#Associations

2022-10-13

Grasim Industries Ltd. (India) joins ITMF as Corporate Member

Grasim Industries Limited, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, ranks amongst the top publicly listed companies in India. Incorporated in 1947, it started as a textile manufacturer. Today, it has evolved into a leading diversified player.

It is a leading global producer of Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF) and Viscose Filament Yarn (VFY), the largest chlor-alkali, advanced material, linen yarn, and fabrics producer in India.

The ITMF founded in 1904 is the international forum of the global textile value chain from fiber to finished products. Its members are from textile and apparel-producing countries representing approximately 90% of global production.

“By joining ITMF, Grasim Industries Ltd. will join associations and companies from different companies from around the world that are active in the entire textile value chain like fibre, textile, garment, home textile, textile machinery or chemical producers as well as other organisations and companies affiliated with the textile industry. Such an exclusive exposure to such companies will provide additional insights and a unique access to international network. On the other hand, ITMF and all ITMF members will benefit from Grasim’s extraordinary expertise and experience. The mission of ITMF is to bring together like-minded people on ITMF’s platform for a better understanding of the dynamics of global trends and for sharing best practices. The ITMF Annual Conference 2022 which took place in Davos, Switzerland, proved this once again”, stated Dr. Christian Schindler, Director General of ITMF.

Mr H.K Agarwal, Managing Director of Grasim Industries Ltd, said that: “Today, increasingly, businesses will need to go beyond the ordinary and serve as catalysts for driving system level change to build solutions that meet the exacting demands of the emerging world. This requires us to work closely with our partners and co create smart solutions that meet these demands. The ITMF offers a brilliant eco system consisting of industry leaders, experts and key stakeholders from the global textile industry. This partnership enables Grasim to engage with and benefit from a valuable platform that brings together members constituting the entire value chain in Textiles from across the world. Grasim looks forward to actively participating in ITMF activities.”

SIMTA joins ITMF as Corporate Member

In the past two decades SIMTA has established itself as producer of specialized machinery for the textile industry. In short period of time, SIMTA became an important supplier of precise rollers for top OEMs. Afterwards SIMTA started manufacturing overhead cleaners, bobbin transport systems, and other textile ancillaries. In the meantime, SIMTA is a leader in this space in collaboration with the German automation technology partner Jacobi.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

VDMA members at Techtextil: Smart technologies for technical textiles

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, the members of VDMA Textile Machinery underline their key role as global technology leaders for technical textiles and textile processing. With a strong presence of more than 50 members they will highlight how engineering excellence, innovation strength and sustainability expertise from Germany and Europe are shaping the future of the textile industry. Seven companies will be present at the VDMA group stand in the centre of hall 12.0.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

The LYCRA Company strengthens sustainability leadership, appoints Alistair Williamson as VP of Product Sustainability

The LYCRA Company has appointed longtime executive Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability, reaffirming its commitment to developing sustainable solutions for apparel and personal care products. In this role, he will guide the company’s next chapter of sustainability strategy and oversee all initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations, and innovation platforms.