Knitting Machines Market Size - By Type, By Knit Type, By Mode of Operation, By End Use Industry, By Distribution Channel Analysis, Share, Growth Forecast, 2024 - 2032

Knitting Machines Market Size

The global knitting machines market was valued at USD 4.9 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 5.4% from 2024 to 2032. The world’s knitting machine market is improving slowly but consistently, as a result of the increasing demand for clothing and textiles, technological innovations, greater automation, as well as new avenues in sportswear and home textiles. Urbanization and growing populations call for more clothing. The need for high-end knitting machines is high in developing economies, especially in the fashion and apparel sector, as they create a variety of fabrics efficiently.
 

Additionally, the textile industry has witnessed considerable expansion within the Asia-Pacific and Africa regions due to low wage costs and an increase in local demand. Consequently, this expansion is spurring increased sales of knitting machines. In India, the government is aiding with the textile industry in the form of technology induction, development of infrastructure amenities, skill upgradation, and promotion of different subsectors, which are all contributing to increasing the scope of textile manufacturing and increasing the size of the knitting machine market.
 

Knitting Machines Market Trends

Knitters are important players in the fabric sector since they are able to supply knitted fabrics that are used in different applications, including casual wear and industrial fabrics. The use of knitted textiles, on the other hand, is geared by 3D knitting and automated knitting machines that are technologically oriented and have made the knitted fabrics well known for their ease, durability, and comfort. Such recently developed technology reduces the amount of physical work in knitting while putting intricate designs in the textiles with minimal waste.
 

Additionally, 3D knitting makes it possible to create knitted garments without seams, which increases the comfort level of the clothing as well as helps reduce fabric waste. There is a noticeable increase in the popularity of circular knitting machines as they are more efficient.
 

Knitting Machines Market Analysis

Advanced knitting machines, especially the computerized and automated knitting machines together with the 3D systems, are costly. This high cost, in turn, makes it difficult for the small and medium-sized manufacturers to put in funds into the new technology. While many parts of the world are still interspersed in developing. While integrations of AI and the machines themselves do increase the efficiency rate, there still is a large requirement for skilled labour to operate and maintain these machines. The issue can be ameliorated via facilitation of technicians who are able to handle and repair higher machines. Vertical integration enables the business to solve labour challenges for smooth transition into new markets.
 

Furthermore, geopolitics, natural disasters, and world supply chain issues impact yarns and fibres’ prices, affecting manufacturers’ ability to have stable pricing. Additionally, the sync between yarn manufacturers and the garments builders is compromised due to global supply chain issues such as semiconductor shortages and shipping delays, resulting in displacement of production timelines for knitting machines and machine components.

• Based on type, the knitting machines market can be segmented into warp knitting machines and weft knitting machines. The revenue generated by the weft knitting machine segment was estimated to be over US$ 3.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to see rapid growth with a CAGR of over 5.5% between 2024 and 2032. The shifting seamless knitting technique will gradually revolutionize the weft knitting segment. This technology attaches almost everything together instead of creating separate fashion pieces, and this enhances comfort and fit while minimizing fabric wastage and reducing spending on labor. There is also growing demand for customization as consumers are looking for even more distinct patterns. The latest robotic and digitally controlled advanced weft knitting machines provide an economical method of making those specific fabrics at a large scale.
   
• However, the use of warp knitting machines in the production of technical textiles for automotive, medical, industrial, and protective purposes is steadily increasing. Automation and smart technologies rank among the key trends. Today’s warp knitting machines can be computerized for greater operational efficiency, automatically threaded for streamlined set-up, and IoT-enabled for enhanced maintenance and performance. Jefferson adds: Robotics further enhances efficiency and reduces operational costs in complex fabric production.

• Based on the mode of operation, the knitting machines market is categorized as manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic. It is expected that the fully automatic segment held approximately 72% revenue share in 2023 and is set to register at a CAGR of over 5.4% through 2032. It is to be noted that the fully automatic segment was reported to be at a staggering penetration within the market by the end of December 2023. Full automation is a growing trend driven by the need for efficiency, precision, and productivity. Knittinghe clothing, sportswear, or home textiles industries, which are heavily reliant on mass production, fully automatic knitting machines use is on a steady increase. The speed at which these machines manufacture goods allows for a reduction in human labor requirements, which allows manufacturers to simultaneously satisfy their high-volume requirements and hit their profit goals.
   

Semi-automatic devices, on the other hand, see a greater degree of demand within small and medium-sized enterprises. Such businesses are more competitive in nature as they tend to seek a greater range of efficiency than manual devices can achieve; however, at the same time, they cannot afford to purchase fully automatic devices. Such enterprises can resort to investing in semi-automatic devices that provide them with a competitive advantage such that they do not have to switch fully to automatic devices. Semi-automatic devices allow these businesses new opportunities for achieving mid volumes of sales, as they allow for a balance between automation and manual control.
 

• The U.S. knitting machines market is projected to reach USD 1.2 million in 2023 and is set to register at over 5.3% CAGR from 2024 to 2032. During the same period, it is expected that the North American region will experience a shift in the knitting machine market. The US knitting machine market has experienced growth due to the rise in demand for automated manufacturing, technological explorations, as well as high-performance textiles, which support the garment and fashion industry. All these factors have contributed to the sales and rentals of sewing machines with respect to the policy imposed on the import of used production and knitting machines.
   
• The rising demand for industrial and consumer markets’ high-performance fabrics for their intricate designs and patterns has indeed contributed towards reducing labor cost implications while improving overall productivity and accuracy. There has been a response in the development of the machines that include computerized knitting, more powerful software integration, and seamless knitting technologies that support the increasing demand for custom-made fabrics and garments as well as enhance the functionality and accuracy of the machines.
   
• In addition, there is an increase in the demand for high-performance knitted fabric, which is used in sportswear, medical textiles, and automotive industries, which in turn is boosting the demand for advanced knitting machines. The expansion of the athleisure movement, knitwear, and customized clothing, which is now a significant sector for the apparel and fashion industry, further necessitates the need for versatile machines capable of working with different fibers and materials.
   

Country-level Analysis

North America: Geographically, the leaders are the United States with an approximate knitting machines’ market share of 83%. Rising demand for automated manufacturing, U.S. technological development activity, U.S. growth in knitted fabric performance, gains in the apparel and fashion industry, and some U.S. Amongst newer technological innovations, a surge in the U.S. knitting machines market share, which currently stands at a whopping 83%, has been observed. Additionally, the increasing US activity on knitted fabric technology development, an expansion in the growth of the knitted fabric performance, and the flourishing apparel and fashion industries are contributors to the US's growth.
 

Europe: The Canada market for knitting machines held a market share of 5.1% in 2023 and is expected to expand at a similar rate up to 2032. Automated knitting devices are gaining traction, and the growth is extensive in Europe. The use of seamless and three-dimensional knitting makes it able to produce intricate and very high-quality fabrics with a reasonable amount of effort, for example. In terms of country, the Germany knitting machines market is expressing a notable growth rate of around 5.6% from 2024 to 2032.
 

Nonetheless, the knitting machine market in Canada has a promise of developing by 5.6% from 2024 to 2032, showing that there is good potential for knitting machines. The higher-quality custom knit fabric demand is increasing due to the shift of Canadian consumers towards a variety of fashion and textile products.
 

Asia Pacific: The share of the knitting machines market in South Asia in 2023 is expected to reach approximately 30% of the total market and is expected to grow within the range of 5.1%-5.3% CAGR during the period between 2024 and 2032. As a considerable amount of textile and garment production is concentrated in the Asia and Pacific region, the need for knitting machines is ever-increasing. Competitors and key markets such as China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh require high hops and productivity machines to meet both domestic and international demand.
 

In terms of country, China is dominating the Asia-Pacific knitting machines market in terms of a market share of around 32% during 2023. Being the number one textile producer and exporter to different parts of the globe, China has a well-diversified industry that is equipped with technology using the knitted fabrics technology, which makes the market for the knitting machines large.
 

Knitting Machines Market Share

A market share of 15-20% was held by companies like Fukuhara, Stoll, Shima Seiki, and Pailung in 2023. To enhance their market scope, these companies have been pursuing mergers and acquisitions of other companies and establishing new plants.
 

The latest in smart technologies like AI-powered systems, Industry 4.0, and IoT-embedded machines, coupled with automation and digitalization objectives, are where leading manufacturers are investing. Additionally, new markets are being developed, which include Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, due to the increasing demand for machinery for the growing textile sector.
 

Knitting Machines Market Companies

Major players operating in the knitting machines industry are:

• Flying Tiger
• Fukuhara
• Hanma group
• Jingwei Textile Machinery 
• Lamb
• Lisky
• Mayer & CIE
• Orizio 
• Pai Lung
• Santoni
• Shima Seiki
• Stoll 
• Tompkins
• Yamato Sewing Machine
• Zentex 
   

Knitting Machines Industry News

• In April 2024, Stoll, a member of the Karl Mayer Group, launched the CMS 703 knit-and-wear article produced CMS machine to add to the CMS 503 ki L’s fifty ins/127cm variant that was released in March of the same year.
   
• In September 2023, Santoni revealed a circular knitting machine it has been working on called Mec-Mor, which speeds up the quality production of double-faced knitted garments’ production cycle.
   
• In Milan at ITMA 2023, Pailung showcased six additional modern swift Knitel circular knitting machines in the month of August 2023. These devices have the ability to manufacture six common fabric types, which include: Plain Single Jersey, Plain Single Jersey + Lycra, Pique, Pique + Lycra, and a couple of fleece types alongside their Lycra counterparts.
   

This knitting machines market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue (USD Billion) & volume (Thousand Units) from 2021 to 2032, for the following segments:

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Market, By Type

• Warp knitting machines
  • Raschel warp
  • Tricot warp
  • Others (crochet etc.)
• Weft knitting machines
  • Circular
  • Straight bar
  • Others (loop wheel etc.)

Market, By Knit Type

• Single knit
• Double knit   

Market, By Mode of Operation

• Manual
• Semi-automatic
• Fully automatic     

Market, By End Use Industry

• Automotive textiles
• Sports textiles
• Apparel textiles
• Home textiles
• Others (footwear industry etc.)    

Market, By Distribution Channel

• Direct sales
• Indirect sales   

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia 
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico 
• MEA
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa