Karl Mayer has strengthened its position in the global tricot market with the launch of two new warp knitting machines, the HKS 3-M EL ECO and HKS 4-M EL ECO. Designed to meet the fashion and apparel sector’s need for rapid development cycles, frequent pattern changes, and high efficiency even in small batch sizes, the newcomers expand the company’s well-established HKS platform.

According to Michael Ahrendt, Product Owner Global Tricot at Karl Mayer, the brand continues to stand for the world’s leading warp knitting technology. Central to this success is the electronic guide bar control system, which has enabled unlimited repeat lengths and easy pattern adjustments for 35 years. Since autumn 2025, all three- and four-bar HKS machines equipped with this technology have carried the EL designation, marking a unified and expanded product offering.

The HKS 3-M EL ECO introduces an economical entry point into the EL machine world. As the first three-bar HKS EL available in working widths up to 370 inches, it provides the reliability, user-friendly operation, and fabric quality of higher-end models at a significantly lower cost. While future distinctions with premium machines will be chiefly in production speed, the ECO variant already offers strong profitability and extensive patterning capabilities. An extended shogging distance of 9 to 34 mm, optional multi speed, and EL control allow the creation of large motifs, coarse structures, wide repeats, and varied spacing for effects such as plissé textures or plush with longer pile. Target markets include automotive interiors, outerwear, sportswear, upholstery, velour, coatings, and advertising textiles, with early sales already recorded in South America.

The HKS 4-M EL ECO, showcased at ITMA ASIA 2025, impressed visitors with its blend of efficiency, flexibility, and pricing. Designed for applications requiring constant design changes and numerous variants, it offers a 2-inch shogging distance on all four guide bars, optional multi speed, and EL control. Its ability to react quickly to market trends makes it particularly appealing to the fashion industry, which valued its responsiveness to new styles and material demands during demonstrations in Singapore.

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