Despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and a challenging global economic environment, organisers of ITMA 2027 report a strong early response: more than 1,500 companies from 43 countries have already secured their participation for the show in Hannover in September 2027.

Early commitments, clear structure

The organiser has unveiled its sector plan, covering 12 halls at Messegelände Hannover across more than 180,000 square metres. The plan maps 20 sectors spanning textile and garment manufacturing processes, from spinning to finishing, as well as software and automation, recycling, and fibres, yarns and fabrics. Visitor registration is set to open in March 2027, and the confirmed layout is positioned as an early planning aid for both exhibitors and visitors.

Who is booking space – and where demand comes from

CEMATEX, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers, comprises nine national associations and continues to position ITMA as the global platform for textile manufacturing innovation. Manufacturers represented by these associations account for 43% of all applicants and over 60% of exhibition space booked to date. Beyond Europe, manufacturers account for more than 50% of applicants and around 40% of space booked. China leads international participation, followed by India, Türkiye and Japan.

Innovation themes and start-ups

Alongside established areas such as spinning, nonwovens, weaving, knitting, finishing, printing and garment making, the plan highlights research and innovation, services, recycling, fibres, yarns and fabrics, and software and automation. The CEMATEX-funded Start-Up Valley will again be part of the show: applications have doubled versus the previous edition, with 64 young companies competing for 20 spaces.

A key highlight of ITMA, the CEMATEX-supported Research & Innovation sector shows the importance of closer collaboration between academia and industry in supporting the transition from research to manufacturing.

The Recycling sector is gaining momentum, driven by regulatory initiatives such as the EU's Sustainable and Circular Textiles Strategy and similar measures across the globe. Advances in recycling technology are also making textile-to-textile circularity commercially viable, giving recycling technology producers further reason to invest ahead of ITMA 2027.

Looking ahead

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.