Kniterate
Kniterate sells a compact, computer-controlled digital knitting machine (priced $9,999–$13,499) and cloud-based CAD design software to small fashion businesses, makerspaces, design schools, and individual makers seeking affordable on-demand knitwear production.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kniterate does
Kniterate designs, manufactures, and sells a compact digital knitting machine that brings computer-controlled garment fabrication into small workshops. The hardware features automatic stitch transfer and up to six yarn feeders for multi-color patterns, and is sold at $9,999–$13,499 depending on region and configuration — a fraction of the cost of industrial knitting machines. A proprietary in-house control system (not licensed from a third party) powers the machine, paired with a cloud-based CAD design platform (Customist) that supports parametric templates, pattern import, and community sharing. Kniterate originated as Gerard Rubio's OpenKnit project in Barcelona in 2013, was formally founded in London around 2015 through the HAX hardware accelerator, raised $636,130 from 488 Kickstarter backers in 2017, and relocated assembly from China to Barcelona in 2020–2021.
Kniterate sells direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce site, supplemented by live demo sessions (US/Canada and EU/UK), quote requests, and sample sales. Primary customer segments are small fashion businesses and design studios, makerspaces and schools (including design universities and fab labs), and individual designers/makers, with secondary use in museums and creative studios. Selected reference customers include EcoKnitware (SMB fashion), Elisava Barcelona School of Design, Harvard University (soft robotics research), Fab Lab Barcelona / IAAC, and IED Barcelona. Marketing is community-led through blogs, Instagram, YouTube, newsletters, industry events (Maker Faire, Techtextil, Texprocess), and earned media coverage in Makezine, Hypebeast, Designboom, and Core77.
The company is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional investors beyond HAX/SOSV pre-seed and the Kickstarter round. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Kniterate Ltd (UK, Slough) serves as the EU representative entity while Kniterate, Inc. (US, governed by New York law) is the primary entity; the US headquarters address is listed in San Francisco. Operations span the US, UK, Spain (manufacturing), and historically China, with machines shipped globally.
Kniterate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kniterate
- Legal name
- Kniterate, Inc.
- Website
- https://kniterate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kniterate sells a compact, computer-controlled digital knitting machine (priced $9,999–$13,499) and cloud-based CAD design software to small fashion businesses, makerspaces, design schools, and individual makers seeking affordable on-demand knitwear production.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kniterate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Knitting Machines
- NAICS
- Knit Fabric Mills (31324), Apparel Knitting Mills (315120)
- SIC
- Knitting Mills (2250)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Knitted Fabric Mills (IMAOABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Yarn, Knitting & Crochet Shops (CRALADAC), Knitted Fabrics (CRAAAMAC)
Keywords
Where Kniterate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Kniterate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Primary revenue from selling digital knitting machines. Pricing ranges from $9,999 to $13,499+ depending on configuration and timing. Deposit-based payment structure with balance due before shipping.
- Samples and Materials: Sale of knit samples and materials for users to test before purchasing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Standard Machine - US |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Standard Machine - EU (inc. VAT) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Standard Machine - UK |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Standard Machine - Canada |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Future Pricing (Post-Jan 2021) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kniterate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kniterate designs, manufactures, and sells a compact computer-controlled digital knitting machine for workshops, paired with a cloud-based CAD design platform (Customist). The machine automatically transfers stitches and supports up to six yarn feeders for multi-color patterns, enabling users to produce custom scarves, beanies, sweaters, dresses, and shoe uppers. Pricing ranges from $9,999 to $13,499+ depending on region and configuration, with deposit-based payment structure and global direct-to-consumer fulfillment.
Product overview
Kniterate offers a digital knitting ecosystem consisting of a compact digital knitting machine hardware product and cloud-based CAD software (Customist/Kniterate Design App). The machine, priced at $9,999-$13,499, enables users to create custom knitted products including scarves, beanies, shoe uppers, sweaters, and dresses using up to six yarn feeders for multi-color patterns. The software allows design via templates or free-form creation, with features including jacquard image import, multiple stitch types, and parametric shaping. The ecosystem also includes a community platform for sharing designs and accessing support resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kniterate Digital Knitting Machine Compact, computer-controlled digital knitting machine designed for workshops. Automatically transfers stitches and supports up to six yarn feeders for multi-color patterns, enabling production of scarves, beanies, sweaters, dresses, and shoe uppers. Priced at $9,999-$13,499 depending on region and configuration, targeting small fashion businesses, makerspaces, schools, and individual designers who cannot afford industrial machines costing $50,000+.
- Kniterate Design App (Customist) Cloud-based CAD software platform for knitting design. Allows users to design knitwear, customize patterns from pre-made templates, import images for jacquard knitting, and create garments with multiple stitch types and shaping options. Features parametric clothing templates, multiple visualizations, scene graph mechanics, and community sharing capabilities. Bundled with Kniterate digital knitting machines to provide the design interface for the hardware.
- Knit Samples and Materials Pre-made knit samples and yarn materials sold to allow prospective buyers and current users to evaluate and test knit output quality before committing to a machine purchase or to source materials.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduce garment production from days to hours
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kniterate
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kniterate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature4 records
Kniterate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DesignaKnitcoreStrategic partnership with DesignaKnit, a renowned knitwear design software, to provide software compatibility. This allows Kniterate users to access expanded design capabilities through the established DesignaKnit platform, enhancing the overall design workflow.
- ATTRACT Research Project ConsortiumminorParticipated in the Future Technologies for Sustainable Fashion (FTSF) program under EU Horizon 2020 ATTRACT research project, alongside Fab Lab Barcelona | IAAC, IED, and IdeaSquare-CERN. Engaged multidisciplinary student teams in hands-on making and speculative design projects.
- SourcebookminorGerman-based company curating innovative, ethical and environmentally friendly production processes and materials. Met at Techtextil/Texprocess Sourcebook Innovation Roadshow stand to discuss potential collaborations supporting sustainable fashion transformation.
- TVU YarnsminorGerman yarn supplier based in Leutershausen providing yarn stock service with color selection. Discussions about potential collaborations to help customers access quality materials.
- Machines RoomminorEast London makerspace and incubator that hosted the Kniterate team (2016-2017). Provided workspace for machine improvements and development of fabrics, patterns and garments. Part of London Design Festival 2016.
- MakerversityminorLondon-based makerspace where Kniterate joined as part of Makers with a Mission residency in October 2018, providing workspace and community support.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kniterate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Brother Industries: Brother offers a broad portfolio of sewing, embroidery, and knitting machines covering consumer, prosumer, and small-business segments. Its knitting machines and software ecosystem overlap with Kniterate's target market of makers and small fashion studios.
- MakerBot: MakerBot pioneered the desktop 3D printer category for makers, schools, and small businesses - the same customer archetype Kniterate courts with its digital knitting machine. Useful as a category analog for the 'prosumer digital fabrication' trajectory.
- Shima Seiki: Shima Seiki is the global leader in computer-controlled flat knitting machines for industrial apparel production, with prices from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. It represents the 'industrial incumbent' against which Kniterate positions itself as a democratized alternative.
- Stoll (H. Stoll AG): Stoll is a premier German manufacturer of industrial flat knitting machines used by fashion brands and contract manufacturers worldwide. Comparable to Kniterate on the underlying knitting technology but serving a vastly higher-end, industrial production customer.
Direct peers
- SENTRO Knitting Machines: SENTRO sells low-cost, consumer-grade circular knitting machines popular with hobbyists and entry-level makers. While lower in capability and price than Kniterate, it competes for the same 'first digital knitting machine' adoption and addresses overlap in the DIY/maker segment.
- Bond (Knitting Machine): Bond manufactures the 'Bond knitting machine' line of mid-priced home knitting machines distributed primarily in the US. It addresses the same small-business and hobbyist customer as Kniterate and is a direct comparison point on price, capability, and software support.
- Silver Reed: Silver Reed manufactures compact, affordable electronic knitting machines aimed at home users, hobbyists, and small studios. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Kniterate in the desktop/affordable knitting machine category, targeting the same maker and small-business segment.
Others
- DesignaKnit (SoftByte): DesignaKnit is a leading knitwear design software with established penetration among hand and machine knitters. It is not a hardware competitor but has a strategic integration partnership with Kniterate, making it a closely related ecosystem player.
Emerging players
- Formlabs: Formlabs sells prosumer and small-business desktop 3D printers that, like Kniterate, brought industrial-grade fabrication into workshops and design studios. It is a relevant comparable for the 'democratize industrial fabrication' thesis and direct-to-creator GTM motion.
- Carousel (Bond) Knit & Weave Labs: Bond Labs develops compact digital fabrication tools including the Carousel knitting machine, modernizing hobbyist and prosumer knitting through connected hardware. It targets the same 'desktop digital knitting' niche as Kniterate with a similar volume-play thesis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kniterate social profiles
Digital presenceKniterate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kniterate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Kniterate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kniterate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kniterate
What does Kniterate do?
Kniterate designs, manufactures, and sells a compact computer-controlled digital knitting machine for workshops, paired with a cloud-based CAD design platform (Customist). The machine automatically transfers stitches and supports up to six yarn feeders for multi-color patterns, enabling users to produce custom scarves, beanies, sweaters, dresses, and shoe uppers. Pricing ranges from $9,999 to $13,499+ depending on region and configuration, with deposit-based payment structure and global direct-to-consumer fulfillment.
Is Kniterate a public or private company?
Kniterate is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kniterate founded?
Kniterate was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kniterate based?
Kniterate is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Kniterate make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are samples and Materials.
Who are Kniterate's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brother Industries, MakerBot, Shima Seiki and Stoll (H. Stoll AG). Direct peers are SENTRO Knitting Machines, Bond (Knitting Machine) and Silver Reed. DesignaKnit (SoftByte) is listed as an others. Emerging players are Formlabs and Carousel (Bond) Knit & Weave Labs.
Does Kniterate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kniterate.
What industry is Kniterate in?
Kniterate's product category is Digital Knitting Machines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOABAB, Knitted Fabric Mills, with a secondary code of CRALADAC, Yarn, Knitting & Crochet Shops. Its NAICS code is 31324 and its SIC code is 2250.