ITMA is the trendsetting textile and garment technology platform where the industry converges every four years to explore fresh ideas， effective solutions and collaborative partnerships for business growth. Organized by ITMA Services， the upcoming ITMA will be held from June 20th to 26th 2019 in Barcelona at Fira De Barcelona， Gran Via.

Technological innovation， a basic of industry transformation， is pivotal to the success of the textile and garment industry.

Review of the last edition

ITMA 2015 achieved a new milestone， attracting the biggest number of exhibitors since the shows launch way back in 1951. The 17th edition of ITMA attracted 1，691 exhibitors from 46 countries and economies. The previous record was set by ITMA 2007 when 1，451 exhibitors from 38 countries took part in the exhibition.

ITMA 2015 also featured a larger exhibition， with net exhibit space of over 108，000 square metres， occupying 11 halls of the Fiera Milano Rho fairgrounds. It was about 20 per cent larger than the 2011 exhibition. As in previous years， exhibitors from CEMATEX countries occupied the largest space. They booked 73，830 square meters， or 69 per cent of the total net exhibit space. This is an 18 per cent increase from the 2011 figure.

The largest participating country in terms of space booked was Italy. Italian exhibitors booked a total of 32，540 square meters. This was followed by Germany at 21，380 square meters， Switzerland at 5，530 square meters， and Spain with 4，540 square meters.

From non-CEMATEX countries， the four largest groups of participants were from Turkey at 7，590 square meters， China at 5，880 square meters， India at 4，870 square meters， and Japan at 3，960 square meters.

The countries fielding the largest contingent of exhibitors at ITMA 2015 were Italy （453 exhibitors）， Germany （238 exhibitors）， China （184 exhibitors） and India（158 exhibitors）.

ITMA 2015 featured exhibits clustered into 19 chapters. The sectors ranged from spinning， web formation， winding and texturing， weaving， knitting and hosiery， embroidery and braiding， finishing， dyestuffs and chemicals， software， logistics， plant operations， recycling and education to garment making and textile processing， printing and fibre and yarn.

The top five sectors were：

dyeing and finishing which occupies 23 per cent of the space， with 303 exhibitors

spinning， 14 per cent of the space， 290 exhibitors

weaving， 12 per cent of the space， 179 exhibitors

knitting and hosiery， 13 per cent of the space， 128 exhibitors

printing， 10 per cent of the space， 113 exhibitors

ITMA 2019 provides an unrivalled marketplace and knowledge platform

Organized by ITMA Services， ITMA 2019 is expected to draw 120，000 visitors from over 147 countries， and 1，600 exhibitors， who are original manufacturers， from 46 countries. Advanced technologies and live machinery demonstrations will be at gross showcase of 220，000 sqm. There are 19 Exhibit Sectors， covering the integrated solutions for the entire value chain.

A series of complementary events have been organized to meet the needs of textile and garment industry professionals. These key events include：

Tex-Summit Global

ITMA-EDANA Nonwovens Forum

SAC & ZDHC Manufacturer Forum

Planet Textiles

Textile Colourant & Chemical Leaders Forum

Digital Textile Conference

Better Cotton Initiative Seminar

Texmeeting by TEXFOR

With the fourth industrial revolution bringing forth a new era of intelligent and flexible manufacturing， innovation is vital for textile and garment makers to remain globally competitive and sustainable. As the worlds largest and only integrated textile and garment manufacturing technology showcase that encompasses the entire production chain， ITMA is playing a critical role in facilitating the transfer of knowledge， fostering cross-disciplinary and cross-industry partnerships， as well as celebrating R&D achievements.

The ITMA Innovation Lab aims to drive innovation excellence through research and development， and promoting sustainable development of the textile and garment making industry.

The ITMA Innovation Lab comprises four components：

Research & Innovation Pavilion

ITMA Speakers Platform

Innovation Video Showcase

ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award

Advancing textile and garment manufacturing through sustainable innovation

Sustainable manufacturing is critical for business success in a competitive world. The global textile and apparel industry， built on complex linear supply chains， has resulted in high human and environmental costs. It is characterized by the high consumption of resources in a long process that generates a large amount of waste. By adopting a cleaner production approach， manufacturers and brands can enjoy the “triple bottom line” of profit， people and planet while contributing to a circular economy.

ITMA 2019 offers an integrated platform of eco-friendly solutions across the entire textile and garment manufacturing value chain with a dedicated recycling， waste reduction， and pollution prevention exhibit sector.

Among the highlights at ITMA 2019 that promote the exchange of knowledge and excellence in sustainability are：

ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award

The Award recognizes outstanding industry members and postgraduate students for their contributions to sustainable development of the global textile and garment industry.

Knowledge Events

A series of events， including co-located conferences， will be held during ITMA. These events include the Textile Colourant and Chemical Leaders Forum and the Speakers Platform at the Research & Innovation Pavilion.