Shima Seiki Wholegarment® technology.
Zero-waste 3D knitting.
Knitting, is the process which transform yarn into textile. A technique that has been around for centuries. Excavations in Egypt unearthed a knitted sock which dated back to the 11th century CE and today, several museums around the world house examples of ancient knitwear that looks remarkably contemporary.
"This season at Lake Hawea only means one thing. The station is full of cute new Spring-born lambs.
Baby lambs are like any young animal, they love to play and they need a lot of sleep! Merino lambs sleep on average around 10 hours per day and when they are sleepy, they will try to get as close to their mother as possible.
Some of our lambs need a little extra attention. When this happens, we bring them closer to the homestead and bottle feed them until they are ready to re-join their friends and family on the lush pasture.
They also LOVE to play with other lambs and are so inquisitive.
Merino lambs will fully explore their surroundings, nibble on all sorts of plants, run around with their friends and (of course) climb up to the highest nearby peaks.
Merino lambs are destined to be in the mountains, and at Lake Hawea Station they are surrounded by some of the best landscapes around."
Child's left-foot sock. British Museum.
The first mechanical knitting machine - The Stocking Frame - was invented in 1589 and ignited a chain reaction of innovations. 373 years later, its evolution would spark a thought-provoking question in Masahiro Shima, a student working at a repair shop next to his high school. At the repair shop Mr. Shima was introduced to a glove knitting machine. He looked at the multiple stitches that kept the gloves together and wondered “What if was seamless?”.
"This season at Lake Hawea only means one thing. The station is full of cute new Spring-born lambs.
Baby lambs are like any young animal, they love to play and they need a lot of sleep! Merino lambs sleep on average around 10 hours per day and when they are sleepy, they will try to get as close to their mother as possible.
Some of our lambs need a little extra attention. When this happens, we bring them closer to the homestead and bottle feed them until they are ready to re-join their friends and family on the lush pasture.
They also LOVE to play with other lambs and are so inquisitive.
Merino lambs will fully explore their surroundings, nibble on all sorts of plants, run around with their friends and (of course) climb up to the highest nearby peaks.
Merino lambs are destined to be in the mountains, and at Lake Hawea Station they are surrounded by some of the best landscapes around."
Mr. Shima fully automated glove knitting machine.
Fast forward to 2019 and Sheep Inc. is born.
Each of our garments is beautifully sculpted at our manufacturer Fatextil in Portugal by Wholegarment® knitting machines first developed by Mr. Shima in 1962. The machine, made by the Kansai-based precision engineering company Shima Seiki allows the creation of knitwear in 3-dimensions, without seams. A single yarn thread is fed into the machine and produces an entire garment — including the body, arms, and collar that would normally be produced separately and sewn on. Think about it as a 3D printer for textiles.
Francisco, the owner of Fatextil, (you can meet him here) was one of the first manufacturers in Europe to utilise zero-waste Wholegarment® technology.
"This season at Lake Hawea only means one thing. The station is full of cute new Spring-born lambs.
Baby lambs are like any young animal, they love to play and they need a lot of sleep! Merino lambs sleep on average around 10 hours per day and when they are sleepy, they will try to get as close to their mother as possible.
Some of our lambs need a little extra attention. When this happens, we bring them closer to the homestead and bottle feed them until they are ready to re-join their friends and family on the lush pasture.
They also LOVE to play with other lambs and are so inquisitive.
Merino lambs will fully explore their surroundings, nibble on all sorts of plants, run around with their friends and (of course) climb up to the highest nearby peaks.
Merino lambs are destined to be in the mountains, and at Lake Hawea Station they are surrounded by some of the best landscapes around."
Our Co-Founder, Michael, overseeing the knitting process.
Shima Seiki's design system and software also allow for a zero excess manufacturing — addressing the problem of waste in the garment industry. The machines are also known for their reliability and durability — as almost everything a Japanese hand has touched — there are Shima machines in operation from over 30 years ago.
"This season at Lake Hawea only means one thing. The station is full of cute new Spring-born lambs.
