From the Sector

Under the theme “Ensuring a Transformed World Prosperity – Action for Planet with Innovation and Collaboration,” APIC 2025 promoted the petrochemical industry’s role in driving growth and building a sustainable future amid fundamental structural shifts in the sector, which aligns with Indorama Ventures’ brand promise to deliver indispensable chemistry through sustainable solutions.
Indorama Ventures joined some 1,500 delegates from across the globe to discuss sustainability, innovation, and industry cooperation. Ahead of the event, the company’s Combined PET segment, the world’s largest producer and recycler of PET bottles, hosted a reception for about 200 customers, suppliers and partners, including a traditional Thai puppet performance and an interactive VR experience of Indorama Ventures’ 360 Gallery.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical producer, reinforced its leadership in shaping the future of the petrochemical industry at the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) 2025, held this year in Bangkok.

Mr. Aloke Lohia, Group CEO of Indorama Ventures, emphasized that collaboration across the value chain is critical to building long-term resilience and relevance in a shifting global landscape:
“Our global diversity gives us the agility to meet change with confidence and to remain dependable no matter the environment. It is this quiet strength that makes us a partner you can rely on, for today and for what lies ahead. The future of our industry won’t be written in isolation. It will be shaped, once again, through collaboration. Through shared purpose. Through indispensable chemistry.”

Driving Sustainability Through Innovation
At a APIC 2025 panel discussion titled “Reimagining Petrochemicals”, Dr. Anthony Watanabe, Chief Sustainability Officer, explored how the industry must move beyond incremental change by adopting systemic innovation, improving sourcing transparency, and accelerating climate-positive technologies.
Complementing this vision, Dr. Tinnabhop Santadkha, Sustainability Innovation Specialist, delivered a keynote on “Indorama Ventures’ Alternative Feedstocks.” He outlined how the company is investing in bio-based materials, chemical recycling, and alternative feedstocks to reduce emissions and enable a circular economy at scale.

Scaling Impact at the Grassroots Level
In a session focused on circular economy ecosystems, Ms. Naweensuda Krabuanrat, Head of Global CSR, Global Recycling Education and Thai Advocacy, spotlighted the company’s work in building community-based PET collection systems and driving education through public-private collaboration. Her presentation underscored a key takeaway: that systems-level change requires both infrastructure and behavior change. The company’s recycling infrastructure and public-private partnerships are contributing to a more sustainable value.

Monforts will exhibit at the upcoming Morocco Stitch & Tex 2025 exhibition which is taking place at the Casablanca International Fairground (OFEC) from May 13-15 at a critical juncture for the region’s textile manufacturers.

North African countries are currently looking to bolster their strong garment manufacturing operations with an expansion of textile production and finishing capacity, particularly with a view to exploiting the many benefits of the region’s close proximity to Europe and its cost and operational advantages. Morocco is already in the top ten of suppliers to the EU and has also had a free trade agreement with the USA since 2006. It further looks set to emerge as a beneficiary of the recently-proposed new tariffs on imports to the USA – if they eventually go ahead – compared to its competitors in Asia.

As a specialist in advanced technology for fabric finishing, Monforts is well positioned to help.

Industry standard
Montex stenters for fabric finishing are the industry standard, particularly in the sectors of denim and home textiles, providing a number of advantages in terms of production throughput and especially in energy efficiency and savings. The other key technologies in the company’s range include relaxation dryers, Thermex dyeing ranges, Monfortex compressive shrinking ranges and MontexCoat and coaTTex coating units.

In 2024, Monforts celebrated its 140th anniversary and its technologies are based on successive industry developments and know-how accummulated over many decades. The company was founded in 1884 in Mönchengladbach in Germany where it is still headquartered and where its Advanced Technology Centre (ATC) for fully industrial testing and trials for customers is also situated. Monforts machines have been manufactured at the company’s plant in Austria since 1982.

