ITMA 2027 attracts strong global industry response
ITMA 2027 has unveiled its sector plan, marking another milestone in preparations for the world’s leading textile and garment technology exhibition. The event has already secured participation from more than 1,500 companies across 43 countries, highlighting strong industry confidence despite ongoing geopolitical and economic challenges.
Spanning 12 halls at Messegelände Hannover and covering over 180,000 square metres, the exhibition will feature 20 sectors representing the complete textile and garment manufacturing value chain, from spinning and weaving to finishing, software, automation, recycling, and fibres, yarns and fabrics.
The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) continues to play a significant role in the exhibition, with manufacturers represented by its nine national associations accounting for 43% of all applicants and more than 60% of the exhibition space booked to date.
International participation remains equally strong, with manufacturers outside Europe representing over half of all applicants and approximately 40% of the booked exhibition space. China leads international participation, followed by India, Türkiye, and Japan, underlining the global importance of ITMA as a platform for showcasing textile manufacturing innovations.
Alex Zucchi, President of CEMATEX, said the broad international participation reinforces ITMA 2027’s position as a neutral global platform where manufacturers can compete equally while presenting their latest technologies.
Charles Beauduin, Chairman of ITMA Services, added that the strong exhibitor response demonstrates the textile industry’s resilience and continued commitment to innovation and future growth despite global economic uncertainties.
Established sectors and emerging technologies
Traditional sectors including Spinning, Weaving, Knitting, Nonwovens, Finishing, Printing, and Garment Making will continue to occupy the largest exhibition areas. Alongside these, dedicated sectors for Research & Innovation, Software & Automation, Recycling, Fibres, Yarns & Fabrics, Services, and the CEMATEX-funded Start-Up Valley reflect the industry’s increasing focus on sustainability, digitalisation and innovation.
The Start-Up Valley, introduced successfully at ITMA 2023, has seen applications double for the 2027 edition. A total of 64 start-ups are competing for just 20 exhibition spaces, highlighting growing interest from emerging technology companies.
The Research & Innovation sector will continue promoting collaboration between academia and industry, while the expanding Recycling sector reflects increasing investment driven by circular economy initiatives and evolving sustainability regulations, including the EU’s Sustainable and Circular Textiles Strategy.
ITMA 2027 will take place from 16 to 22 September 2027 in Hannover, Germany, with a strong focus on advanced materials, automation, digital transformation, sustainability, circularity and human-centric manufacturing.
Visitor registration is expected to open in March 2027.
