The circular knitting machines market size is expected to grow from USD 3.82 billion in 2025 to USD 4.04 billion in 2026 and is forecast to reach USD 5.35 billion by 2031 at 5.76% CAGR over 2026-2031. This report is Segmented by Machine Type (Hybrid / Convertible Machines, and More), by Gauge (Fine Gauge (Over 24), and More), by Diameter (Small (Under 15”), and More), by Automation Level (Mechanical Control, and More), by Application (Apparel Textiles, and More), by Yarn Type (Cotton, and More), and by Geography (North America, and More). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).
Second, double-jersey machinery remains crucial for rib and interlock pieces that demand stretch retention. Although its growth rate trails jacquard, demand holds steady in underwear and sports cuffs. Hybrid platforms now embed removable needle beds, giving operators the choice of single or double knitting without swapping the entire frame. This flexibility appeals to contract manufacturers juggling diverse brand orders under one roof. As a result, the competitive gap between dominant single machines and rising jacquard contenders will narrow through the decade.
Medium gauges (12-24 NPI) owned 47.40% of shipments in 2025 because they balance yarn range, speed, and fabric hand suitable for mass apparel. Fine-gauge models, although costlier, promise a 6.02% CAGR by 2031 as lingerie and athleisure require micro-denier yarns for a second-skin feel. Here, the circular knitting machines market size benefits from technological leaps such as Pailung’s redesigned sinker rings that minimize abrasion at 28 NPI. Ultra-fine cylinders allow seamless hosiery with 200-needle barrels, once exclusive to flat knitting.
Coarse-gauge systems still matter for thermal wear and industrial sleeves, yet face little innovation. The premium differential in yarn weight means coarse fabrics struggle to justify price hikes, capping revenue growth. Consequently, suppliers channel R&D into fine tolerances laser-ground cams, ceramic yarn guides, and oil-mist lubrication to boost speed without compromising needle life.
North America’s resurgence rests on near-shoring. The United States sees fresh capex as brands value tariff avoidance and carbon-footprint cuts. Shawmut’s North Carolina site demonstrates local investment logic: smart cylinders slash labor reliance while producing specialty fabrics that justify higher wages. Canadian mills, smaller in number, ride the same wave, offering quick-turn knits to e-commerce labels. Mexico absorbs overflow for automotive and protective textiles, helped by USMCA rules of origin.
Europe commands the technology high ground. German and Italian OEMs steer automation breakthroughs and maintain dense service networks. EU Green Deal mandates recycled content, prompting mills in Portugal and Spain to order tension-adaptive machines compatible with reclaimed fibers. The Middle East and Africa register the fastest 5.48% CAGR because Gulf sovereign funds deploy petro-dollars into diversification parks, while Turkey upgrades existing looms to capture EU quick-response orders. Egypt leverages duty-free EU access, yet requires port and energy upgrades to exploit its full potential.
Global Circular Knitting Machine Market Trends and Insights
Growing Demand for Seamless/Athleisure Garments
Athleisure’s structural rise is propelling new machinery purchases because seamless technology eliminates cut-and-sew steps that add cost and compromise fit. Santoni’s high-gauge platforms knit compression and ergonomic zones in one pass, creating soft yet durable garments that support premium pricing. Sportswear brands increasingly specify electronic jacquard heads to weave logos and ventilation zones directly into fabric tubes, shrinking lead times for style refreshes. As comfort and performance converge in everyday apparel, fabricators are retrofitting existing bays with multi-gauge cylinders to handle ultrafine yarns. Seamless fashions also trim material waste, bolstering sustainability metrics that retailers track closely in compliance reports.Automation & Digitization of Knitting Operations
Industry 4.0 integration is rewriting shop-floor management. Pailung’s Manufacturing Execution System records every cam adjustment, enabling exact fabric replication across global plants. IoT sensors feed yarn tension, temperature, and vibration data into cloud analytics that predict faults hours before they stop the line. Digital twins let technicians trial new stitch densities virtually, slashing costly sample loops. Computer vision now flags defects at full speed, so only perfect rolls reach dyeing. With worker shortages in several hubs, autonomous recipe control is no longer optional; it guards uptime and cushions labor risk.High Upfront Capital Expenditure
A full Industry 4.0 circular knitting line costs USD 15-50 million, covering high-speed cylinders, winding, inspection, and digital backend. Small firms struggle to source that financing, especially where leasing infrastructure lags. Rapid tech cycles magnify risk because equipment can feel dated within five years. Consequently, some buyers postpone upgrades or choose stripped-down models, which slows market acceleration until flexible pay-per-use packages gain traction.Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
- Expansion of Technical- & Medical-Textile Applications
- Manufacturing Migration to Cost-Efficient Asian Clusters
- Raw-Material (Yarn) Price Volatility
Segment Analysis
Single-cylinder units generated 53.00% of the circular knitting machines market share in 2025 because their straightforward cam architecture delivers high yards per minute for T-shirts, underwear, and sheets. The circular knitting machines market size for specialty jacquard platforms is smaller today, but this niche is on a 6.92% CAGR track as fashion labels chase intricate motifs that lift average selling prices. Modern jacquard heads use micro-step motors for every needle, so patterns change via software rather than hardware plates, trimming setup to minutes. Wellknit’s double computerized jacquard model showcases triple-action knitting, letting mills pivot from plain jerseys at dawn to sculpted relief fabrics by lunch.Second, double-jersey machinery remains crucial for rib and interlock pieces that demand stretch retention. Although its growth rate trails jacquard, demand holds steady in underwear and sports cuffs. Hybrid platforms now embed removable needle beds, giving operators the choice of single or double knitting without swapping the entire frame. This flexibility appeals to contract manufacturers juggling diverse brand orders under one roof. As a result, the competitive gap between dominant single machines and rising jacquard contenders will narrow through the decade.