Retrofitting
Textile companies making major capital investments in new manufacturing lines rely on durability and it’s for this reason that there are currently an estimated 2,000 Monforts machines in operation worldwide – some of which were first installed over 30 years ago. This doesn’t mean, however, that they can’t benefit from many of the advances in performance and automation that have subsequently been made by Monforts. The retrofitting of specific modules with new control and drive technology – going far beyond the basic replacement of spare parts – can have a significant impact on the performance of an existing line.

Double-digit increases
“We have a strong presence in North Africa, particularly in Morocco, Algeria and Egypt, which remain key markets for us,” says Monforts Area Sales Manager Achim Gesser who will be at the show at stand D4 with specialists from Unionmatex, the company’s regional partner. “Imports of European textile machinery to Morocco have already been increasing in double-digit figures over the past few years and some exciting projects are currently underway there.”

These include plans to construct Africa’s largest textiles and garment manufacturing city in Morocco based on 568 factories and representing a planned investment of US$2 billion.

“There has been a lot of interest, in particular from Turkish textile manufacturers, in expanding their operations to North Africa and with over 600 line installations already established in Turkiye we have built up a lot of close relationships with the major textile manufacturers there,” Gesser adds. “We expect a lot of these companies to be at this major exhibition in Morocco, especially as it is covering the complete supply chain – from machinery and fibre and yarn suppliers to finished garment specialists. The Moroccan government’s Vision 2025 programme is targeting earnings of $10 billion for the clothing and garment sector at an average annual growth rate of 15% over the next five years and we are keen to help companies looking to contribute to this unprecedented growth.”

Organized by İTKİB FuarcılıkA.Ş. in collaboration with the Istanbul Textile Exporters Association (İTHİB), Texhibition Istanbul 2025 once again proved itself as one of the leading international trade fairs for fabrics, yarns, and textile accessories. From March 5–7, 2025, the Istanbul Expo Center transformed into a dynamic meeting point for textile professionals worldwide presenting for fabrics, yarns, and textile accessories. More than 500 exhibitors presented their latest collections and technologies, 22.623 visitors from 106 countries—spanning Europe, North and South America, and Asia—seized the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and explore new business opportunities. European visitors have increased by 30 % compared to September 2024.

The denim sector established itself on its own stage in the Blue-Black Denim Hall 7,
Workshops, creative installations, and fashion presentations, such as the Blue Black Denim Show, made this section one of the most vibrant areas of the fair. Artistic and innovative denim collections showcased the latest developments in the denim industry, including metallic-shimmering fabrics and vintage-reworked denim.
Since the introduction of this segment, Texhibition Istanbul has recorded a significant increase in visitors from the EU, while demand for Turkish denim fabrics has grown considerably.

A central theme at Texhibition Istanbul 2025 was the sustainable transformation of the Turkish textile industry. More and more companies are embracing eco-friendly processes, energy-efficient production methods, and innovative recycling solutions.

Türkiye’s textile and apparel sector is a global leader with an export volume of $32.1 billion. Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat emphasized that Türkiye is among the world's top six textile exporters and the EU’s third-largest supplier. Texhibition Istanbul strengthens the industry by showcasing innovation and design expertise on a global scale. In response to rising costs and global competition, Türkiye successfully focuses on sustainability, technology, and market differentiation.

At the recent Dhaka International Textile & Garment Machinery Exhibition (DTG), Jeanologia showcased its integrated ecosystem of technologies designed to drive automation, efficiency, and sustainability across the entire denim production process.

Jeanologia, a global leader in the development of sustainable technologies for the textile industry, wants to reinforcing Bangladesh’s position as the world’s leading denim manufacturer by offering cutting-edge solutions that transform the industry from fabric treatment to garment finishing.

With over 20 years of presence in Bangladesh, Jeanologia continues to be a strategic partner for the country’s leading manufacturers, supporting them in their transition toward a more eco-efficient and competitive industry. By integrating its fabric-to-garment finishing solutions, the company is accelerating the shift towards a new era of digital and sustainable denim production.

