From the Sector

Demand for recycled yarn is growing. And the number of TRUECYCLED installations in India is growing too! More and more future-facing companies are driving progress toward a more sustainable textiles industry by producing high-quality yarn from waste through specialized equipment and process know-how from Trützschler. The TRUECYCLED installations in India join a growing group of companies around the globe. This includes Trützschler customers in Türkiye as well as across Europe. 

TRUECYCLED is Trützschler’s complete solution for state-of-the-art recycling of pre-consumer and postconsumer textile waste. It encompasses all process steps – from cutting and tearing textile waste through to carding and drawing secondary fibers. Trützschler’s technological expertise enables partner companies to produce recycled yarns with the best possible quality from hard textile waste. In India, USHA YARN was awarded as the first TRUECYCLED reference customer in 2023. Now ten more reference customers are celebrated. TRUECYCLED is gaining traction in India, where demand for recycled yarn is growing rapidly. 
 
The TRUECYCLED pioneers in India are taking action to promote more sustainable, circular value chains in the textile industry. Their yarns contain a substantial amount of textile hard waste, manufactured in a line of Trützschler machinery configured specifically for recycling. All use the T-BLEND blow room line and Trützschler carding machines. 
 

• Anangoor Textile Mills (based in Kangayam): Produces 30 tons of blended open-end yarn (Ne 20 to Ne 40) per day, using more than 50 percent raw materials from pre-consumer waste. 
• Eco spin yarn (based in Derabassi): Specialized in 100 percent cotton and poly-cotton blended yarn. This company produces 18 tons of recycled yarn (Ne 10 to Ne 40) per day. It mainly uses 100 percent pre-consumer waste for cotton and up to 20 percent rPET fibers for poly-cotton blends. 
• Fabtech International Hosieries (based in Tirupur): Manufactures 8 tons of blended open-end yarn (Ne 20 to Ne 40) per day, using more than 50 percent raw materials from pre-consumer waste. 
• KS Spinning Mills (based in Panipat): Specializing in cotton and poly-cotton blended yarns with a capacity of 36 tons per day, this company produces a wide range of recycled open-end yarns from Ne 1 to Ne 40. For cotton yarn, the company uses 100 percent raw materials from preconsumer waste. Poly-cotton blended yarns are produced with a blend of up to 20 percent recycled polyester and up to 80 percent pre-consumer waste. 
• Maatrishakti Cotspin (based in Panipat): An open-end yarn expert, manufacturing 18 tons of cotton and poly-cotton blends per day (Ne 10 to Ne 40), using 70 to 80 percent raw materials from pre-consumer waste. 
• Oasis Textiles (based in Derabassi): Each day, this producer makes 36 tons of recycled yarn – using more than 70 percent raw material from pre-consumer waste (Ne 10 to Ne 40). 
• Shreeji Cotfab (based in Neemarana): Produces 18 tons per day of open-end yarn made from cotton and poly-cotton blends (Ne 10 to Ne 30), primarily using more than 70 percent of recycled materials. 
• Shri Pachaiamman Spinners (based in Coimbatore): Turns more than 50 percent preconsumer waste into hosiery yarn (Ne 10 to 30), producing 13 tons per day and using 100 percent recycled materials. 
• Sri Velayudhaswamy Spinning Mills (based in Dindigul): This customer produces 14 tons of recycled yarn (Ne 20 to Ne 40) per day from a blend of recycled cotton and polyester, using more than 50 percent pre-consumer waste. 
• Tirumalai Textiles (based in Coimbatore): Using more than 50 percent of pre-consumer waste, this manufacturer produces 17.5 tons of open-end yarn (Ne 10 to Ne 30) per day for weaving and hosiery applications. 

The Gartex Texprocess India 2025 India’s comprehensive tradeshow on garment and textile machinery, ended on 23rd August 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The expo drew visitors from 436 Indian cities, 31 countries and continents like Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. India's leading textile manufacturing, leather goods, garment machinery and textile production expo hosted leading brands, manufacturers and suppliers under one single platform, introducing innovative technologies, latest equipment, new material developments and value-added services for India's entire garment and textile eco-space.

The three-day event was marked with heavy visitor footfall, with a record-breaking attendance of 15,790 visitors on all days. Strategised to be the industry benchmark, Gartex Texprocess India 2025 focused on high-quality, high-speed and cost-effective products besides pushing technological innovation in the textile and apparel chain. The event offered a comprehensive platform for domestic as well as global industry players to discover opportunities, promote collaborations, and infuse investments in India's expanding textile, denim and leather industry.