Medium gauges (12-24 NPI) owned 47.40% of shipments in 2025 because they balance yarn range, speed, and fabric hand suitable for mass apparel. Fine-gauge models, although costlier, promise a 6.02% CAGR by 2031 as lingerie and athleisure require micro-denier yarns for a second-skin feel. Here, the circular knitting machines market size benefits from technological leaps such as Pailung’s redesigned sinker rings that minimize abrasion at 28 NPI. Ultra-fine cylinders allow seamless hosiery with 200-needle barrels, once exclusive to flat knitting.
Coarse-gauge systems still matter for thermal wear and industrial sleeves, yet face little innovation. The premium differential in yarn weight means coarse fabrics struggle to justify price hikes, capping revenue growth. Consequently, suppliers channel R&D into fine tolerances laser-ground cams, ceramic yarn guides, and oil-mist lubrication to boost speed without compromising needle life.
Complete Report Scope:
- By Machine Type
- Single Circular Knitting Machines
- Double Circular Knitting Machines
- Hybrid / Convertible Machines
- Specialty Jacquard Machines
- By Gauge
- Fine Gauge (Over 24)
- Medium Gauge (12-24)
- Coarse Gauge (less than 12)
- By Diameter
- Small (less than 15”)
- Mid (15”-30”)
- Large (more than 30”)
- By Automation Level
- Mechanical Control
- Electronic Control
- Computerized Control
- Industry-4.0 Integrated
- By Application
- Apparel Textiles
- Home Textiles
- Technical Textiles
- Medical Textiles
- Automotive Textiles
- Others
- By Yarn Type
- Cotton
- Synthetic (Polyester, Nylon)
- Blends
- High-Performance Fibers
- Recycled Yarns
- By Geography
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- South America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Rest of South America
- Europe
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- BENELUX (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)
- NORDICS (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
- Rest of Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- Australia
- South Korea
- ASEAN (Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam)
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- Middle East and Africa
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Turkey
- Egypt
- South Africa
- Nigeria
- Rest of Middle East and Africa
- North America
Geography Analysis
Asia-Pacific retained 47.90% of 2025 shipments because integrated yarn-to-garment ecosystems, supportive export rebates, and abundant technician pools anchor machinery demand. China leads, yet unit sales migrate to Vietnam and Indonesia as labor costs rise at home and RCEP waives duties on cross-border equipment sales. India’s Production-Linked Incentive scheme fuels fresh orders, though patchy power and zoning rules temper ramp-up speed. Japan’s makers occupy premium niches, supplying micro-diameter lines for medical implants that secure high margins despite modest volume.North America’s resurgence rests on near-shoring. The United States sees fresh capex as brands value tariff avoidance and carbon-footprint cuts. Shawmut’s North Carolina site demonstrates local investment logic: smart cylinders slash labor reliance while producing specialty fabrics that justify higher wages. Canadian mills, smaller in number, ride the same wave, offering quick-turn knits to e-commerce labels. Mexico absorbs overflow for automotive and protective textiles, helped by USMCA rules of origin.
Europe commands the technology high ground. German and Italian OEMs steer automation breakthroughs and maintain dense service networks. EU Green Deal mandates recycled content, prompting mills in Portugal and Spain to order tension-adaptive machines compatible with reclaimed fibers. The Middle East and Africa register the fastest 5.48% CAGR because Gulf sovereign funds deploy petro-dollars into diversification parks, while Turkey upgrades existing looms to capture EU quick-response orders. Egypt leverages duty-free EU access, yet requires port and energy upgrades to exploit its full potential.
List of Companies Covered in this Report:
- Baiyuan Machine
- Mayer & Cie
- Terrot
- Santoni
- Fukuhara
- Pailung
- Fukuhama
- Wellknit
- Santec Precision Machinery
- Trützschler
- Senher
- Orizio Srl
- Monarch Knitting Machinery
- Hangzhou Zhongde Machinery
- Quanzhou Jingmei
- Zhejiang Canworld Machinery
- Nan Sing Machinery
- Jingmen Hongda
- Unitex
- Zhongyi Knitting Machine
Additional Benefits:
- The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
- 3 months of analyst support
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
4 Market Landscape
5 Market Size & Growth Forecasts(Value, In USD Billion)
6 Competitive Landscape
7 Market Opportunities & Future Outlook
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Baiyuan Machine
- Mayer & Cie
- Terrot
- Santoni
- Fukuhara
- Pailung
- Fukuhama
- Wellknit
- Santec Precision Machinery
- Trützschler
- Senher
- Orizio Srl
- Monarch Knitting Machinery
- Hangzhou Zhongde Machinery
- Quanzhou Jingmei
- Zhejiang Canworld Machinery
- Nan Sing Machinery
- Jingmen Hongda
- Unitex
- Zhongyi Knitting Machine
