#Knitting & Hosiery

2026-09-25

90 Years of Innovation. Celebrating the Value of Textiles

KARL MAYER invites the Global Textile Industry to celebrate its 90th anniversary at its German Headquarters in 2027

KARL MAYER headquarter in Obertshausen © 2026 KARL MAYER

KARL MAYER is turning its anniversary year 2027 into a milestone for the textile sector. To mark its 90th anniversary, the industry leader is inviting customers, partners, and experts from around the world to a unique event series in September aimed at pushing boundaries, unlocking new opportunities, and jointly setting the course for a new era in textiles – just as KARL MAYER has done throughout its history. The company’s headquarters in Obertshausen, near Frankfurt, is the place to be.

“Our anniversary activities are about much more than individual machines or new features. They are about the next major technical breakthrough developments and true textile innovations across WARP KNITTING, TECHNICAL TEXTILES, and WARP PREPARATION. Above all, they highlight the opportunities for our customers: stronger growth, new market opportunities, higher productivity and efficiency, as well as additional potential for sustainable business success,” says Lutz Wolf, CEO of KARL MAYER.

In the place where progress has been shaping the textile industry for 90 years, innovations, technologies, and future opportunities come together in a unique and immersive experience – in a setting that’s perfect for this purpose: With its Textile Innovation Center (TIC) and Product Innovation Center (PIC) in Obertshausen, KARL MAYER offers a globally unique environment for development, textile application and technology transfer.

Across more than 5,000 square meters, visitors will not only see innovations but also experience them in real production environments and business scenarios.

Visitors can look forward to:

New machine generations addressing the challenges facing the global textile industry, in live operation.

Innovative solutions demonstrating how customers can optimize their textile value creation and maximize the quality of their products.

Future-oriented textile applications and entirely new fabric concepts that inspire new ideas and open up new business opportunities.

Constructive expert dialogue with leading players from all sectors of the textile industry – from fiber manufacturers to brands.

A special benefit for guests: Throughout the entire event week, KARL MAYER specialists from all textile categories, machine segments, and technology fields will be available for in-depth technical discussions and tailored consultations.

“We have a strong pipeline of innovations across all technology areas and are very much looking forward to sharing the results with our customers in 2027,” says Lutz Wolf.

In light of the 90th anniversary, KARL MAYER will focus its activities in 2027 on the celebrations at its headquarters in Obertshausen rather than on attending the ITMA trade show in Hanover. Further information on the anniversary program will follow in the coming months.

Setting the Stage in China: ITMA ASIA 2026

KARL MAYER will already be presenting new developments at ITMA ASIA 2026 in Shanghai. To address the diverse needs of its customers even more effectively the company will be represented there with two separate exhibition booths:

In Hall 4.1/C18 for WARP KNITTING and TECHNICAL TEXTILES

In Hall 3/A24 for WARP PREPARATION

In addition, there will be a Product Show at KARL MAYER (China) in Changzhou.

With its expanded trade show presence in China, the company is reinforcing its strong commitment to customers in this important region.

RDJ 6/2 in E 32: Finesse in Motion

The appearance of sports and casual shoes is as diverse as their applications, ranging from sporty to stylish and from functional to fashionably practical. In particular, spacer fabrics produced on highly flexible KARL MAYER double needle bar raschel machines with Jacquard technology are in high demand for manufacturing these trendy shoes. These efficient production machines enable attractive designs with integrated multifunctional zones on one or both fabric surfaces, such as breathable mesh structures. Flexible in size and positioning, these features enhance both aesthetics and wearing comfort.

3D designs with a wow factor made on HKS 4-M EL ECO: When crepe, ruffles, and sheer fabrics redefine fashion

Seersucker, flip-flap items, Fırfır, or crepe materials: structured fabrics have long been more than just a passing trend. They lend timeless looks depth, dynamism, and an exciting tactile dimension. Whether classic striped patterns or modern solid-color interpretations, these versatile pieces pair perfectly with casual and business-casual outfits and effortlessly create a modern look.

SHIMA SEIKI to showcase flat knitting and digital design solutions at Egypt Stitch & Tex

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its sales representative in Egypt, TTS (EL MASRIA FOR TRADE & TECHNICAL SERVICES), will participate in the upcoming 24th International Exhibition for Textile & Carpet Machineries, Printing Technologies and Accessories (Egypt Stitch & Tex) to be held in Cairo, Egypt this month.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at Première Vision Paris

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Première Vision Paris in Paris, France next month. The company will exhibit in the "Smart Creation" area, dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge technologies that integrate sustainability and innovation. The knitting expert will be demonstrating solutions that optimize product development workflows and enhance sustainability through proposals in Digital Product Creation (DPC).

The new RJ 4/2 EL revolutionizes body mapping and expands creative possibilities – from smart lingerie to sporty athleisure designs

With the addition of another member to its successful RASCHELTRONIC® family, KARL MAYER is opening up new possibilities for creative product development for warp knitting mills and brands. The RJ 4/2 EL offers with two stitch-forming Jacquard bars entirely new design options for functional sportswear and bi-elastic lingerie. Available in gauges E 28 and E 32, this new model helps manufacturers set their collections apart from the competition. The fine E-32 gauges, in particular, impress with their clean surface, a pleasantly soft feel, and an exceptionally elegant look.

ITMF names three winners of the Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026

Three projects from the UK, Korea and China have been selected as winners of the ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026. The projects address textile-to-textile recycling, chemical recycling for automotive textiles and a regenerative approach combining silk production with ecological restoration.

Durak Maxibalance thread supports users’ movement and balance comfort

Durak Tekstil, a leading brand in its industry, has developed Durak Maxibalance, a new product engineered with bio-ceramic and FAR IR technology. Ushering in a new era for sportswear, activewear, and medical textiles, this technology offers features designed to support balance and movement comfort by reflecting the energy absorbed from the body back into it.