Even in 2025, many knitwear factories rely on spreadsheets, handwritten notes, and verbal instructions. If you’ve ever lost track of an order or wasted yarn, you know how frustrating that can be. To avoid such a scenario, digital transformation is the best solution. 

To help you successfully transition from manual to digital operations, we have come up with this blog. Here, we cover the pros of digital changes in the knitting industry. 

Let’s start with defining digitization in knitwear production. 

What is digital transformation in knitting manufacturing? 

Digital transformation in knitting means adopting new digital solutions to streamline overall industry operations. 

Did You Know? 

62% of textile businesses invested in digitization, with 49% of them reporting increased revenues and profits (WTIN Digital Transformation Outlook). 

In fact, shifting from ad hoc monitoring to digital tracking shouldn’t be a luxury—it’s essential for better productivity and efficiency. Thus, you must have a foundational understanding of the tech-based solutions needed to scale up your knitwear production business. Some of the technologies are as follows: 

• CAD (Computer-Aided Design): This tool programs stitches/patterns, simulates fit/drape, and reduces physical samples and rework. 

• MES (Manufacturing Execution System): It offers real-time execution on the factory floor. It is great for operators, line leaders, and production/QC supervisors. 

• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning): An ERP system helps manage all production and business tasks in one place. It is best to invest in industry-specific ERP over Generic ERP. More specifically, using on-site ERP is better than cloud-based ERP for the knitwear industry. 

Note* Don’t get confused with digital transformation and Industry 4.0. Why? Because industry 4.0 acts as the technological foundation that enables the digitization process. 

Now that you understand the essential digital solutions, let’s explore the tangible advantages they bring to your knitwear production.   

Benefits of Digital Transformation in Knitting Manufacturing 

Here are the 5 advantages the knitting industry can enjoy by embracing data-driven transformation. 

1. Faster and Accurate Design Development 

In traditional knitwear design, creating a new style meant making multiple physical samples. It wasted yarn, time, and effort. CAD changes all that. It lets you digitally create and test new designs or tweak existing ones—all on the screen before touching a single yarn. The result? Faster design cycles, less waste, and confident production right from the first try.  

2.Smarter Production Planning and Forecasting 

The experts (merchandisers) in the knitwear industry offer sample and bulk cost estimates. However, this can become more accurate using digital solutions. Also, using tools like ERP, production activities (such as knitting time by machine, finishing time, and a realistic delivery window) can be mapped out. With reports on plan-vs-actual production timeline, and machine usage, decision makers can spot loopholes early and take necessary action as required. 

3.Enhanced Quality Control and Traceability 

In a traditional setup, teams rely on verbal updates and paper checklists. Handovers slow down, details get lost, and defects show up late. Rework and missed dates follow. These delays, plus the hidden costs of inefficiency, quietly drain profit. 

With smart technologies, every lot or bundle is scanned, quality checks are logged in real time, and issues are flagged instantly. This level of traceability not only cuts delays and rework but also improves first-time-right production and overall margins. Further, it provides the opportunity to check for errors and identify worker fraud.      

4.Data-Driven Decisions for Business Growth 

As a business owner, it is necessary to take the right step at the right time. With a digital solution like KnitOne ERP, you can access detailed reports of yarn usage and wastage, inventory processes, production status, and shipping details, etc.  

Most importantly, you need to know where your investment is going; a report of the overall cost for an order must be tracked. With reports in hand, you can make changes or adjustments to your current production strategy. 

5.Improved Customer Experience and Customization 

Numerous factors influence customer satisfaction in the knitwear industry. Systematic order-tracking, digital sample approvals, and milestone updates give buyers transparency throughout the production process. For instance, timely updates and order status visibility improve client satisfaction while strengthening the company’s market reputation.  

After figuring out the benefits, it is equally necessary to understand the process of adopting modernization in knitwear operations. 

Steps to make digital transformation in knitwear manufacturing  

Here, let’s look at the steps business owners should take when shifting to streamlined digitization. 

1. Assess the current situation 

First and foremost, map out the overall business operations from yarn receipt to dispatch. Spot any bottlenecks or guesswork involved in inventory, procurement, production, and delivery. Based on your analysis, list high-impact processes to digitize first. 

2.Select the suitable transformation technologies 

After figuring out the area for change, select the technologies that support digitization. Ensure they are able to solve crucial operational issues. Further, you and the team can plan implementation phases and budget for training, support, and security. 

3.Focus on Workforce Upskilling 

Once the technologies are selected and implemented, it is time to train your workforce. While providing the training, employees show reluctance to change. To tackle such lagging, change management must be considered. You must explain “how” digitization offers benefits and supports the employees. Further, department heads can review adoption weekly, reward team, and coach gaps so the P&L impact sticks. 

4.Measure and Monitor Overall Performance  

Using daily, weekly, and monthly data from smart solutions, you can conduct review sessions with department heads to track progress and pinpoint operational issues. Based on the insights, targeted actions—such as worker assessments, focused training, or workflow adjustments—can be implemented. Regularly monitoring and adjusting ensures better productivity of employees as well as other targeted departments. 

Final Thoughts 

If you want to change the business operations in your knitting manufacturing factory, it is time to opt for digital transformation. With a digital approach, you gain real-time visibility, better production planning, efficient packing, and delivery on time.   

For the transformation, you can use robust and industry-specific digital tools and solutions. To be precise, ERP can be the best solution as it helps track and record knitwear production operations efficiently.  

KnitOne ERP, a tailored ERP for knitwear manufacturing, has numerous modules that serve the industry. From yarn to growth, everything gets tracked. It offers automation, which reduces guesswork, delays, and inefficiencies. With KnitOne, business owners can get detailed information about each activity while also making precise production planning. 

What are you waiting for? Take your next step to boost profits with KnitOne’s complete operational visibility.