The three-day event included an all-encompassing array of solutions in garment machinery, digital printing, embroidery, trims, accessories, automation, and sustainable practices. In serving as a meeting point for industry conversation, it also allowed stakeholders to not only source the newest technologies but also share knowledge on changing market needs and best practices.

The show floor engaged visitors in Denim Talks, State Sessions from Uttar Pradesh - Bihar and The Textile Care Forum highlighting the new developments, solutions and trends in the textile industry. The show saw interesting innovations in fabric manufacturing, embroidery, textile care (laundry), chemicals, inks, textile printing, denim, sewing, software, leather machinery, AI and automation and many more.

After the New Delhi edition, Gartex Texprocess India will hold its Mumbai edition from 09–11 April 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Center, increasing its reach to other stakeholders. With the textile, denim, leather and apparel sectors growing with every new technology, material and support the Indian textile industry, Gartex Texprocess India is steadfast in its determination to offer an effective platform that creates a bridge between innovation and industry requirements. In this process, it re-establishes itself as a growth catalyst in India's textile and garment production industries.

The full programme for the 93rd Textile Institute World Conference (TIWC 2025) has been announced, with over 100 presentations to be delivered in parellel sessions at the event, which takes place from October 7-10 at the Porto Palácio Hotel and Spa in Porto, Portugal.

In a comprehensive and international programme, the close collaboration between researchers on separate continents will be highlighted, with a major focus on the further development of technologies and practices assisting in the need for advanced fibre-to-fibre recycling as a means of accelerating a circular textiles economy.

Research teams working continents apart are arriving at strikingly similar solutions – circularity, digital integration, cleaner chemistry and human-centred reform are all critical. These interlocking themes will define this year’s conference.

Circularity will be one of the most prominent concepts underpinning the programme and researchers from Manchester in the UK, for example, will share their evaluation of end-of-life garments and show how almost half of those currently sent to waste could be channelled into advanced recycling. 

From Chemnitz in Germany, new knitting technology will be presented that allows higher proportions of recycled content in cotton fabrics while retaining softness and durability. 

Case studies from Bangladesh and Pakistan will meanwhile explore how local enterprises are already adopting closed-loop systems and circular business innovations, with recycled yarns reaching the supply chains of major global brands. 

Taken together, the many presentations addressing circularity will demonstrate how waste is beginning to shift from a burden to a new raw material, while also pointing to the infrastructure and policies that will be needed to make such systems commercially viable.

Alongside this, the conference will also highlight the revolution now taking place in digitalisation. 

Far from being a niche domain of design software, digital tools are becoming the backbone of sustainability itself. Work will be presented on blockchain, digital product passports and RFID systems that trace garments throughout their lifecycle, strengthening consumer trust and helping businesses meet new regulatory requirements. 

New methods of digital textile printing and open-source knitting software will also be discussed, offering designers the ability to localise production and work with greater creative agency.  

The message of these projects is clear – digitalisation is not an add-on to sustainability but one of its primary enablers.

Perhaps most significant at TWIC 2025 will be the attention given to the human dimension of sustainability. 

In Sri Lanka, small and medium-sized apparel manufacturers will be shown to face critical health and safety risks as climate change brings rising temperatures, air pollution and extreme weather. A new assessment tool will be introduced which is helping firms build resilience and protect workers. 

The Sustainable Fibre Alliance will also demonstrate how cashmere herders, traders and processors in Mongolia are being engaged in a collective effort to reduce rangeland degradation and safeguard livelihoods. 

UK fashion educators will further share approaches to preparing the next generation to embrace circular models and ethical consumerism, equipping future designers to balance profit with responsibility. At the consumer end, new research will reveal misalignments between brand recommendations for garment care and the behaviour actually adopted by wearers, showing that communication must evolve. 

“These examples will remind delegates that technology and recycling alone cannot deliver sustainability without parallel shifts in culture, education and policy,” says Textile Institute CEO Stephanie Dick. “The global nature of the challenges facing textiles is already widely acknowledged and climate change, waste, toxic chemicals, unsafe labour practices and consumer overconsumption have combined to make fashion and textiles one of the world’s most scrutinised industries. What will emerge from this conference, however, is an unmistakable sense of convergence and solid progress.”

Digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Hong Kong and Chinese market subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI (HONG KONG) LTD., will exhibit at the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition 2025 show in Shanghai, China in September. It will exhibit once again as part of the Digital Solutions Zone which allows visitors various opportunities to partake in the digital revolution that is currently making waves in the apparel industry. 
 
SHIMA SEIKI will be showing its APEXFiz® subscription-based design software which digitally supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual samples are a digitized version of sample making that are accurate enough to be used effectively as prototypes, replacing physical sampling and consequently reducing time, cost and material that eventually go to waste. The remarkable realism of textile simulation is achieved by using scanned data of actual yarn to virtually create fabrics that are comparable to physical samples. Simulations are available for wovens, circular knits, flat knits, prints, pile weave and even embroidery. These fabrics can be utilized in various 3D simulation software including APEXFiz® to create realistic product images. Should the design be approved for production, machine data can be generated to allow smooth communication for digitally bridging the gap between the studio and factory. APEXFiz® thereby helps to realize sustainability through reduced waste, to enhance quality, and to digitally transform the fashion supply chain. 
 
The product planning capability of APEXFiz® is enhanced by several web services featured as part of the SHIMA SEIKI Online Services (SHIMA online) web platform. These include the yarnbank® digital yarn sourcing web service that offers digitized yarn data by yarn companies from around the world for download and use in virtual sampling, as well as SHIMA Datamall™ digital content web service that allows users to search, browse and purchase a variety of useful data for streamlining the planning and production of fashion items. Registration to both services is free. 
 
SHIMA SEIKI will also be hosting a seminar session titled “New Era of Digital Fabric: End-to-End DPC Solution” on Wednesday, 3rd September from 10:20 am to 10:50 am at Hall 4.1-C131. 

Over 200 exhibitors, including numerous new exhibitors, top brands and long-standing customers, have already registered for Texprocess 2026. The important global industry meeting place focuses on automation, digitalisation and AI from 21 to 24 April 2026. Technological innovations provide concrete answers to the current demands of industry, such as efficiency and flexibility. Exhibitors also benefit from visitors to the concurrently held Techtextil.

The current strong registration figures show: exhibitors relying on the leading trade fair to reach international markets and new customers. The focus is on technologies for increasing efficiency – driven by automation, digitalisation and AI.

Top brands and new exhibitors on board
More than 200 exhibitors from 24 countries are currently registered to participate. These include Barudan (Japan), Brother Internationale Industriemaschinen (Germany), Kornit Digital Europe (Germany), Macpi (Italy), Morgan Tecnica (Italy), Sheffield Cutting Equipment (USA), Style 3D | Assyst (Germany), Veit (Germany), Vetron Typical Europe (Germany) and Zünd (Germany). 25 new exhibitors from various product groups have already registered, ranging from cutting and embroidery to printing technologies. These include Amann & Söhne (Germany), Avantex Software (USA), Coats Group (UK), Comelz (Italy), Cutting Edge Automation Machines (Italy), Hans-Joachim Schneider (Germany), Humanetics Digital Europe (Germany), Mimaki Deutschland (Germany), Pathfinder Australia, Valvan (Belgium) and many more.

Addressing challenges through new developments
Never has it been more important to be visible to the international market than it is today. The industry is facing major challenges, and companies need to explore new avenues, find business partners, drive developments forward and seize market opportunities. This is because investment restraint, tariffs, declining consumption, geopolitical developments and much more are placing the industry under massive pressure.

At Texprocess, exhibitors present solutions to meet these demands – ranging from intelligent material flow systems and robot-assisted sewing units to AI-based real-time quality control. The focus is on boosting efficiency, optimising the targeted use of resources and reducing dependence on volatile supply chains. New technologies are the key to streamlining processing operations amid limited budgets and declining consumer demand.

“Technological innovations are key to the future viability of apparel manufacturers and technical textile processors. At Texprocess 2026, exhibitors will once again set significant trends for the future, helping to strengthen their customers’ competitiveness – particularly in today’s challenging geopolitical times,” explains Elgar Straub, Managing Director, VDMA Textile Care, Fabrics and Leather Technologies.

Texprocess: Exhibitors benefit from Techtextil visitors
At Texprocess, exhibitors also reach visitors to the concurrently held Techtextil. For the first time, Performance Apparel Textiles, Textile Chemicals & Dyes, and Fibres & Yarns are located in Hall 9.0 – directly adjacent to Texprocess in Hall 8.0. This means that overlapping visitors from the apparel industry can access the offerings of both leading trade fairs more easily. At the previous edition, 72 percent of Techtextil visitors also took advantage of the offerings at Texprocess.

