#ITMA Asia + CITME 2020

2021-03-18

High-tech solutions for the textile industry in Asia

KARL MAYER will once again be presenting itself as a pioneer of digitalisation at ITMA ASIA + CITME, located in Hall 4, Stand A 32. The innovative market leader offers innovative digital solutions for all its machine segments, enabling customers to benefit from unprecedented flexibility, efficiency and, above all, independence.

These digital trendsetting offers will be the focus for each of the three powerful brands in the expanding Group: KARL MAYER, KM.ON and – most recently – STOLL. For the first time in Asia, KARL MAYER will be exhibiting machines with the highest market relevance for both warp knitting and flat knitting. "The upcoming ITMA ASIA+CITME is a very special trade show for us in two respects. After a long pause in face to face communicaton, we are looking forward to exchanging ideas with our customers in person again in China, our most important market. In addition, this is our first trade fair appearance together with STOLL. Visitors from both the warp knitting and flat knitting sectors, as well as from the warp preparation and technical textiles sectors, will be able to find out all about the opportunities for new business, stronger market positions and optimized production processes," said Arno Gärtner, CEO of the KARL MAYER Group.

On show at the exhibition stand will be an HKS, two machines from the ADF family and a new flat knitting machine for the volume market. All models offer unique possibilities thanks to digital features that keep the customer one step ahead when it comes to modern production processes. For visitors from the field of weaving, KARL MAYER will be exhibiting the ISODIRECT beam warping machine with an excellent price-performance ratio.

KARL MAYER founded KM.ON to develop pioneering digital products. The company’s own software start-up made its first major market appearance at ITMA ASIA + CTME in 2018, and this time round, it will showcase new and enhanced digital solutions that are highly effective in helping customers do business.

The possibilities afforded by digitalisation are also a pillar of Care Solutions, KARL MAYER’s new concept for an even more comprehensive, focused and solution-oriented after-sales service. The SPARE PARTS WEBSHOP is part of this. The procurement tool is already well established on the market and can now also be used to procure electronic lapping data. The SwapKnit 36 and SwapKnit 36 Flat have been developed for this purpose and will be presented at ITMA ASIA + CITME.

In addition, an exclusive textile and application demonstration on the KARL MAYER stand will open up new market opportunities for visitors. Highlights include high-performance geotextiles and construction textiles for manufacturers of technical textiles, on-trend warp knitted fabrics for brands and fabric producers from the sportswear, underwear and fashion sectors, and denim fabrics through which KARL MAYER demonstrates its strength in indigo dyeing.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

Cotton made in Africa partners receive top marks in independent verifications

Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) and CmiA Organic are two internationally recognised standards that aim to promote sustainable development in the African cotton sector south of the Sahara. To ensure the standards’ credibility among brands, retailers, and consumers, independent verifiers evaluate compliance on the ground. The verification results for 2025, now published in the Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report, were very strong: The verifiers awarded consistently very good remarks regarding management, people, prosperity, and the environment.

Bangladesh: Italian textile machinery mission stops in Dhaka and Chittagong

Technological upgrading and the transition toward higher value-added production are driving the new Italian industrial mission to Bangladesh. This year, the mission will split between the country’s two main manufacturing hubs, where Italian manufacturers will meet the leaders of the local textile supply chain in two strategic stages: July 7th in Dhaka and July 9th in Chittagong.

Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026 closes doors, advancing sustainable and innovative sourcing in South China

Yarn Expo Shenzhen 2026 served as a strategically positioned mid-year sourcing platform for the Greater Bay Area, highlighting Shenzhen’s role in connecting regional demand, supply and innovation exchange across the textile value chain. During the three-day fair, over 20,000 visits were drawn from 74 countries and regions[1], as exhibitors and buyers engaged with new developments in greener, performance-led, and value-added yarn and fibre solutions. Held in conjunction with Intertextile Shenzhen Apparel Fabrics and PH Value, the fair underscored the benefits of closer synergy and new materials across yarn, fabric and apparel platforms for the South China market.