Since its founding, Jeanologia has been on a mission to transform the textile industry into a more ethical, sustainable, and efficient model. The company works closely with brands, retailers, and suppliers on this transformative journey, offering disruptive technologies, innovative software, and a new operational model. Their groundbreaking solutions, including laser technology, G2 ozone, Dancing Box, e-flow, H2Zero, and ColorBox, have redefinedgarment design and finishing standards, eliminating polluting processes and significantly reducing the use of water, energy, and chemicals. Thanks to these advancements, Jeanologia has saved millions of liters of water and eliminated harmful substances, turning its vision of a truly sustainable textile industry into reality.

G2 Dynamic: Fabric finishing
Jeanologia’s G2 Dynamic technology is revolutionizing fabric treatment and garment finishing by replacing highly polluting conventional processes with an eco-efficient ozone-based alternative. This solution significantly reduces the environmental impact of denim manufacturing by cutting water and chemical consumption by up to 95% and energy use by 80%.

Automated, digital, and sustainable garment finishing
Beyond fabric treatment, Jeanologia provides advanced garment finishing solutions that integrate automation, digitalization, and sustainability. These include Laser technology, a fully digital and automated system that replaces traditional manual and chemical-intensive processes, increasing precision and creativity while reducing environmental impact; G2 Indra, based on Airwash technology, this eco-efficient solution achieves authentic vintage and aged denim looks without using water or chemicals, reducing environmental impact while maintaining fabric integrity; e-Flow, a nanobubble technology that applies chemicals using minimal water, drastically reducing waste, and improving fabric performance; and H2 Zero, a water recycling system that enables zero discharge in the finishing process, making garment production more sustainable and resource-efficient.

“Our goal is to transform the denim industry by offering an end-to-end solution that enables a more responsible, automated, and sustainable production model. Bangladesh plays a key role in this transformation, and our technologies support the country’s leadership in the global market,” said Jean Pierre Inchauspe, Jeanologia’s Business Director in Asia.

Source Fashion, Europe’s leading responsible sourcing show, opened its doors on Tuesday, 18th February, at Olympia London, attracting record-breaking visitor numbers. Buyers, retailers, and sourcing professionals from around the world gathered at the highly anticipated event, including representatives from industry giants such as NEXT, John Lewis, Reiss, Maebe, ASOS, Evans, Harrods, Hunter Boots, Lipsy, Barbour, Claires, NBA, Fortnum and Mason, Sophia Webster, The Hippie Shake and French Connection. With a shared commitment to driving positive change in the retail sector, attendees explored innovative sustainable solutions and forged impactful connections that are set to shape the future of fashion.

The event features an impressive line-up of responsible manufacturers from around the globe with the spotlight on the UK, Portugal, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Nepal.

The Source Catwalk Show held three times daily, captivated audiences with standout collections from exhibitors. Three distinct trends - Reconstructed, Circus, and Romance - captured the energy of the season, complemented by a vibrant swimwear story curated by sustainable stylist Rebekah Roy.  Closing the show in style, headline designer Stuart Trevor, founder of All Saints and a passionate sustainability advocate, unveiled his latest label, STUART TREVOR, showcasing contemporary designs crafted from sustainable and repurposed materials.

The panel discussions on the Source Catwalk Stage and lively conversations on the Source Debates Stage have also drawn crowds with a series of thought-provoking talks from leading industry professionals discussing the latest trends and topics in sustainable fashion.

Speaking on the Source Catwalk Stage, Nick Reed, Founder of Neem London, chaired a panel discussion titled “From Fast Fashion to Circularity – Encouraging Consumers to Embrace Sustainable Fashion Models.” Charlotte Pumford, Head of Sustainability at Vivobarefoot, highlighted three key elements for circularity: slowing down production by focusing on local, on-demand manufacturing; designing products with intentionality for repair, durability, and recycling; and maintaining transparency to understand the impact of manufacturing.

