The 60th International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITMA) was held 22-29 September in Barcelona, Spain. It featured 1,350 exhibitors from 45 countries and attracted over 100,000 visitors from 135 countries. Exhibitors presented textile machines, chemicals and textiles ranging over the entire textile pipeline from raw fibre to final garments.

The Woolmark Company participated with a stand devoted to presenting the latest innovations in Merino wool. The stand attracted over 160 visitors, from 48 countries, of which more than one third were decision-makers. Most were manufacturers and the main enquiries were about the innovations and about sourcing, eg Merino wool yarns. There were also enquiries about becoming Woolmark licensees.

We presented our latest Merino wool knitwear and wovenwear innovation kits along with 25 garments to illustrate the range of innovations possible with Merino wool. Innovations presented included Sculpture Merino, Vintage Merino, Merino Retract, Easy-Iron Merino and Mercerised Merino.

During the exhibition, Woolmark Company staff visited key exhibitors to identify new trends and equipment that might have relevance to wool.

A summary of the findings are available in a report (PDF 108Kb) prepared by The Woolmark Company staff.