Baby lambs are like any young animal, they love to play and they need a lot of sleep! Merino lambs sleep on average around 10 hours per day and when they are sleepy, they will try to get as close to their mother as possible.
Some of our lambs need a little extra attention. When this happens, we bring them closer to the homestead and bottle feed them until they are ready to re-join their friends and family on the lush pasture.
They also LOVE to play with other lambs and are so inquisitive.
Merino lambs will fully explore their surroundings, nibble on all sorts of plants, run around with their friends and (of course) climb up to the highest nearby peaks.
Merino lambs are destined to be in the mountains, and at Lake Hawea Station they are surrounded by some of the best landscapes around."
“If it can't be found anywhere, let's create it.”
"Merino lambs will fully explore their surroundings, nibble on all sorts of plants, run around with their friends and (of course) climb up to the highest nearby peaks."
Throughout history Shima Seiki has cultivated a spirit of “If it can't be found anywhere, let's create it.” A mantra we adopt at Sheep Inc. as well. And one that led to the creation of the Supply Chain of the future.
"This season at Lake Hawea only means one thing. The station is full of cute new Spring-born lambs.
Baby lambs are like any young animal, they love to play and they need a lot of sleep! Merino lambs sleep on average around 10 hours per day and when they are sleepy, they will try to get as close to their mother as possible.
Some of our lambs need a little extra attention. When this happens, we bring them closer to the homestead and bottle feed them until they are ready to re-join their friends and family on the lush pasture.
They also LOVE to play with other lambs and are so inquisitive.
Merino lambs will fully explore their surroundings, nibble on all sorts of plants, run around with their friends and (of course) climb up to the highest nearby peaks.
Merino lambs are destined to be in the mountains, and at Lake Hawea Station they are surrounded by some of the best landscapes around."
Zero-waste 3D knitting.
Shima Seiki Wholegarment® technology.
Child's left-foot sock. British Museum.
Knitting, is the process which transform yarn into textile. A technique that has been around for centuries. Excavations in Egypt unearthed a knitted sock which dated back to the 11th century CE and today, several museums around the world house examples of ancient knitwear that looks remarkably contemporary.
The first mechanical knitting machine - The Stocking Frame - was invented in 1589 and ignited a chain reaction of innovations. 373 years later, its evolution would spark a thought-provoking question in Masahiro Shima, a student working at a repair shop next to his high school. At the repair shop Mr. Shima was introduced to a glove knitting machine. He looked at the multiple stitches that kept the gloves together and wondered “What if was seamless?”.
Fast forward to 2019 and Sheep Inc. is born.
Each of our garments is beautifully sculpted at our manufacturer Fatextil in Portugal by Wholegarment® knitting machines first developed by Mr. Shima in 1962. The machine, made by the Kansai-based precision engineering company Shima Seiki allows the creation of knitwear in 3-dimensions, without seams. A single yarn thread is fed into the machine and produces an entire garment — including the body, arms, and collar that would normally be produced separately and sewn on. Think about it as a 3D printer for textiles.
Francisco, the owner of Fatextil, (you can meet him here) was one of the first manufacturers in Europe to utilise zero-waste Wholegarment® technology.
Mr. Shima fully automated glove knitting machine.
“If it can't be found anywhere, let's create it.”
Our Co-Founder, Michael, overseeing the knitting process.
Shima Seiki's design system and software also allow for a zero excess manufacturing — addressing the problem of waste in the garment industry. The machines are also known for their reliability and durability — as almost everything a Japanese hand has touched — there are Shima machines in operation from over 30 years ago.
Throughout history Shima Seiki has cultivated a spirit of “If it can't be found anywhere, let's create it.” A mantra we adopt at Sheep Inc. as well. And one that led to the creation of the Supply Chain of the future.
The Supply Chain of the Future.
Building the Supply Chain of the Future is hard work. But someone had to do it.
The Supply Chain of the Future.
Building the Supply Chain of the Future is hard work. But someone had to do it.