Texprocess brings together all technologies and services for textile processing – from design, cutting, sewing and finishing to digital printing. Visitors from a wide range of sectors use Texprocess to find the best technologies for processing their products. These include clothing, denim, functional and protective apparel, footwear, home and contract textiles, automotive components and medical products. The aim is to improve production processes and increase efficiency. In this regard, the market overview provided by Texprocess is crucial for investment decisions.

OC Oerlikon Corporation AG, Pfäffikon announced the successful placement of two series of senior unsecured bonds: CHF 150 million due in September 2027 and CHF 200 million due in September 2030 (together, the “Bonds”). The proceeds of the Bonds will be used for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of outstanding debt. The Bonds have attracted broad investor demand.

The coupons have been set at 1.375% per annum for the Bonds due 2027 and 2.000% per annum for the Bonds due 2030. The coupons for both tranches are payable annually on September 3 with the first coupon payable on September 3, 2026, on both tranches.

An application for the Bonds to be admitted for listing and trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange will be filed, with provisional trading expected to commence on or around September 1, 2025. Settlement date of the Bonds is expected on September 3, 2025.

Commerzbank, Bank J. Safra Sarasin, UBS Investment Bank and Zürcher Kantonalbank acted as the Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners, and DBS Bank Ltd acted as a Co-Manager on the offering.

Since the beginning of the year, Oerlikon Textile Inc. has been offering a crimper repair service, making it the company's first location worldwide to do so. The workshop in Charlotte specializes primarily in Fleissner and Neumag crimpers.

Crimping is one of the most important and demanding steps in the staple fiber process. A uniform and stable crimp is crucial for optimum product quality. This makes it even more important to keep the essential components in good condition and repair them promptly to prevent production downtime.

Competence center established
In addition to the right equipment, this precise work also requires appropriate specialist personnel. Oerlikon Textile Inc. has built up a competent team at its Charlotte site, which offers a complete overhaul including pressure roller and chamber repairs, as well as checking the pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical systems. Each crimper is delivered pre-set and undergoes a thorough test run. These services are, of course, also covered by a warranty. “With this new service, we can work closely with our customers and guarantee the best service with OEM standards and short response times,” says Daniel Möller-Langmaack, Team Leader Service Sales Staple Fiber at Oerlikon Neumag. “This repair center is another important step in helping our customers to be successful and profitable in their business,” adds Tilmann Seidel, Vice President and Head of Customer Services at Oerlikon Neumag.

Longstanding partnership with Stratasys increases worker safety, and fuels on-demand factory tooling 
Stratasys Ltd. announced that Toyota’s production engineering group is accelerating innovation on the factory floor through its strategic collaboration with Stratasys. The automaker is empowering automotive workers to seamlessly integrate advanced 3D printing technology in their manufacturing process, taking tools, fixtures and jigs from initial concept to working prototype in just one day. 

Through the more than 10-year partnership with Stratasys, Toyota engineers have access to industrial-grade 3D printers and advanced materials designed to withstand tough factory conditions. These Stratasys high-performance polymers reduce reliance on external suppliers and long lead times, giving frontline engineering teams the ability to iterate rapidly and adapt to shifting production needs in real time. 

Toyota is currently using the Stratasys F3300, F900, Origin One, F770, Neo800, H350, F370, J850, and Fortus 450mc printers to produce robust factory tooling, end-use parts, and functional prototypes throughout its North American facilities. 

By integrating Stratasys industrial 3D printing solutions across its North American operations, Toyota can transform ideas into durable, customized tools that support workflows, enhance worker safety, and withstand wear and tear. Much of this work is powered by the Toyota Add Lab, the company’s in-house additive manufacturing center that was opened in January 2023 and dedicated to accelerating R&D and factory innovation. 

“Sometimes we start with nothing more than a sketch on paper or an idea in our heads,” said Dallas Martin, Additive Manufacturing Engineer at Toyota North America. “We can model it digitally and hold a working part in our hands the very next day. That speed lets us move quickly, implement safer solutions, and continuously iterate to improve our processes.” 

The collaboration reflects Stratasys’ broader commitment to helping automotive leaders transform their manufacturing workflows with scalable, cost-effective additive solutions that drive innovation. From jigs and fixtures to ergonomic aids and complex assembly tools, additive manufacturing is helping Toyota team members solve production challenges with unprecedented speed and flexibility. 

