As exhibitors at ITMA for the first time, the Textile ETP team embarked on fruitful first days, engaging in meetings with our members from across Europe: Kelheim Fibres, AEI TÈXTILS, Centrocot, ITM at TU Dresden, Smartex.ai, Mitwill Textiles Europe, Next Technology Tecnotessile, DITF, the University of Zagreb, Girbau, Fratelli Piacenza, Saxon Textile Research Institute, TEX IS MORE (Ghent University), GRASSI 1925, IVGT, TESTEX, Sistema Moda Italia, TECHTERA, and many more... Presentations from EU projects TRICK and BIOCOMPOSITES were also featured at the ETP stand, showcasing the latest developments in these exciting initiatives, and we were happy to also meet with representatives from the European Commission's DG GROW, highlighting the importance of collaboration between industry and policy-makers.
Even the weekend couldn't put a damper on the textile innovation! On Saturday, our Secretary General Lutz Walter was invited to speak at the Innovators Xchange, sharing his vision on long-term innovation and technology trends in the textile industry, as well as the R&D opportunities in high-performance materials. The stand remained a hub of activity, with countless conversations taking place among members and textile innovation experts, fostering meaningful connections and valuable exchanges.
With each passing day, ITMA 2023 continued to captivate attendees! Monday and Tuesday buzzed with activities, as Textile ETP organised 4 guided tours and fruitful interactions! On Monday morning, members of the SmartX Community embarked on a tour dedicated to smart textile innovations, visiting esteemed institutions such as Empa, STOLL by KARL MAYER, and Shima Seiki Europe. Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning saw our members and Biobased & Circular Textiles Masterclass participants discovering the latest technologies in respinning (with a first tour showcasing Säntis Textiles's recycled synthetic filaments and yarns, and Lenzing Group's latest developments in recycling of man-made cellulosic fibres - Infinited Fiber Company introduced the Infinna™ fibre manufacturing process and garments, and Rieter presented their RCO100 technology, offering a variety of 100% recycled cotton), and recycling (EREMA Group introduced their energy-efficient innovations for polyolefin and PET recycling, ANDRITZ presented their automatic textile sorting machinery and latest Jumbo 2000 tearing module, while Cormatex showcased their machinery for textile processing and recycling, and Valvan their Trimclean™ and Fibersort™). Finally, on Tuesday afternoon, our members and Textile Digitalisation Masterclass Pilot participants got to learn more about digital printing at Kornit Digital, sustainable dying solutions at Twine Solutions, and AI innovations in the textile industry at Smartex.ai.
Reflecting on our first ITMA participation as exhibitors, we are happy to say that the event was a resounding success. ITMA highlighted the vital role of textile technology companies in the Textile ETP network, paving the way for future collaborations and strengthening industry presence within the organisation.
Already looking ahead to ITMA 2027 in Hannover, we would like to thank CEMATEX and the ITMA Services team, for making Textile ETP's presence at ITMA 2023 possible. Their invaluable assistance has ensured that the Textile ETP team can showcase our initiatives and engage with the vibrant ecosystem of textile enthusiasts and industry players gathered at the event.
If you could not join us at ITMA, or if you want to live the event again, photos are available here.
