"Start-ups are an essential part of co-creating the future of textiles," said Alex Zucchi, President of CEMATEX. "By bringing together innovators and industry leaders, ITMA provides the environment and opportunities needed to accelerate innovation and help promising ideas evolve into viable business ventures."

Since its debut at ITMA 2023, the Start-Up Valley has attracted growing interest from entrepreneurial ventures worldwide. Applications for ITMA 2027 have nearly doubled compared with the previous edition, reflecting strong demand and reinforcing ITMA's position as the world's leading marketplace for textile and garment technologies.

As preparations progress, sector planning will move into the next phase following the close of stand space applications on 8 July 2026. Companies which submit their applications early will have greater assurance of securing exhibiting space within their relevant product sector before detailed planning gets underway.

Charles Beauduin, Chairman of ITMA Services, organiser of ITMA said: “In an era of rapid technological change, sustainability imperatives and increasing market volatility, no single organisation can shape the future alone. Industry leaders, innovators, researchers and manufacturers must come together in Hanover to collaborate, share expertise and develop solutions that will drive the next chapter of sustainable textile manufacturing. Such collective action is particularly important as geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties continue to challenge global trade and investment.”

Regular ITMA participant Woolmark sees ITMA as an important platform that aligns with its focus on innovation, sustainability and collaboration.

“ITMA brings together the full textile value chain. For Woolmark, it's a significant industry event that connects us with technology leaders, manufacturers and innovators shaping high-performance natural fibre production, and an opportunity to showcase the possibilities of Merino wool innovation as solutions for the journey towards a nature-positive future,” said Julie Davies, General Manager, Industry Development, Woolmark.

Visitor interest is also expected to be strong, as textile and garment manufacturers look to ITMA 2027 to discover technologies, exchange ideas and identify solutions that can support their future business priorities.

“ITMA is where we can see the direction of the textile industry first-hand. We look forward to visiting ITMA 2027 in Hanover, where industry and textile research come together. In doing so, the trade fair creates the conditions for translating new ideas into practical applications more quickly. For Europe – and Germany in particular – as a textile hub, ITMA serves as a key driver for the transformation of the entire value chain,” said Johannes Diebel, Managing Director Forschungskuratorium Textil e. V..

Taking place from 16 to 22 September 2027 at Messegelände Hannover, Germany, ITMA 2027 will continue to spotlight innovation across the entire textile and garment manufacturing value chain, with a focus on advanced materials, automation and the digital future, sustainability and circularity, and human-centric manufacturing.

The last ITMA exhibition was held in Milan in 2023. It featured 1,709 exhibitors from 47 countries and welcomed more than 111,000 visitors from 143 countries.

With demand building across sectors, interested companies are encouraged to submit their stand applications by 8 July 2026 at: https://exh.itma.com/ITMA2027/ExhibitorCentre/Login.aspx