On the Source Debates Stage, topics ranged from how to produce less while maintaining the same level of profit, to the use of authentic language, building trust, and what can be perceived as greenwashing. However, the liveliest debate of the day came when Giovanni Beatrice, Founder of Forward in Fashion joined Sherin Hosni, Executive Director of the Apparel Export Council of Egypt, to discuss North Africa's potential as a sourcing alternative to Asia.

Beatrice highlighted a shift from traditionally low-cost Asian manufacturers towards more sustainable sourcing, driven by environmental concerns and stricter legislation. They noted growing interest in African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt, emphasising the importance of matching products to the right markets while minimising environmental impact. Hosni underscored Egypt’s emergence as a leader in high-quality, responsibly produced apparel, supported by efficient business services and sustainable practices.

New to the show Egyptian Pavilion showcases 20 companies, highlighting the exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability practices of Egyptian manufacturers. It offered UK and European buyers an unparalleled opportunity to source responsibly, reinforcing Egypt’s growing reputation as a leader in sustainable fashion production.

Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Fashion, said, “I’m thrilled that today has seen record numbers of visitors come through the door. That’s including serious buyers from the UK’s largest brands and retailers who are looking to forge new relationships and do better business. Our mission is to connect international manufacturers with UK and European buyers seeking responsible sourcing solutions, and the show is delivering on this promise.

The inspiring and eye-opening content program kicked off with industry leaders in sustainability addressing the biggest challenges in responsible manufacturing and sourcing today. I have been blown away by the source Debates stage and the audience participation, Hearing the conversation from the industry and seeing people sharing publicly their ways of working, really just doesn’t happen very often. We have a platform that allows this to happen and that, to me, is something we are incredibly proud of.  We’re excited for what’s still to come over the next two days.”

As the global demand for technical textiles surges, India is emerging as a key hub for innovation and growth. Recognizing the vast potential of this evolving market, Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India announced a collaboration for ‘Techtextil India - the country’s premier platform for the technical textiles industry with Austrian Fibers Institute. This strategic alliance between the two-leading platforms in technical textiles will bring the Asia edition of the renowned Dornbirn GFC at a part of Techtextil India Symposium in 2025.

The 10th edition of Techtextil India 2025 which is scheduled from 19 – 21 November 2025, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, will open its doors for the Dornbirn Global fiber congress Asia on 18th November 2025 to be held under Techtextil India Symposium.

The Dornbirn GFC Asia in India 2025 will spotlight on theme titled as ‘Shaping the future: Sustainable Growth in Fiber Solutions and Innovations’. The conference will be led by globally acclaimed subject matter experts, researchers, manufacturers and thought leaders.

The GFC Asia – India Conference will host a diverse line-up of speakers from India and around the world, showcasing cutting-edge innovations and expertise in the fiber and textile industry. The discussions will spotlight ground-breaking advances in spinning technology.

Driven by intensive research and development, the upcoming edition of the Techtextil India will present the innovative strides made by the industry players. From various stages of production of man-made fibre, non-woven and others, to the evolving applications and maintenance methods, the expo will be a source of upgrading knowledge and expanding the network.

Techtextil India 2025 edition is already sold out and has witnessed a strong interest from leading global brands who have signed up to exhibit. Indian government is aiming for the technical textile market to reach USD 40 billion by 2030 and total exports targeted are USD 10 billion by 2030. The Indian government and the industry players are confident that India will soon become the world leader in manufacturing of technical textiles. Schemes like National Technical textiles Mission (NTTM) and Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) are offering the benefits to industry stakeholders. Under NTTM, the government is focusing on 156 R&D projects for driving innovations. The government is also encouraging Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to boost the segment.

The growing focus on sustainability and circularity in textiles is opening up new avenues encouraging reuse, repairing, refurbishing and recycling of the products. Indian government and technical textile educational programmes are witnessing a growth to impart knowledge and skills across categories like medical textiles, mobile textiles, geotextiles, geosynthetics and etc., which represent an attractive future. Applications ranging from medical textiles to sportswear, automotive to construction and environmental sustainability are driving the demand for high-performance materials.

Amidst this backdrop, the collaboration of Dornbirn GFC and Techtextil India 2025 marks a pivotal step in positioning India as a global hub for technical textile innovation and strengthening cross-border knowledge exchange. With the technical textiles market poised to redefine industries, Techtextil Symposium India will also present Meditex Conference during the event.

Despite global challenges, Vietnam's textile industry is poised for robust growth. This year, the country’s textile and garment exports are projected to reach USD 44 billion, reflecting an impressive increase of over 11% compared to the previous year.

With more than 42% of local firms anticipating improved business performance in the fourth quarter, the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) stands out as a crucial event for the industry to continue its momentum. Scheduled for 26 – 28 February 2025 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), the fair will leverage Vietnam’s position as a leading textile and apparel manufacturing hub and provide opportunities to textile players from across ASEAN, Europe and beyond.
 
Spanning 15,000 sqm of exhibition space across Halls A and B1, VIATT will showcase a comprehensive range of products and solutions that encompass the full textile spectrum, including apparel fabrics and accessories; yarns and fibres; garments; home and contract textiles; technical textiles, nonwovens and equipment; and various certifiers and solutions providers. This edition will place a strong emphasis on ‘what’s next’ in the industry, by introducing Econogy Hub and the Innovation & Digital Solutions Zone, respectively highlighting the industry’s movement towards sustainability and technological innovation.

The fair will feature robust international exhibitor participation, especially in the dedicated country / region pavilions and zones from India, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Thailand, as well as the inaugural European Zone.
 
VIATT 2025 will also serve as a vital platform to provide Vietnamese and international buyers with access to innovative textiles and technologies from leading exhibitors across Asia. While Japan remains the second-largest destination for Vietnam’s apparel exports[3], the country is also a steady supplier in many textile categories.
 
With VIATT 2025 welcoming exhibitors from across Europe and Asia’s diverse textile sectors, the fair is set to enhance its status as a top sourcing destination for the ASEAN region, and buyer delegations from Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and beyond have already confirmed their participation next year.
 
VIATT will be held from 26 – 28 February 2025.

Flat knitting technology company SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, is participating in the ITMA Asia + CITME 2024 exhibition in Shanghai, China. In line with its exhibition concept at ITMA 2023 and ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 held last year, SHIMA SEIKI continues the concept for this year’s exhibition: “SHIMA SEIKI Reborn".

SHIMA SEIKI Reborn represents a return to origin, for the company and for its products, and a renewal of passion and commitment toward innovation. The concept is manifested in physical form as the long-awaited production version of the SWG-XR® next-generation WHOLEGARMENT® machine, introduced to much acclaim as prototypes at ITMA 2023 in Milan, Italy and ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 exhibits last year.

Of the 5 knitting machines SHIMA SEIKI is exhibiting at its 350 sq. meter booth in Hall 4, Stand F01, 4 are WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, 2 of which are the new SWG-XR® machines, shown. 2 other WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines and 1 prototype computerized flat knitting machine round out the machine exhibit. Approximately 270 knit items are on display as proposals for knitted applications in various fields ranging from fashion to shoes, bags and accessories.

In addition to machine technology, SHIMA SEIKI's computer graphic design system and software are shown with their latest software upgrades that feature significant improvements in knit programming, 3D functions and speed, as well as generative AI functions. Demonstrations are available for a comprehensive fashion tech solutions package based on realistic virtual sampling and supported by various digital solutions and web services.

Based on customer feedback as well as industry and media response at ITMA 2023 and ITMA Asia + CITME 2022, SHIMA SEIKI's exhibit is likely to garner much attention at ITMA Asia + CITME 2024 as well.

