#Associations

2024-09-05

Winners of the ITMF Awards 2024

ITMF has just announced the winners of the ITMF Awards 2024. They will present their projects at the upcoming ITMF & IAF Conference 2024 which will be held from 8-10 September 2024 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and will be co-hosted by the Uzbek Textile & Apparel Industry Association (UZTS).

The ITMF Awards 2024 are presented in two categories:

• ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award

• ITMF International Collaboration Award

The objective of the ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award is to recognize sustainable and innovative achievements in the textile industry with focus on innovation, design, development, and production under the strictest standards of sustainability and respect for the environment.

The winners of the ITMF Innovation & Sustainability Award 2024 are (in alphabetical order):

• GuoWang High-Technique Fiber Company (China):

Low-carbon & sustainable innovation in PET fibre industry

http://www.shenghonggroup.cn/en/

• HeiQ AeoniQ Holding AG (Switzerland):

Hyperscaling HeiQ AeoniQTM

https://www.heiq-aeoniq.com/

• Samsara Eco (Australia):

Infinite plastic recycling: a solution for end-of-life textiles

https://www.samsaraeco.com/

The objective of the ITMF International Cooperation Award is to recognize progress in international collaboration in the textile industry according to the values of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The winners of the ITMF International Cooperation Award 2024 are (in alphabetical order):

• DITF (Germany): and RBX Creations (France):

Next generation cellulosic filaments from hemp

www.ditf.de

https://www.iroony.net/

• HKRITA (Hong Kong, China):

Open lab

https://theopenlab.one/

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.

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Turkmenistan: Italian textile machinery focuses on high technology and specialization

The Italian textile machinery industry flies to Ashgabat to participate with a large “Made in Italy” delegation at TURKMEN TEXTILE EXPO 2026, the major international showcase taking place from June 4 to 6, 2026. The Italian presence, coordinated by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), aims to consolidate Italy’s primary technological role in a highly strategic market with interesting prospects.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt