackling challenges

Overcoming challenges and pushing boundaries

One of the biggest challenges in the Virtual Knitting project is accurately visualising complex knitwear structures in 3D. Current software often struggles with the intricacies of knitwear, but through creative use of available features, we achieve impressive results that push the boundaries of digital knitwear representation.

Benefits for designers

Creative freedom: Designers gain more influence during the design phase, experimenting with virtual knitted swatches while maintaining a connection to reality.
Efficiency: The ability to visualise and adjust designs digitally before physical production saves time and materials, enhancing overall efficiency.

Future perspectives

Looking ahead, the future of Virtual Knitting is promising. As technology advances, we anticipate more accurate visualisations and seamless integrations between physical and digital products. This project lays the groundwork for a future where digital and physical knitwear development processes are indistinguishable, offering unprecedented possibilities for innovation in the fashion industry.

Yarn selection

Victoria Nm 2/48 was the first choice for this project. The classic yet versatile yarn met the requirements of the design:

high quality
extensive stock service
ease of combining the yarn with other filaments and fibres to achieve the desired effects.

A closing thought

Virtual Knitting is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and development in the fashion industry. By embracing digital technology, we are not only transforming knitwear design but also setting new standards for sustainability and creativity. Join us on this exciting journey as we pioneer the future of flatbed knitting.

Quote from the founder

“The best part of the project was that we could combine all the different knowledges, from yarn to stitch to virtual garment, in one project.”

Lyske Gais, Founder of VIRTUAL KNITTING

Order request