With 42 exhibiting member companies, ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 is once again marked by a strong presence of VDMA companies. They cover nearly all different machinery chapters with a focus on spinning and man-made fibers, nonwovens, weaving, braiding, knitting & warp knitting, finishing & dyeing as well as technologies for textile recycling and processing of recycled material.
In total, the German participation at the fair is the largest from outside China.

The VDMA team in Shanghai is staffed again with colleagues from the VDMA headquarters in Germany as well as from VDMA China. With these joined forces, the team is well prepared to support the exhibiting member companies on site.

Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director VDMA Textile Machinery Association, summarised: “Although facing a difficult market situation, this year’s ITMA ASIA is an essential showcase for the member companies of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. There is definitely no shortage of chances and opportunities in China and other Asian markets. The exhibiting members will demonstrate their smart technologies that can pave the way to a green textile production and are looking forward to welcoming numerous visitors from various countries to their booths in Shanghai.”

China is aiming at a green and low CO₂ development of its textile industry. At a press conference on the first day of ITMA ASIA + CITME, Georg Stausberg, member of the board of VDMA Textile Machinery and CEO of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division said: “Topics, such as energy efficiency and the careful use of resources have become increasingly important for Asian customers in recent years, not least due to stricter legal framework conditions. VDMA members and their technologies are the right partners on the road to a greener and low CO₂ textile production.”
 
Export performance
Already in 2023, the global textile machinery exports decreased by 18.6 % compared to 2022. This was a challenge all major textile machinery producing countries had to face. However, the German exports remained relatively strong and only declined by 3.4 % in 2023. 2024 did not see a change in the global textile industry and thus the German exports have now also dropped significantly. Between January and July 2024, German exports of textile machinery and accessories summed up to 1.2 billion € (2023: 1.6 billion €). The shipping to almost all major markets decreased between January and July: China: 242 million € (2023: 384 million €), Turkey: 140 million € (2023: 180 million €), USA: 118 million € (2023: 152 million €), India: 100 million € (2023: 153 million €).

Sales opportunities in Asia
An economic survey of VDMA in September, to which 20 textile machinery companies replied, reflects the global challenging situation. Around 36 % assessed their current business situation as satisfactory, 54 % said it was bad. Only very few companies expect the global situation to improve in the next six months.

However, looking at the sales opportunities by regions/countries in Asia, most of the responding companies expect a better business situation in the Asian markets except China in six months. The business situation is expected to be on a satisfactory level then. With regard to this, a presence at ITMA ASIA in Shanghai and next year in Singapore is important for VDMA members to continuously show their innovations and to keep contact with the customers in Asia.

About 50 Italian companies will exhibit at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024, taking place from October 14 to 18 in Shanghai. With an area of around 1,400 square meters, Italy ranks among the top exhibiting countries, as in previous editions. 29 Italian exhibitors will show their innovations within the National Sector Groups, organized by ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers) and Italian Trade Agency.

ITMA ASIA + CITME show has always been the main showcase for textile machinery manufacturers in Asia, that absorbs over 50% of global exports. Moreover China is the world’s largest market in the sector (the value of imported textile machinery in 2023 was around 2.6 billion euro).

For Italian manufacturers as well, the Chinese market is the top foreign destination. In 2023, Italian sales to China amounted to 222 million euro. In the first six months of this year, exports to China increased by 38%, while the performance of total Italian exports declined slightly in the same period.

“We hope that the recovery of the Chinese market, observed in this first half of the year, may be an early indication of a more general upturn in global demand for machinery,” says ACIMIT President Marco Salvadè. Over the past few years, demand from Chinese companies has turned to technologies that combine savings in production costs and environmental friendliness, as also demanded by brands and end consumers. “Today, Italian manufacturers can offer highly customized solutions that are particularly suited to making textile production more sustainable,” confirms Salvadè. “The Chinese textile machinery market is rapidly evolving, and the level of innovation in the technology requested has risen due to the growing international competition that even Chinese companies face. In Shanghai, Italian manufacturers will display their latest innovations, essential for making textile production more efficient and sustainable.”