“Additive manufacturing has transformed how our teams collaborate and innovate,” said Lisa Bednar, Group Manager, Production Engineering at Toyota North America. “Instead of sending an idea out and waiting weeks for a part, we’re building it ourselves, refining it the same day, and getting it into production faster. It’s not just about speed — it’s about giving our people the tools to think differently and act immediately.” 

Thanks in part to the Add Lab’s innovations, Toyota engineers have used 3D printing to redesign a door assembly fixture, creating a lighter, more ergonomic tool on-site in just a few days. In another case, they developed a custom window alignment jig that turned a multi-person job into a one-person task, boosting both safety and efficiency. 

“Toyota is a standout example of how leading manufacturers are leveraging additive manufacturing to deliver meaningful operational impact,” said Rich Garrity, Chief Industrial Business Officer at Stratasys. “Their teams are using our technology to move faster, adapt on the fly, and build safer, more efficient production environments. We’re proud to support a partner that’s turning bold ideas into real-world, measurable improvements on the factory floor.” 

With a clear focus on sustainability, Barmag, a subsidiary of the Swiss Oerlikon Group, will present comprehensive solutions from its Oerlikon Barmag and Oerlikon Neumag product brands for the plastics industry at K 2025. Under the motto "Barmag Recycling Technologies – Closing the Loop. Opening Potential," Barmag will inform trade visitors about its wide range of services in the field of plastics manufacturing and processing from October 8 to 15. 

"Our technologies enable our customers to achieve a closed-loop economy in the plastics industry, particularly in the packaging and chemical fiber industries. From melt preparation and cleaning to melt conveying, granulation, and spinning—we have all the technologies in-house, everything from a single source," says Barmag CEO Georg Stausberg, referring to innovative technologies for polycondensation and extrusion systems, new recycling solutions, sustainable manufacturing processes for filtration applications, and high-quality gear pumps.

Polycondensation and sustainability
High-quality melt has a direct impact on the end product. It forms the basis for high-quality bottle, film, and fiber polyester. OBHE's homogenization technology stands for the thermomechanical recycling of processed post-industrial polyester waste such as bottle flakes and film. The Oerlikon Barmag Homogenizer ensures a homogeneous melt, enabling a targeted increase in viscosity to produce defined rPET precursors for further processing, such as melt, granulate or fiber material for direct spinning. 

Extrusion and recycling – extrusion pumps as a key factor
Ever more precise product tolerances are a key feature of the further development of modern products such as capacitor films, packaging films, monofilaments, stretched film strips, tubes, and window profiles. At this year's trade fair, Barmag will be presenting extruder pumps that significantly improve extrusion processes: The product flow is conveyed homogeneously thanks to constant pressure build-up and reduced pulsations. The result is extruded end products of consistently high quality. At the same time, the extruder is relieved, which leads to less wear. Another advantage is that fluctuations in material viscosity are compensated by the extruder pump. The wide product portfolio of the GE and GC series covers delivery volumes from 4.7 to 12,800 cm³/rev, offering tailor-made solutions for a wide range of extrusion requirements. 

Pump solutions for polymer production and processing 
Another focus is on the monomer, pre-polymer, and polymer discharge pumps of the GL and GD series. With delivery volumes from 4.7 to 21,100 cm³/rev, these pumps are suitable for different production capacities and a wide viscosity range—for maximum versatility in various processes. All pump models are also available as complete units, including the drive train and other components. This allows for individually tailored system solutions.

The ZP series continues to offer high-precision gear pumps that are ideal for demanding applications such as viscosity measurement thanks to their exceptional metering accuracy and wide viscosity range. 

Precision that sets standards – metering technology for versatile industrial applications
The precise dosing of demanding media plays a central role in many industrial sectors. Whether in the chemical, plastics, paint, or coatings industry, Barmag pumps handle even the most complex PUR applications reliably and efficiently. The highly accurate and safe handling of toxic or low-viscosity media is particularly challenging. With the GM and GA series and the matching components, Barmag offers the ideal solution for these sensitive areas of application. Pumps in the GM series achieve precise dosing thanks to low-pulsation feed of the flow rate. The multi-stage GM pump conveys low-viscosity media even under high pressure. Ideal for precise dosing processes under the most demanding conditions.

The Barmag drum pump is specially designed for pumping and dosing highly viscous media such as adhesives or silicones. It enables reliable extraction directly from drums or other large containers – even under pressure conditions of up to 250 bar. What makes it special is not only that it discharges highly viscous materials from the drum, but also that the medium can be dosed directly without any further intermediate stops.

The proven durability of Barmag gear pumps enables sustainable, efficient production and makes an important contribution to conserving resources.

Solutions for plastic recycling
Barmag's joint venture company BB Engineering (BBE) has been an expert in extrusion and filtration for decades. Its single-screw extruders are designed for a wide range of polymers such as PP, PET, rPET, PA, and PE and are particularly suitable for demanding applications in film production, synthetic fiber spinning, and high-quality PET recycling. With screw diameters ranging from 30 to 360 mm, the systems cover a wide processing spectrum and enable throughputs of 3 to 6,000 kg/h, depending on the material and process requirements. In addition to single-screw extruders, BBE also offers extrusion cascades for high output rates combined with the highest quality requirements. 

Efficient filtration for the purest melt qualities 
As an ideal complement to extrusion technology, BBE offers a wide range of melt filters, including the new COBRA filter, which sets new standards in continuous polymer filtration. This high-performance system is equipped with automated valve switching and integrated inline intermediate cleaning. This ensures uninterrupted operation with consistently high filtration quality – a decisive advantage, especially when processing recycled materials with varying input consistency. With a maximum filter area of 24 m² and a throughput of up to 4,000 kg/h, the COBRA filter offers exceptional performance density and process stability. 

Integrated recycling solutions for high-quality rPET melts
BBE has been intensively involved in the development of efficient technologies for plastics recycling for many years. In addition to a broad portfolio of extruders, melt filters, and the Spinnanlage VarioFil® R for PET recycling, the company offers VacuFil®, a fully integrated system for innovative PET LSP recycling (liquid state polycondensation).

VacuFil® combines large-area, gentle melt filtration with precise IV control, ensuring consistently high quality of the rPET melt. The modular system concept allows flexible adaptation to different material qualities and application areas in the recycling process. The central component of the system is Visco+®, a liquid phase polycondensation unit for precise viscosity adjustment. Continuous adjustment of the IV results in a homogeneous melt with optimum processing properties – ideal for high-quality end products in the fiber, film, or packaging industry. 

Open House at the Recycling Technology Center
Thanks to its proximity to the trade fair, visitors to the BBE Technology Center can experience live how PET waste is turned into high-quality recycled yarn (POY). On two days of the trade fair (October 10 and 13, 2025), there will be an open house where visitors can also see how the yarn produced is further processed using the JeTex air texturing system with a new auto-doff unit. (Participation by individual invitation).

In the second quarter of 2025, the index of orders for textile machinery, compiled by the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, showed a slight decrease compared to the same period in 2024 (-1%). In absolute terms, the index stood at 47.1 points (base year 2021=100).

This result was driven by an increase in order intake from the domestic market, which almost entirely offset the decline recorded in foreign markets.

Orders collected on the domestic market rose by 38% compared to the second quarter of 2024, reaching an absolute value of 70.9 points.

In foreign markets, orders were down 7% compared to the same period of the previous year. The absolute value of the index stood at 43.8 points.

In the second quarter, the order backlog reached 3.9 months of guaranteed production (up from 3.6 months in the first quarter). It is also worth noting that, on average, companies in the sector used only 55% of their production capacity in the first half of the year. Utilization is expected to reach 60% in the second half of 2025.

Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, commented: “The signals coming from the domestic market are encouraging, but concerns about the future remain. Demand in Italy is still weak. The increase recorded between April and June will need to be confirmed over the course of the year.”

“On the foreign front,” added Marco Salvadè, “a general climate of uncertainty persists, due not only to U.S. tariffs imposed on the EU, but also to the broader geopolitical situation. The 15% duty, combined with a significant depreciation of the dollar against the euro, may have varying negative impacts on our exports to the U.S., depending on the tariff rates applied to other Countries supplying technology to U.S. textile companies. For now, the U.S. remains a key market for our manufacturers: it was the fourth largest in 2024, with a value of over 112 million euros, and it continued to grow in the first four months of 2025 (+3%). Also concerning is the weak demand for textile machinery in the two most important markets, China and Turkey. Italian sales from January to April 2025 fell by 32% in the Chinese market and by 47% in the Turkish one.”