#Associations

2025-01-09

Slight capacity growth and lower fibre consumption in 2023

The International Textile Manufacturer Federation has published its International Textile Industry Statistics (ITIS) on productive capacity and raw materials consumption in the short-staple organized (spinning mill-) sector in virtually all textile-producing countries in the world. ITMF has used a new calculation method and reviewed past time series.

The estimated global number of installed short-staple spindles reached 232 Mio units in 2023 and the number of installed open-end rotors grew to 9.7 Mio (see Fig. 1 and 2). Capacity building is still disproportionally targeting Asia. The number of installed air-jet spindles soared to 637 thousand. Outside Asia, the main capacity increase was registered in Türkiye.

The number of installed shuttle-less looms increased to 1.7 Mio in 2023 (see Fig. 3). Total raw material consumption in the short-staple organized sector slightly decreased to 43 Mio tons (see Fig. 4). Global consumption of raw cotton and cellulosic short-staple fibers decreased by -4.4% and -2.9%, respectively. Consumption of synthetic short-staple fibers increased by 0.5%.

Find out more on itmf.org.

The Woolmark Company showcases Australia's commitment to India's textile industry at Bharat Tex 2026

Reinforcing more than five decades of commitment to India's wool textile and apparel industry, The Woolmark Company, alongside Austrade and the Australian High Commission, marked a strong presence at Bharat Tex 2026, one of the world's largest textile and apparel trade platforms. Through industry engagement, strategic collaborations, technical innovation and knowledge exchange, the participation underscored Australia's continued commitment to supporting the growth and transformation of India's textile ecosystem while highlighting the versatility and value of Australian Merino wool.

Dyeing, finishing and singeing expertise now closer than ever to Brazilian customers

Benninger AG from Switzerland and Grupo NS from Brazil announce joined forces to support textile customers across Brazil with a strong portfolio of textile wet processing technologies, practical application know-how, and reliable local service. The cooperation combines Benninger's long-standing engineering expertise in textile finishing and dyeing with Grupo NS's deep understanding of the Brazilian textile market, customer needs, and service requirements.

Rieter and partners launch Recycling Powerhouse for industrial-scale textile recycling

Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling. Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns. The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company. The first blueprint franchise operation is scheduled to launch early 2027 in partnership with Suhail Industrial Holding Group in Qatar.

Global carpet industry smartly connected: Heimtextil 2027 sharpens Carpets & Rugs with new structure and premium segment

Even more efficient, more targeted and closer to the market: Heimtextil 2027 strengthens its position as the leading meeting place for the global carpet industry and further expands Carpets & Rugs in line with market needs. With a stronger focus on distribution channels, the segment integrates into Heimtextil’s product worlds.

Meadow Grove Research joins ITMF as Corporate Member

Meadow Grove Research is a commodity research firm specializing in supply, demand, and trade analysis in cotton and other soft commodities. Providing clarity to the complex nature of the global fiber supply chain is one of its most formidable services. The firm thrives on customer engagement and providing the best framework for critical decisions.

Sustainability: European industry calls on EU to keep Single-Use Plastics Directive unchanged

A broad coalition of European industry associations, including EDANA, Euratex and Plastics Europe, has urged EU institutions to maintain the current legal framework of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). In a joint statement, the organisations argue that reopening the Directive at this stage would create legal uncertainty, increase regulatory complexity and undermine investment, while its implementation across the European Union is still incomplete.

Textile machinery: Italian technology charts the course for revival

Operating in a scenario characterized by geopolitical instability, slowing industrial investments, and new protectionist pressures. This is the main challenge for the Italian textile machinery industry that emerged during the General Assembly of ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), held today in Milan at the Shareholders’ Hall of Palazzo Edison.

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.