ITMA 2019 to focus on smart garment technologies

The exhibition will showcase an integrated textile and garment manufacturing value chain. In addition to machinery, exhibits will also include yarns, fibres and fabrics, and solutions for technical textiles and nonwovens, and garment making.

"The garment making industry is labour intensive and associated with low productivity. Things are set to change. Recently, there has been much publicity about 'sewbots', considered as a major breakthrough in garment automation. Manufacturers fast enough to ride the digital wave will find new opportunities and gain an edge over their competitors," Fritz P Mayer, president of CEMATEX, which owns the ITMA exhibition, said in a press release.

"The digitisation of the fashion industry means that their suppliers will need to seamlessly integrate their design, material supply and production of the finished products. With integrated solutions, garment manufacturers will be able to respond well to fast and flexible production turnarounds and cut costs by increasing productivity and reducing wastes," elaboated AE Roberts, managing director of ITMA Services, organiser of ITMA 2019.

"We are glad that there is a resurgence of textile and garment making in Europe as this benefits the Portuguese textile and apparel industry. Our manufacturers can be more competitive by improving competencies through branding, innovation and R&D," said Paulo Vaz, general director of the Textile and Apparel Association of Portugal.

"By incorporating technological and creative innovation to differentiate our products, we can expand our markets. As such, it is critical for us to continually evaluate and invest in new technologies. ITMA 2019, which will be held in neighbouring Spain, will be an excellent platform for our manufacturers to explore integrated solutions, ranging from textile and garment technologies to fibres, yarns and fabrics," Vaz added.

Besides a big display of technologies, fibres, yarns and fabrics, the exhibition will also host conferences and meetings that will add value to the visits of garment technology buyers, as well as brands and retailers.

"An exhibition such as ITMA 2019, where we can explore all the solutions, from textile to garment making, and even materials, in one location is ideal for our members. We will be organising a delegation of top garment manufacturers to study the latest trends and source new technologies that we can implement in our factories," said Vu Duc Giang, chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India