Seamless garments are redefining the intimate wear experience

Seamless garments are redefining the intimate wear experience

Although most intimate wear is just a small piece of fabric, it is not always easy to shop for one that meets all our criteria perfectly. Consumers may often encounter problems such as poor fit, pilling and stretching. Therefore, consumers now have higher expectations for quality and comfort. This creates greater opportunities for the seamless underwear market as consumers are attracted by its unique softness and close-fit design.

Seamless knitting technology is nothing new. It was first unveiled to the industry at the International Textile Machinery Association in 1995 as an entire garment with minimal cutting or sewing. In recent years, seamless garments are receiving more attention in the textile industry since they provide gentle smoothness and a sustainable way to reduce pollution.

Beyond comfort, a seamless garment can also be sustainable

Since consumers often spend a lot of time selecting outerwear, they tend to neglect underwear. Although it can go unnoticed, its production process can be deceivingly complicated. Depending on the materials and the outerwear worn over it, underwear can easily bunch up or feel increasingly restrictive throughout the day. Nowadays, as consumers become more conscious of what they are wearing, their mindsets start to change, hence they are keener to find high-quality and more comfortable underwear when they shop.

Seamless underwear is one of the solutions. Without bulky stitches at the thighs, shoulders and back, plus its close-fit design, awkward fabric lines can disappear as the body moves. This allows for more comfort and is one of the main reasons why people favor seamless underwear.

Besides “feeling good”, consumers may not be aware that buying seamless underwear can also “do good” for the environment as its production process tends to be more sustainable than conventional garment-making processes. In general, seamless knitting technology is more eco-friendly as it skips the sewing and cutting stages where fabric waste tends to occur, saving large quantities of yarn. It is also considered to be more ethical as it minimizes the need for manual labor.

Seamless knitting technology has been evolving since it first launched in 1995. For example, Santoni, the pioneer of seamless textile manufacturing, had been finding ways to launch more eco-friendly measures with its innovative machines and technologies. Their new Top2 Fast and Top2 V machines are designed to produce high-quality seamless garments while reducing their CO2 footprint from previous models by 40%.

Enjoy everlasting comfort with Modal fibers

With its ideal production method, the textile industry is now widely adopting seamless knitting technology in the manufacturing of innerwear, allowing for unique softness. To elevate the wearer’s experience, manufacturers are also careful in selecting the raw materials.

Modal fibers – also called “the underwear fabric” by many people, is revolutionizing the fashion industry with its lightweight, stretchy, soft and breathable properties. For that reason, Modal fibers are primarily used in the making of underwear.

With this seamless knitting technology, consumers can enjoy a more natural feeling when wearing underwear made from Modal fibers. Fabric produced from renewable beech wood and TENCEL™ branded modal fibers is not only twice as soft as cotton thanks to Eco Soft technology, but is also energy saving for the environment. Delta Galil, a leading world supplier of intimates and activewear, is now collaborating with Lenzing to make breakthroughs in garment wear experience while improving the sustainability of the textile industry. By using TENCEL™ Modal fibers, Delta Galil can offer garments with everlasting softness and smoothness with its Real Lasting Softness™ technology.

Looking back when the seamless knitting technology was first launched, it was mainly used on synthetic materials. With the continuous upgrade on the technology, it can now be applied to an even wider range of fibers such as TENCEL™ Modal fibers, offering a whole new level of comfort.

In addition, Studio Eva x Carola, one of the leading designers in textiles, shared that “Seamless knitting technology is not only limited to underwear, it is also suitable for sportswear, loungewear and performance garments etc. In a society where personalization is an important trend, this technology allows designers to create more unique garments in a combination of aesthetics and function.”

Seamless garments are an emerging trend for which we foresee broader adoption in the coming years. Since more brands are producing products without seams, there is a likelihood that consumers will be willing to pay more for greater comfort and softness. Simultaneously, people are more appreciative of the sustainability movement behind the technology. All in all, in the pursuit of a more ethical and eco-friendly lifestyle without compromising quality or design, seamless garments are definitely a contender for consumers.