#ITMA 2023

2023-02-15

ITMA 2023 exhibition space fully booked

The stage is set for ITMA 2023 to host a highly anticipated showcase of trendsetting textile and garment technologies when it opens in Milan on 8 June. Exhibition space grossing 220,000 square metres of the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre is fully booked.

Innovator Xchange to offer innovation insights from industry experts

Mr Charles Beauduin, Chairman of ITMA Services, said: “Since the last ITMA exhibition in Barcelona in 2019, the world has changed drastically due to the coronavirus pandemic and geopolitical situation. Despite various disruptions, we are glad that space in ITMA 2023 is fully booked. Companies are buoyant about the outlook of the market with most borders now fully open.”

The upcoming exhibition will feature over 1,600 exhibitors from 44 countries and a list of 100 companies are still waiting to be allocated space in their preferred sectors. There is a total of 20 product sectors covering the entire textile and garment manufacturing value chain, including textile composites.

Mr Ernesto Maurer, President of CEMATEX, said: “Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; the industry has to move faster to adopt the sustainability agenda to secure the future of their business. During the pandemic, many of our members channelled their resources into R & D activities. ITMA 2023 is perfectly timed to offer our exhibitors an opportunity to showcase these new products and cutting-edge technology. If and when R & D is paired with sustainability efforts, this will be the formula for success.

“Our visitors can look forward to ITMA 2023 to preview the latest innovation. We hope that textile and garment manufacturers, brands and retailers will take this opportunity to meet at ITMA to source and collaborate with leading members of the textile industry. In addition, they can also gain insights into industry trends and developments at various complementary events.”

Innovator Xchange

ITMA 2023 will be accompanied by several activities spotlighting industry innovation. Among the highlights is the Innovator Xchange which offers participants unique opportunities to gain insights from the winners and finalists of the ITMA Award, as well as exhibitors and industry experts.

An industry expert has been invited for each of the four featured topics: automation and digital future, advanced materials, sustainability and circularity, and innovative technologies. The invited speakers are:

Mr German Garcia Ibañez, Head of Sustainable Raw Materials Circularity, Inditex (Sustainability & Circularity)

Dr Jesse S. Jur, Director of Ecosystem Technology, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (Innovative Technologies)

Mr Kevin McCoy, Vice President made, New Balance Athletics (Automation & Digital Future)

Professor Parikshit Goswami, Professor of Technical Textiles, The University of Huddersfield (Advanced Materials)

The Innovator Xchange will be held from 9 to 13 June. Other highlights held alongside ITMA 2023, are the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award, Innovation Video Showcase, ITMA forums and partner events. For more information on the above events, please visit https://itma.com/events.

Online ITMA 2023 visitor registration is open. Visitors can enjoy early bird badge rates until 7 May 2023 when they register online. With the badge, they will be able to access the ITMAconnect platform from 8 March 2023 to plan their exhibition visit. Visitors can explore exhibitors’ digital spaces, chat and make appointments for stand visits. For enquiries, please email visitor@itma.com.

ITMA 2027 gains strong momentum

In line with the theme "Co-creating the future of textiles", ITMA continues to strengthen its support for start-ups, recognising their role in driving innovation and shaping the future of textile and garment manufacturing. Through the Start-Up Valley, emerging companies gain access to a global marketplace where they can connect with industry leaders, potential partners, investors and customers.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Katharina Obergruber appointed to the Management Board of Sandler AG

The Supervisory Board of Sandler AG has appointed Katharina Obergruber to the company’s Management Board. Effective September 1, 2026, the Board will consist of Philipp Ebbinghaus (CEO), Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (currently CCO, future COO), and Katharina Obergruber (CCO). Katharina Obergruber, currently Chief Sales Officer Hygiene and member of the Management Team of Sandler AG, will assume responsibility for all sales activities as Chief Commercial Officer. She will assume this role from Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, who will focus primarily on production and supply chain topics.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

DePoly Inaugurates its Showcase Plant in Monthey Switzerland

What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.