Innovations in weft knitting technology and an investigation of the effects on garment design: The case study of seamless women garment design

In today's world, technology has influenced the field of fashion and textile design, and design elements become unthinkable independent of technology. Seamless knitting technology, a new technology in the field of textile and fashion, enables knitted products to be produced in one piece, unlike the old cut-sew production methods. The fact that the production process is related to technology has necessitated the inclusion of technology into design process, as well. For this reason, the design process started to be executed in computer environment with CAD programs. The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of innovations in weft knitting technology on clothing design, and to determine the advantages and disadvantages of seamless knitting technology which provides many contributions for producers, consumers and environment. Another aim is to examine CAD software together with the seamless garment technology used in knitting and to explore the possibilities they provide through women's clothes design studies. For the study, the ten-part collection for seamless knitting technology was created using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator programs. Five of the collection designs were converted into three-dimensional simulations in the SDS-ONE APEX 3 program. Three of the three-dimensional designs of garments were produced seamlessly in Shima Seiki Wholegarment machines. The findings of the study were presented by focusing on such parameters as the role of designer technician on the advantages and disadvantages of Wholegarment technology and CAD systems, the design competence of Wholegarment technology and production time, the use of printing in Wholegarment technology and two and three-dimensional software. Also, suggestions were developed within the framework of these parameters. Although there are some disadvantages of seamless knitting technology and CAD systems in line with these parameters, it can be foreseen that this technology can have much more potential in fashion and textile sector with developing technology and efficient designer and technician cooperation. What the stakeholders of the production and design process is to develop and elicit the potential of this technology.